State of the Reunion - statistics on attitudes toward high-school class reunions - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Brandweek, June 18, 2001 by Becky Ebenkamp

Former teenage pariahs, take comfort. Even the folks who viewed high school as a pleas ant, four-year cakewalk apparently quake at the thought of attending their reunions. According to a Cyberpulse survey among women age 35-49, these social gatherings are even more stressful than meeting one's future in-laws.

While men may gauge success by their wallets or wheels, women agreed that their post-reunion gossip would focus on how the other ladies have held up physically Perhaps that's why they say they'd take a no-holds-barred approach to their own pre-reunion prep:Almost one-third (31%) would start getting ready for this night of inspection a half-year prior; another 15% would need three to six months to whip them selves into shape.

Three of four would buy "a fabulous new outfit," half would get a new hairstyle and/or diet. And 88% of the respondents, apparently told Cyber pulse they'd cough up $1,000 or "what ever it takes" to look their best.

And if that didn't do the trick, one in three women (33%) said they'd take a pass-they would blow off the festivities if they were unhappy with the way they looked. Lesser deter rents included not feeling successful (15%) and not having a significant other (5%).Travel and costs associated with attending a high school reunion were the biggest barriers to attendance.

Respondents were asked to define the true sign of success: Riches, looks or a handsome mate. Almost half (48%) said they'd choose to arrive at the party sans a single wrinkle, while fewer (27%) opted to be draped in diamonds, on the arm of a gorgeous husband (13%) or with no gray hair (12%).The study was commissioned by cosmetics company Jafra.