If The 50-plus boomers may be getting gray, but mentally many still feel as fit and hip as when they were rocking to the Beatles in the '60s. Which is why they want to dress the part. And when you consider that by the year 2010, 43 percent of American adults will be aged 50 or older, that's a lot of aging hipsters out there who will want to look with it.

Carmen Vargas Age: 57 Occupation: Accountant How do you feel about your age?  Great! I'm healthier than ever because I take care of myself better than when I was younger. What are your passions?  Baseball. My favorite team is the Red Sox, even though I've lived in Brooklyn, New York, for 25 years. Given the choice between the Mets and the Yankees, I prefer the Yankees. What are your dislikes:  The winter. I grew up in Columbia, South America. It was a lot warmer there. Eyewear: Neostyle style College 179

According to Mike Hand, president of the apparel division at the NPD Group, graying boomers (people who were the last of the Silent Generation and first-wave boomers, ranging in age from 45 to 64) currently hold the buying power. Even though they comprise only 21 percent of the population, they spend a whopping $1,157 a year on fashion apparel. Their younger boomer and X-er counterparts (ages 25 to 44) spend about $956 a year. Those 65 and older spend a mere $688 a year. So it appears that graying boomers have the passion for fashion.

Don't Call Them Seniors!

Throw out the notion that a customer who turns 50 will automatically start donning granny glasses. This group may be eligible to join AARP, but don't dare call them seniors. And since most boomers have already celebrated their 40th birthdays, their presbyopia rate is rising right along with their collective age-making eyewear a necessary accessory. So it's no wonder that sales of fashion-forward reading glasses have exploded.

And therein lies an opportunity for dispensers. Paul Rothstein, O.D. of Pildes Optical, located in midtown New York City, observes: "Many of our new customers are baby boomers getting fitted for prescription eyewear for the first time because of presbyopia. And since they've never paid for prescription frames before, I don't want to give them sticker shock. That's why I usually sell them a $75 frame with a +1.0 magnification so they can see on the computer. If they're happy, I trade them up to a $150 designer frame that includes progressive lenses their second time in."

Brands Lose Cach�

Still, Rothstein has observed that baby boomers aren't motivated to buy frames just because they have a designer logo slapped on them. "Older people are more concerned with quality and value, while those in their twenties and thirties may buy a frame just because it's a name like Dolce & Gabbana," he says.

Michele Bayle, licensed optician for Seattle Vision in Seattle, Wash., agrees. "Our dispensary is located in Seattle, so we get a lot of lawyers, accountants, and artistic professionals who range in age from 35 to 56. Generally they are more concerned with how a frame looks on their face then with the brand." 

Bayle goes on to say that as long as this age group feels they are getting a quality frame that looks good on them, price matters little. "Our average frame package range is $150-$300, and the older professional will end up spending $300 for a pair of frames made from an upscale European manufacturer rather than from a megabrand designer."

The Luxury Leaders

And graying boomers are more than willing to spend their dollars. This is the group that Mercedes Benz, Rolex, and American Express Platinum court the most. And they should. Boomers spend a whopping $900 billion dollars a year, with much of those dollars fueling the luxury market. So while they may not be so impressed with a megabrand, show them the Cadillac of all frames and more than likely, you've got a sale.

Darrin Bartley, licensed optician for Chicago Eyewear in Naples, Fla., has been successful doing just that. "We carry nothing but the exclusive stuff-Matsuda, Kiesselstein-Cord, Oliver Peoples, Lunor, and Caviar. Our average ticket price is $450.

"Graying boomers are at a point in their lives where they feel they've worked hard to enjoy a measure of success, so they deserve some luxuries in life," adds Bartley.

His first priority with boomers is to get them into progressive lenses. And since the dispensary is in Florida, he promotes prescription polarized sunwear as a second sale. Also, because his dispensary is located in Florida-the unofficial retirement state of the nation- Bartley deals with a significant 60-plus customer base as well.

The Silent Generation and beyond

For this group, Bartley says: "First off, we try to get them out of the oversize eyewear they've been wearing for years into smaller frames which make them look younger immediately. For men, I move them out of the double-bridge aviators into titanium rimless looks. For women, we encourage colorful zyls like burgundy, soft greens, and even turquoise. In metal finishes for both men and women, platinum silver is a no-brainer."

Dr. Arthur Weider Age: 81  Occupation: Psychologist. I've had a practice in psychology for more than 55 years. And have no plans to retire. How do you feel about your age?  I'm like a fine vintage wine. I get better with age. What are your passions?  Love. I know a lot about love. I have an 11-year-old child who was conceived when I was 73 years old. Music, especially Gershwin and Duke Ellington. What are your dislikes?  Insincerity, duplicitousness, and Republicans. Eyewear: Movado for Lantis, MV114

Karen Simmons, licensed optician of Beach Drive Optical in St. Petersburg, Fla., has catered to retirees for 15 years and admits, "A lot of our customers have been wearing the same frames for 10 years, and it can be hard to get them to make a change. So sometimes you have to scale their eyewear frame size down in stages by offering a smaller frame, but larger than the current trending styles."

She says that men in particular are resistant to change. Yet surprisingly, older men have been open to trying the new titanium styles, especially if they are golfers. "They associate titanium with premium-made golf clubs, so they understand titanium frame benefits."

But when it comes to buying frames based on a brand, especially a designer brand, the 60-plus set couldn't care less, according to Simmons. "This is the generation that grew up during the depression, so they are more concerned with getting the most for their buck," she says. And that's probably why they are also tighter with money than their baby boomer offspring. Of course, living on a set income and social security puts a lid on spending, too.

But after their initial resistance to styling and even price, both Simmons and Bartley have observed that once they get their older customers in updated frames, they can count on them coming back to their dispensaries again and again. "Unlike the baby boomers who are incredibly time-pressed and want to get in and out, retirees have all the time in the world," says Bartley. "Which means you can indulge them with top service. What's more, they like the attention."

Regardless of what generation a customer comes from, there are certain strategies where you just can't lose. "We keep it real simple," says Bartley. "We give them something that's a little high tech-like a progressive lens, a little style, like a trendy zyl, and show them how it impacts both their vision and their appearance. No matter what their age, it always works." EB

Ingeborg Medaris Age 68 Occupation: Retired secretary from Berlin, Germany How do you feel about your age?  Well there's nothing I can do about it, so it doesn't concern me. What are your passions?  Travel. I want to see the entire world. I've been here in the United States for the past month. I love New York City, the opera, the architecture, the people. I plan to come back again. What are your dislikes?  When someone says I'm old. Because I don't feel old. Eyewear: Beausoleil style 49-127

Lawrence Otway Age: 45 Occupation: Used to be a lawyer but left law to become a professional bagpipe musician. How do you feel about your age?  The older I get the more I realize that life is too short, so you can't put your dreams on the back burner. As they say, your life is not a dress rehearsal. It's the play and you're the star of it. What are your passions? Boat building, rowing. Any activity that relates to the sea. What are your dislikes:  Right wing politics. Eyewear: LaFont's style Charme