Women need 13 days to get ready for office do
WOMEN spend the equivalent of 13 days preparing for their office Christmas party, says a study.
The mammoth effort is worth it, they say, because the festive celebration is the most important social event of the year.
The average woman places it above dates, New Year’s Eve parties and even friends’ weddings.
Shopping for just the right outfit takes an average of 72 hours.A further 96 hours will be spent getting in shape. And a total of 23 hours will be devoted to beauty treatments and make-up.
The hunt for the perfect outfit – alluring but not too daring is the best bet – begins as early as the end of September.
Out of the total hours put in to this one event, women spend an average of 63 hours “getting tips from friends”.
If they’re still uncertain, they spend 10 hours looking through style magazines for inspiration.
Shopping for accessories like jewellery, bags, belts and shoes can take 48 hours, while 12 hours go on haircuts, dyeing and blow-drying.
Another two hours will be spent on exfoliating, moisturising and tanning.
Gavin Brown, managing director of the Clothes Show Live, which commissioned the survey, said: “The Christmas party is the highlight of everyone’s festive calendar. It’s the place to be seen so it’s no wonder women take hundreds of hours making sure they look their best.
“It is the last party of the year where people get a chance to let their hair down with their colleagues and forget about their troubles for an evening.
“So, the Christmas party is the perfect excuse to shake off those winter blues.”
Danielle Zreik, 25, a human resources assistant from Kingston, Surrey, said: “As soon as the autumn weather begins to turn, my thoughts are on my Christmas party outfit. Working at an engineering firm, I don’t often get the opportunity to dress up so the Christmas party is my chance to get properly glam.”
Clothes Show Live quizzed 997 women aged between 18 and 45.
Fashion and beauty guru Caryn Franklin, presenter of Clothes Show Live, said: “A sensible woman may want to communicate other aspects of herself that are promotion-worthy assets.
“My guidance here would be less flesh, more chic restraint.”
Restraint may pay in other ways too – unless you want to spend months living down pictures of your bottom taken on the office photocopier.
