Wal-Mart unveils George clothes that work

    George apparel collection offers affordable career chic

    MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 15 /CNW/ - The fall shopping season at Wal-Mart
Canada is as much about kids returning to class as it is about graduates
beginning their careers. This fall, while students across the country return
to school, hundreds of thousands of college and university graduates will be
entering the workforce for the very first time.
    For graduates looking to build a professional wardrobe and for those
wishing to expand an existing one, Wal-Mart's George collection offers ladies'
and men's apparel and accessories at affordable prices. From office-dressy to
smart-casual looks, the retailer has challenged its merchandise buyers to
create head-to-toe career chic starting under $100.
    "The beauty of George is that it allows graduates to dress with
effortless style with a limited budget," said Chris Johnston, vice president
of apparel for Wal-Mart Canada. "The George brand offers a combination of
workwear coordinates including wardrobe staples, essential fall pieces and the
latest runway-inspired trends in this season's latest colours."

    TRENDS
    ------
    This year's fall wardrobe starts with the crisp white shirt. Tailored
white shirts are a top choice for the office and this fall Wal-Mart Canada
expects to sell 75,000 white dress shirts for women alone.
    Beyond the basic white shirt, one of the coolest apparel choices this
season is the bamboo top. This eco-chic option is comfortable and the
fabrication provides a luxurious feel. Available in assorted colours and
styles for both men and women, bamboo is practical, absorbent and will hide
any evidence of first-day nervousness. Within a matter of seconds, sweat
disappears.

    
    Other trends include:
    -   All shades of grey
    -   Layering
    -   Larger totes and messenger bags to accommodate iPods to laptops.
    

    MILLION DOLLAR LOOK ON A $100 BUDGET
    ------------------------------------
    For the woman who wants to make a memorable impression on her first day
on the job, Wal-Mart has coordinated an ensemble that looks like a million
bucks but costs less than $100 (see attached photo and list of items below).
More importantly, it incorporates the essentials of a work wardrobe starting
with a black trouser and white dress shirt. This look is sophisticated and
offers tons of versatility. The trousers can easily be replaced with a great
skirt and the top can layered with a sweater duster or switched out for a
kimono top for a more contemporary and trendier feel.

    
    -   White dress shirt with ruching         $24.98
    -   Black trouser                          $24.98
    -   Black patent peep-toe wedge            $14.92
    -   Jacquard tote                          $19.97
    -   Chunky beaded bracelet                 $ 7.97
                                               ------
                                               $92.82

    CAREER GEAR
    -----------
    For the man who wants to make a statement in a more casual environment, a
casual blazer layered with a polo coupled with a great fitting flat-front
trouser and dress shoe is the way to go. To give this look additional mileage,
simply switch out the casual blazer for a more formal jacket and add a
colourful tie.
    -   Casual blazer                          $39.96
    -   Polo shirt                             $14.96
    -   Flat-front trouser                     $19.96
    -   Shoes                                  $19.92
                                               ------
                                               $94.80


                   ---------------------------------------------
                             Workwear Coordinates
                             --------------------

                          Office-Dressy
                          For women:
                              -   Classic striped blouse
                              -   Grey pin-stripe trouser
                              -   Sweater duster
                              -   Kimono-style top
                              -   Dress
                          For men:
                              -   White dress shirt
                              -   Patterned dress shirt
                              -   Black trouser
                              -   Grey trouser
                              -   Tie

                          Smart-Casual
                          For women:
                              -   Denim trouser
                              -   Bamboo v-neck topper
                              -   Turtleneck
                              -   Crop pant
                              -   Camisole
                          For men:
                              -   Bamboo polo
                              -   Khakis
                              -   Casual blazer
                              -   V-neck sweater
                              -   Embellished long sleeve shirt
                   ---------------------------------------------
    

    About Wal-Mart Canada Corp.

    Established in 1994 and headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Wal-Mart
Canada operates a growing network of 292 outlets nationwide. In recent years
more than 100 Canadian communities have lobbied or petitioned to have a
Wal-Mart built in their towns. The company employs more than 70,000 Canadians
and has been ranked one of Canada's best employers five of the past six years
by international human-resources firm Hewitt Associates and Report on Business
Magazine. For more information about the company, Wal-Mart Canada's first
Corporate Values Report is available at www.walmart.ca.

    /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
    the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
    Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
    website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
    members of the media/

For further information:

For further information: hi-res images and pricing, please contact
Felicia Fefer at (905) 821-2111, ext. 4466