THE NPD GROUP REPORTS MEN ARE DRESSING FOR SUCCESS IN A WHOLE NEW FASHIONReport Says Six in Ten Men Wear Some Form of Tailored Clothing in the WorkplacePORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, April 19, 2004 - Typically when we think of men's "tailored business attire," a business suit and tie comes to mind. The NPD Group, a marketing information company finds men are opting for tailored clothing items, including dress shirts and dress slacks, that can be mixed and matched with more casual-styled tops and bottoms. According to The NPD Group's latest report, Men's Tailored Clothing and Workplace Attire, while only 10 percent of men say their office requires a "tailored business attire" dress code, over six in ten men (61%) voluntarily choose to wear clothing items considered "tailored" to work. One in five men tell NPD they wear dress shirts to work "more often" this year compared to last year. Nearly fifty percent of men wear dress shirts and dress slacks to work. Dress socks (45 %) and shoes (41 %) rank number three and four, respectively, with four out of ten men wearing them. Only one in six men (16%) tell NPD they wear business suits or suit separates to work. Why do so many men choose to wear tailored clothing items to work even though they're not required to? According to the Men's Tailored Clothing and Workplace Attire report, the biggest reason is to "feel more professional", followed by "special event/important meeting", "like the image" and "like the style." "Men are dressing for success, but in a whole new way," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst with The NPD Group. "Men are wearing shirts and ties and even jackets, but they're mixing them with traditionally less formal khakis. When you look at what's driving the trends in men's tailored clothing, it is more about separates rather than the whole suit and ensemble," said Cohen. What Motivates Men to Shop
Men want comfort in their work clothes and they tell NPD it is their top priority when they buy clothes for work. In fact, three out of four men (75 %) say comfort is "very important." Style, price and quality matter too, more than half of men tell NPD these attributes are also "very important." It's no surprise that men want their wardrobes to be low maintenance. No dry-cleaning and no ironing are key factors when they buy new work clothes. Forty-one percent of the men we spoke to say not having to dry-clean clothes is "very important" in their decision to buy work clothes. For older men this factor is especially important, with close to half of men (48 %), age 45 plus, ranking this attribute as "very important." Thirty-eight percent of men age 55 and older say wrinkle-free fabrics are "very important" to them. "The apparel market has responded to consumers' needs by creating hybrid products for men - clothes that are a cross between dress and casual. Men want to look good, but they also want to be comfortable doing it. Manufacturers and retailers will continue to embrace this trend, since men have no intentions of giving up their khakis for a suit," said Cohen. About the Report
NPD collected information for Men's Tailored Clothing and Workplace Attire between October 29 and November 5, 2003 using NPD's online consumer panel. The survey was administered to a nationally representative sample of over 700 men aged 18+ selected from the NPD Online Panel. Those who indicated being unemployed, retired or a student were excluded from the study. In addition, those panelists who indicated wearing a uniform to work were excluded from the study as well. About The NPD Group, Inc.
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