Yorkdale Corporate Fashion Seminar Survey

Toronto, ON - According to a new Ipsos Reid survey conducted on behalf of Yorkdale shopping centre, nine in ten (89%) working Ontarians think personal image or style is linked to personal career success and growth. With that in mind, unfortunately, nearly one in two (45%) employed Ontarians have difficulty picking out something to wear to work each day and one in four (26%) have a complaint about the way their co-workers dress. Women and GTA residents are particularly apt to feel this way: 62% of women and 55% of GTAers experience difficulty, 32% of women and 33% of GTAers have complaints.

The survey also finds that working Ontarians rank financial and insurance workers as the best dressed occupation (59%), followed by communications workers (42%). Trailing these two industries are health and social service workers (25%), government service workers (23%), educational service workers (23%), and retail or service workers (22%).

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid/Yorkdale poll conducted March 1-5, 2007. For the study, a representative sample of 506 employed adult Ontarians was surveyed online. For the purposes of this study, employed Ontarians are defined as though 18 years of age or older working full-time, part-time, or are self-employed. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 1774.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult working population of Ontario been polled. The margin of error will be larger within sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual population.

Working Ontarians Tie Personal Style To Career Success

Nine in ten (89%) working Ontarians agree (31% strongly, 58% somewhat) that personal image or style is linked to personal career success and growth. One in ten (11%) Disagree (5% strongly, 7% somewhat).

• While majorities of both men and women agree with this notion, women are more likely to have strong opinions: 37% of women strongly agree vs. 26% of men.

Yet, Many Have Difficulty Getting Dressed For Work Each Day...

Nearly one in two (45%) employed Ontarians have difficulty picking out something to wear to work each day. Among this group, 65% are bored with wearing the same thing all the time (or 30% of all employed Ontarians), 28% say none of their clothes fit (or 13% of all employed Ontarians), 23% never seem to have enough time to put something together (or 10% of all employed Ontarians), 18% say they have lots to choose from but nothing seems to match (or 8% of all employed Ontarians), and 23% experience some other difficulty (or 10% of all employed Ontarians).

• Employed women in Ontario are twice as likely as men to have difficulties picking out something to wear to work (62% vs. 30%).
• Employed Ontarians 18-34 years of age are more likely than those who are older to experience difficulty getting dressed for work (65% vs. 37%).
• GTA workers are more likely than others to have difficulty choosing something to wear to work (55% vs. 37%).

And Some Have Complaints About Co-Workers' Dress!

One in four (26%) employed Ontarians have a complaint about the way their co-workers dress. Among this group, 40% are bothered by co-workers that dress up/down too much (or 11% of all employed Ontarians), 23% say their co-workers' clothing is unkempt (or 6% of all employed Ontarians), 20% complain that co-workers' clothes don't fit properly (or 5% of all employed Ontarians), and 17% think that their co-workers' dress inappropriately for their age (or 5% of all employed Ontarians).

• Employed women in Ontario are more likely than men to have a complaint about their co-workers' attire (32% vs. 21%).
• Employed Ontarians 18-34 years of age are more likely than those who are older to have a complaint about their co-workers' attire (32% vs. 24%).
• GTA workers are more likely than others to have a complaint about their co-workers' attire (33% vs. 21%).

Financial & Insurance Workers Top Best-Dressed Occupations List

Survey respondents were asked to rate a list of occupations from 1-10 where 10 means best dressed and 1, worst. Working Ontarians rank financial and insurance workers as the best dressed occupation (59% top 3 box vs. 3% bottom 3 box) and communications workers (42% top 3 box vs. 3% low 3 box) second-best. Trailing these two industries are health and social service workers (25% top 3 box vs. 7% bottom 3 box), government service workers (23% top 3 box vs. 11% bottom 3 box), educational service workers (23% top 3 box vs. 9% bottom 3 box), and retail or service workers (22% top 3 box vs. 10% bottom 3 box).

For more information on this press release, please contact:
Jennifer McLeod
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Reid Public Affairsbr> (416) 324-2900
[email protected]
For full tabular results, please visit our website www.ipsos.ca. News Releases are available at: http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/.

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

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