Fashion (Day of the) Week

It''s a question millions of Brits ask themselves on a weekly basis and one that can strike fear into the hearts of some, but the question of what to wear on a dress down Friday is not one to be ignored.New research by one of the UK''s leading online department stores, Very.co.uk, has revealed that almost half (45%) of the working population are actually dressing up on a Friday, causing additional stress and planning before the working day has already begun.

This stress and strain over what to wear, cited by more than one in 10 (13%) of Brits as the most stressful time of the working week, has led to 15% admitting to calling in sick to avoid the day all together. Nearly a quarter, (23%) have been late due to indecision and one in five have returned home to change after leaving the house.

For over one third of us, planning what to wear on a Friday begins on a Thursday lunchtime, with a handful of people (equating to approximately 1%) starting their decision-making process as early as Monday evening. Nearly a quarter (23%) of the 2,000 UK workers polled stated that they carefully plan what they''re going to wear on a Friday above other days, with the same amount claiming not to like dressing down at all.43% spend more time on hair, makeup and grooming on a Friday compared to another day of the working week, with 24% choosing the day to experiment with their look.

This experimentation, which adds an average of 15 minutes to an individual''s morning routine, has also had an effect on our pockets as 50% claim to spend more on their Friday fashion than they do for the remainder of the week.When it comes to what''s seen as acceptable to wear in the office, the results are surprising.

As the trend for day-to-night fashion continues, high heels over four inches, party dresses and mini skirts are now all seen as acceptable Friday attire, especially for the 50% of those surveyed who claim to go straight out from work every week.

With 15% of men claiming to have pulled a colleague aside to tell them about a Friday fashion faux pas, and one in five (21%) women admitting to whispering at the water cooler behind a colleague''s back, it''s not surprising that 13% of Brits have enlisted the advice of a professional stylist over what to wear to work. Regionally, those in Birmingham and the West Midlands are the least confident in choosing their outfits alone, with 53% of respondents asking partners, 38% asking family members and nearly a quarter (22%) asking complete strangers for style advice.

Brand ambassador for Very.co.uk, Fearne Cotton, says: "We''ve all been there, rummaging through drawers and trying to find the outfit that makes you look fabulous without looking like you''ve tried too hard. It''s a dilemma that millions of us face every week that can be easily solved with a few individual items that can be mixed and matched to create that killer, day-to-night combo."

Julie Donnelly, head of womenswear buying at Very.co.uk adds: "The pressure to look good in the office has never been more intense, and with 51% of people claiming to go straight out from work on a Friday, day-to-night fashion like our latest range of party dresses, is proving increasingly popular. With free, next-day delivery and free style advice on our website, it''s never been easier for Very.co.uk customers to dress to impress on a Friday."