The document compares jeans from Forever 21 and Buckle. The Forever 21 jeans cost $8 and had basic design and construction, with uneven stitching and pockets. The Buckle jeans cost $89 and showed higher quality through details like a deep wash, brand buttons, flat-felled seams, and neatly constructed pockets. While more expensive, the Buckle jeans were deemed the best value due to their superior workmanship, materials, and attention to detail throughout construction.

1. Katie Brumfield
MCS 229
Garment Evaluation Assignment
For this assignment I choose jeans. I selected lower level jeans from Forever 21, and
higher end jeans from Buckle. The Forever 21 jeans cost $8, and the Buckle jeans cost $89.
When looking at the Forever 21 jeans, they are one solid color, and they do not even appear to
be of high quality. There is no special wash or buttons on them. They also do not have any
special stitching to set it apart from other jeans. They are made in China. The care instructions
say to machine wash on cold; do not bleach; tumble dry low; iron low; do not dry clean; and
machine wash separately. The overall workmanship of the jeans appears to very basic, and
there is no special design. There is about ¼ inch of fabric allowance with mock flat-felled seams.
The seams are even, but they are not smooth. There is frequent puckering probably due to an
incorrect stitch length of 9 SPI as opposed to a recommended 12-14 SPI. The seamfinish is
appropriate to the design and prevents the fabric from rolling.
The stitching is not particularly neat, but is instead unruly in some places. The stitch
tension is also off in some places. The stitching is not uniform. Particularly in the pockets, the
stitching is completely different with jagged edges. The hem meets most of the standards.
However, instead of being smooth, some of the threads are frayed or hanging. The bottom hem
is 5/8 of an inch. The buttons meet the criteria, but the buttonhole has loose threads and
frayed edges. The pockets do not lie flat without some rolling. The back pockets are also not
perfectly the same height. All other criteria are generally met for pockets. All of the interfacing

2. is appropriate to the garment and reinforces it in all of the right places. Eleven pieces were used
in this garment.
The Buckle jeans obviously look like they cost more money. They have a deep wash with
differing colors throughout the legs. These jeans have special stitching and brand specific
buttons. These jeans were made in Mexico. The care instructions include machine wash
separately in cold water; do not bleach; tumble dry medium; and use a warm iron. Overall, the
workmanship looks like time and care went into it. The seams are nice and finished, and
everything looks well done. The jeans are a boot cut style. The seamallowance is right under ½
inches which is usually an indicator of higher quality. The jeans have a flat-felled seam that
measure 7/8 of an inch running down the inside of the pant leg. On the outer side, a plain stitch
pressed flat was used. The seams are smooth and without puckering, stitched the correct
length, and even. The seamfinishes are appropriate and does not add bulk.
The stitching is large and noticeable. They used 8 SPI which seems appropriate because
the fabric is bulkier. The stitching is very neat and adds a design element. The hems meet all the
standard criteria. They are even, don’t roll, and is appropriate for the garment style. However,
there are some loose threads that haven’t been cut. The bottom hem is 5/8 of an inch. The
buttons are brand specific, made well and coordinate with the garment design. The buttons are
strongly reinforced, and there are no loose threads. The buttonhole is made well without loose
threads. The applied pockets meet all criteria. The stitching is even, the pockets don’t roll, and
the pocket depth is correct to name a few. Interfacing is used in appropriate places, doesn’t
show through, and offers correct support. There are 12 pieces in this garment.

3. The best buy for the price is the Buckle jeans. They are superior to the Forever 21 jeans
in every way. The Buckle jeans truly are of high quality. One thing that sticks out the most is
how the pockets were done. The Forever 21 pockets were extremely uneven and had jagged
stitching as opposed to the Buckle pockets that had perfectly even stitching on the front and
back. Another reason Buckle jeans were of higher quality was they had a true flat felled seamas
opposed to Forever 21’s mock flat felled. Buckle’s jeans also had a larger seamallowance which
is usually associated with higher quality. Larger seamallowances also cost more. Furthermore,
Buckle’s stitching was stronger and had less puckering than the Forever 21 jeans. Another
reason for the price difference was the complexity of the design on the Buckle jeans, and the
time it took to make them look nice. The labor that went into these jeans must have taken
more time than the Forever 21 jeans which are very basic.