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Generally, women's fashion magazines have not featured models over age 40 to communicate fashion messages to the older population. A counter‐balanced de sign was used to test whether age similarity between a message source (fashion model) and a message receiver (fashion consumer) would (1) affect consumers' attitudes toward fashion models and (2) influence consumers' purchase intent of fashion apparel. Respondent and model ages were the variables investigated. Respondents 46 and under were defined as younger (n = 48); respondents over 46 were older (n = 48). A pretest ascertained that models were perceived as younger (established at about 25 years) or older (close to 55 years). Using a ran domized plan, subjects completed two identical attitude measures (each with a photograph of either a younger or older model), a purchase intent measure and a demographic measure. The attitude questionnaire measured perceived age simi larity, source credibility and interpersonal attraction. Age similarity between older models and older consumers resulted in significant positive effects for source credibility and interpersonal attraction. Younger consumers evaluated older models higher than younger models on one dimension of credibility, but indi cated no other significant differences in attitudes toward younger or older models. Purchase intent was not affected by age similarity or dissimilarity.

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