Debenhams Finds Out How Fashion Suffers As The Week Goes On

Released on: June 04, 2010, 11:02 am
Author: Debenhams
Industry: Retail

Debenhams research reveals women take 36 minutes longer to get dressed for work on a Monday than on any other day of the week, new research shows.

According to the Debenhams study results, extra time is devoted to perfecting their hair, make up and clothing so that they can be sure of making a good impression on work colleagues. However, standards slip dramatically with each passing day, so that by the time Friday comes, the time spent on their appearance has slumped to just one quarter of the original figure.

Debenhams spokesman Ed Watson said: "Many women clearly experience a major fashion deficit as the week goes on. For some it's a swift journey from Cheryl Cole to Nora Batty - in just five days."

The data emerged during Debenhams network of personal shopper studies into women and men's dressing habits throughout the week.

The results show that women spend, on average, 76 minutes getting ready for work each Monday morning. Twenty three minutes of which will be devoted to their hair, eighteen minutes on make-up, sixteen minutes to trying out different combinations of clothes with the rest taken up by showering and washing. However, this figure falls to just 40 minutes the following day, with time spent on hair falling to 12 minutes, with make-up and deciding what to wear both dropping to 9 minutes each.

By the time Friday comes, the total time spent on getting ready has collapsed to just 19 minutes - a quarter of the original figure. Instead hair preparation takes six minutes, make up just two minutes and deciding what to wear just one minute. Time spent in the bathroom remains constant at an average of ten minutes regardless of day of the week.

Men, by comparison, take on average 28 minutes to get ready on a Monday, a figures which slumps the very next day to 14 minutes before falling to a constant low of eleven minutes for the rest of the week.

Debenhams’ Ed Watson concluded: "Make the most of looking at your work colleagues on a Monday morning, because that's as good as they're going to get. It's clear that most men can only pay attention to their appearance for a maximum of two days before opting for an acceptable level of dishevelment. Women try to keep their dress standards higher for longer, but by the time Friday comes, they too have gone down a line of least resistance."

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Notes to editors:
Debenhams will use the information to help stores match precisely the right stock levels to various days of the week.

*Sample of 1000 customers was questioned via Debenhams' personal shopper network between January - April 2010.

About Debenhams:
Debenhams is a leading department stores group, and has a strong presence in key product categories including women's fashion, such as dresses, women's shoes, bikinis, jeans, make-up, health and beauty, accessories, perfume, lingerie, wedding attire including bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses, men's clothing, home ware and children's wear.

Debenhams PR contact:
Michelle Dowdall
PR Manager - Womenswear & Childrenswear
Debenhams
33 Wigmore Street
London
W1U 1QX
(020 7529 0449) 66449
www.debenhams.com