PromGarmentComparison

Amanda VanDrew

Fashion Product Evaluation

Garment Comparison 5: Evening Wear

April 30, 2012

Table of Contents

 Outline of Report o La Femme Prom Dress

 Business Report o La Femme Prom Dress

Outline

Introduction

 La Femme Prom Dress a. Introduce Product: This is a ladies’ size 6 navy blue, evening gown. b. Name of Manufacture: La Femme c. Garment Label: Shell-­‐ 92% Polyester, 8% Spandex; Lining-­‐ 100% Polyester. It meets all of the TFPIA and Care Labeling Rules Acts.

Outward Appearance, Inward Construction: Two gore, sleeveless dress. No waistband. Keyhole in the front, and an open back, one-­‐inch straps covered with jewels, beads, and a centimeter thick silver trim, beads have small holes in them to thread through in order to tack them to the straps. The straps down back of dress in an ‘H’ shape with two horizontal straps connecting the two vertical straps. The horizontal straps jeweled and beaded that same as the vertical straps. The dress has added piece of fabric on both sides that start at side seams and continue into the shoulder straps where the first horizontal strap meets. It is gathered where it meets shoulder straps. The straps down the back make 4 keyholes. The vertical straps go down into and around the start of the dress in the back. Where dress begins in back it is rounded between the vertical straps, is gathered. At the rounded, gathered, bottom edge of the backside of the dress there is a train that is made of the self. The train has a baby hem that is chain stitched. It is sewn into seam with the lining and shell. The backside of the dress is rounded and the diagonally goes up on both sides to meet the bust line and side seams. The top back piece that meets the shoulder straps, and the backside of the dress are sewn together with a lock stitch and overlock. On the front side of the dress there is a keyhole that has the same beading and jewels as the straps.

Around the keyhole the bust line shell is gathered. The shell of the bust line and skirt are attached with a seam that is lock stitched and overlocked. The side seams of the shell are lock stitched, overlocked and pressed back. The bottom hem of the shell has a baby hem that is lock stitched and overlocked.

The lining follows the same pattern as the shell. The bust line has a silicone trim. In the lining of bust there are 4 single-­‐pointed keyhole bust line darts.

The side seams of the lining are lock stitched and overlocked. The bottom hem of lining is folded under and chain stitched. The lining, shell, and train are all connected at the seam where the backside skirt of the dress begins; there is seam tape, and fusing; they are all lock stitched together. Below the lining there is an interfacing that is covering the whole bust of the dress.

Above the interfacing there are padded bra cups that are covered with self.

In covering there are 2 single-­‐pointed darts in the cup. The cups are attached with lock stitch. There is a 6-­‐inch invisible zipper on the backside with a lingerie hook and eye. The zipper is lock stitched to the lining and shell. d. Machines Used: Overlock e. Quality: Pretty good f. Fit: go

This section begins the business report segment of the evening dress I have

chosen to evaluate. This dress was evaluated on construction, appearance, label, make, machines used, overall quality, and fit. This dress is a missy size. It is a past prom dress of mine that was bought at a boutique that sold prom dresses and evening dresses. I compared this dress to something that may be more expensive and something that may be cheaper, like the extravagant dresses we looked at in class on Monday the 23rd and the other products we have looked at throughout the year. Comparing this dress with other higher end and custom dresses and cheaper dresses has helped me to better understand quality and price relation. This dress may have had some different attributes had it been from a higher market, and may have been lacking some things had it been from a lower market.

The product that I evaluated was a navy blue, two gore, floor length prom

dress. The retail cost was around $380 dollars. It is a size 6 and was made in China.

The shell of this dress is 92% Polyester, 8% Spandex, and the lining is 100% Polyester. It also meets all of the TFPIA and Care Labeling Rules Acts. The washing instructions are to professional spot clean only, no dry cleaning or washing. This item is a navy blue, two gore, sleeveless dress. It has no waistband. It has a keyhole in the front, and an open back. The one-­‐inch straps have been covered with jewels, beads, and a centimeter thick silver trim. The beads have small holes in them to thread through in order to tack them to the straps. The straps continue down the back of the dress in an ‘H’ shape with two horizontal straps connecting the two vertical straps on either side. The horizontal straps are also jeweled and beaded the exact same way and pattern as the vertical straps. The dress has an added piece of

fabric on either side that starts at the side seams and continues horizontally into the shoulder straps at the point where the first horizontal strap meets. It is gathered at the point where it meets the shoulder straps. The straps down the back make a total of 4 keyholes. The vertical straps continue down into and around the start of the dress in the back, acting as binding. Where the dress begins in the back it is rounded between the vertical straps, and it is gathered. At the rounded, gathered, bottom edge of the backside of the dress there is a train that is made of the self. The train has a baby hem all the way around it that has been chain stitched. It is sewn into the seam with the lining and shell. The backside of the dress is rounded and the diagonally goes up on both sides to meet the bust line and side seams. The top back piece that meets the shoulder straps, and the backside of the dress are sewn together with what seems to be a lock stitch and overlock. On the front side of the dress there is a keyhole that has the same beading and jewels as the straps, around it. Around the keyhole the bust line shell is gathered. The shell of the bust line and skirt of the dress are attached with a seam that lock stitched and overlocked. The side seams of the shell have been lock stitched, overlocked and neatly pressed back.

The bottom hem of the shell has a baby hem that has been lock stitched and clean finished with an overlock. The lining follows the same pattern as the shell. At the top of lining of the bust line there is a silicone trim to prevent the dress from slipping down. In the lining of the bust there are a total of four (2 on each side) single-­‐pointed keyhole bust line darts. The side seams of the lining have been lock stitched and overlocked. The bottom hem of the lining has been folded under and chain stitched. The lining, shell, and train are all connected at the seam where the

backside skirt of the dress begins. Here there is seam tape, and fusing that can be felt. These layers are all lock stitched together. Below the lining there is an interfacing that is covering the whole bust of the dress. Above the interfacing there are padded bra cups that are covered with the self of the shell. In this covering there are a total of two (one on each side) single-­‐pointed darts in the cup. The cups are attached like everything else, with a lock stitch. There is also a six-­‐inch invisible zipper on the backside with a lingerie hook and eye. The zipper is lock stitched to the lining and shell, and it is holding the lining and shell together.

The fit of this dress was very good. The dress was balanced, and the sweep

was level. There was no drag or draw anywhere either. It was not shy at all. I would consider it a go.

This dress did have some alterations done prior to this fitting. The bottom

hem of the lining and shell were hemmed up about an inch and a half. The shoulder straps were also shortened by about half an inch. The side seam was also taken in the make the body of the dress smaller.

If this dress has been from a higher market there would have been some

changes to it. It could have had French seams instead of being lock stitched and overlocked. It also could have been blind stitched at the hem. There would have been seam tape in all of the seams. The beads and jewels would have been attached cleaner and better. Also, the fit would have been exact. If this dress had been from a lower market it would have been less detailed. There would have been little to no beading and jewels. The pattern would have been less intricate, and the lining

wouldn’t have matched the shell. The fit would have been poorer. Also, there wouldn’t have been bra cups and interfacing in the bust line.

Quick Cost Retail Price: $380.00 ÷ 2 = Wholesale Price = $190.00

Wholesale Price: $190.00 ÷ 2 = Manufacturer’s Cost: $95.00