1. Color Consistency
2. Zippers 3. Pockets 4. Hem 5. Sizes 6. Waistline 7. Darts 8. Closures (buttons, hook and eye) 9. Silhouette and Style 10. Fabric/ Materials (Fiber Content) 11. Care Instructions (include shrinkage) 12. Functional Performance Utility 13. Functional Performance Durability 14. Aesthetic Performance 15. Appliques/ Embroideries 16. Stitch width/length 17. Seam slippage 18. Seam pucker 19. Stitch Type (class level, etc.) 20. Grain 21. Set 22. Balance 23. Line 24. Ease 25. Price
Forever 21
Macy’s
Walmart
Private Brand: Forever 21
Private brand: JM
Private brand: George
Categorie s
Grade
Grade
Grade
1
5
5
4
2
3
N/a
5
3
4
N/a
5
4
3
5
5
5
3
5
4
6
5
5
5
7
5
5
5
8
5
N/a
5
9
5
4
5
10
4
4
4
11
3
5
5
12
3
4
4
13
3
4
4
14
4
4
4
15
N/a
N/a
n/a
16
4
4
4
17
5
4
4
18
5
5
5
19
4
4
4
20
5
5
5
21
3
3
5
22
5
5
5
23
5
5
5
24
3
5
4
Total
94/120=78%
90/105= 86%
105/120= 87.5%
25
$22.80
Forever 21 Ratings
$24.98
$16.44
History Forever 21 is an American clothing retailer with branches in major cities in America, Puerto Rico, Canada, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. It offers trendy clothing and accessories to young women, men, and girls at affordable prices. Forever 21 was founded in 1984 in Los Angeles, California by Don Won Chang which still operates to this day. It first targeted the Korean American community in Los Angeles until it became very popular with many nationalities because of its trendy merchandise. It did not open its first store
outside California until 1995 and then it started opening stores every 6 months. In 2010, Forever 21 opened an 85,000 square feet, 2 tier store in Cerritos, California, which became the first flagship department store location. In 2011, Forever 21 had 480 locations. The Forever 21 brand of black slacks is a private label from the Forever 21 store. It represents the fast fashion environment Forever 21 portrays and it is the main brand offered by the Forever 21 store.
Color consistency: 5
This garment is only available in black for this particular style and brand. The color and color consistency are the most important components when attracting customers. This garment does a good job on having a strong black color, which looks soft and is consistent throughout the pair of pants. It is important that all the dye lots used match in shades or there is little variance. Shade lots, which are swatches of fabric with the same shade, should be grouped together to make it easier to keep the same color. Overall this garment does a good job achieving color consistency and receives a 5 in the category.
Zippers: 3 Zippers are a fast and easy way of getting out of garments. This garment uses a conventional zipper which remains attached when it is unzipped. The zipper is made out of several parts including the zipper tape, chain, slider, pull, and top and bottom stops. The zipper tape is the fabric portion of the zipper that is sewn to the garment. The zipper tape for this pant is a knit tape and it is made out of synthetic fibers. The zipper chain is the part of the zipper that interlocks when the zipper is closed. This garment has a separate elements zipper which can break off or pull away from the tape easily especially since the zipper is located on a high pressure zone. The zipper slider glides up and down the pants but with a little difficulty; it does not work as easily or smoothly as it should. The stops are only located at the bottom of the zipper. The zipper is about 1.5 millimeters wide and 7 inches long. The zipper is made out of plastic which is stronger than aluminum but not as strong as other
metal elements. The plastic zipper is not as cold and they can we worn better in cooler weathers. They also do not corrode as easily. The type of zipper this black pant uses is a lapped zipper which only has one line of visible stitching on the outside of the garment. It does a great job concealing the zipper. Overall, we rated this zipper as a 3.
.
Pockets: 4 The black slacks from Forever 21 feature 2 slashed pockets on the back of the garment. These pockets are bound sloth within the body of the pants, and have pocket bags sewn behind the slit inside the garment. The pockets are constructed in perfect rectangles and have even lips. They are cut horizontally on the grain and lips do not sag or gape. Pocket bag is made out of interfacing that is light in weight and only slightly shows through garment. The ends of the slashed pocket are reinforced with topstitching and are basted shut so the pockets stay flat until the pants are used. These pockets have an unturned flap on the top of the
pocket on the outside of the garment that is attached to the bottom of the finished slash, extending up. The upturned flap pocket is wider than a single welt pocket. This garment also features 2 upturned flaps on a fake pocket opening that is located in front of the black slacks. These appear that they are pockets but do not have any pocket bags and are simply decorative. We rated the pockets a 4 because they are only located in the back of the pants and are not easily concealed. If we put anything in them, the item will show through the pants in an unflattering manner.
Hem: 3 These black slacks feature a folded hem. A hem is any finish to the edge of garment; in this case it is located at the bottom of the pant legs. The hem leaves folded edges instead of raw ones and no hem tape is used to finish the garment. The hem is folded over once and stitched to the pant legs. Folded hems are the most common way to finish a garment. The hem allowance in this pant is very narrow and does not allow much length to the garment if it is unfolded. It does help the pants hang more smoothly but not considerably. It is apparent that cost limitations caused this hem to be narrow and not wide enough for the weight of the garment. However, the hem was stitched using a 301 stitch so it is secured well in place. We
rated the hem on this garment a 3 since it is a folded hem that provides only a narrow amount of length addition to the garment.
Sizes: 3 The size of a garment suggests to consumers the suitability of a garment for their body dimensions. Lower price garments tends to run small, and this pair of pants which is size Extra Small is extremely narrow in the legs which is smaller than other extra small pants, but it runs a little wider in the waistline than most extra small pants. This pant is lettered sized and only features the sizes XS, S, M and L. The Forever 21 store uses this type of sizing for most of its pants since it reduces the inventory and simplifies the display of merchandise on the sales floor. Letter sizing is prevalent in low-price lines because it eliminates the need for precise sizing and it is more economical to produce fewer sizes. These lettered sizes have little standardization from brand to brand and no consistent correlation with body measurements, so it can be hard for consumers to determine their size. There is also no length designation for this black pant. It is assumed they are all regular lengths since no denomination of short, regular, or long is made. This also makes it difficult for a short or a tall person to wear this
pair of pants and since the hem is so narrow there is not a lot of help on the length variation. Overall, we rated the sizing on this garment a 3, since it is not done to fit body measurements but it is accurate enough so it fits a particular body type.
Waistline: 5 Where the waistline of a garment is located in relation to the wearer’s waist has a significant effect on the silhouette and style of a garment. This pair of pants has a natural waistline. Waistline fit is important for comfort and this waistline fits well for someone with a wider natural waistline. It does a good job returning to its natural position after the arms are raised or lowered and can easily have a top be tucked into the pants. The narrowest part of the garment falls at the wearer’s waist and the garment does not strain at the closures. There is no elastic present in the waistline so easy alterations cannot be made to the pants. Overall, we rated the waistline a 5 because it fits all the requirements for a good waistline. Darts: 5 There are no darts present in this garment, but darts substitutes, more specifically gores, are present which serve the same purpose as a dart. Gores are vertical divisions within
a garment, which are tapered panels seamed together to add shape to a garment. These pants are two-gore pants since they contain two panels which are sewn together which add more fullness to the pants. The fullness is added both for style reasons and also to make the garment more elastic and easier to stretch. We rated this garment as a 5 in darts (or in this case dart substitutes) because the panels are effective in achieving style to the garment and making it easier to wear. Closures: 5 Closures are fasteners that secure a garment’s openings, and in this case both a hook and eye and a button are used as closures. Closures unfasten to enlarge a garment for dressing and fasten to makes the garment fit the body. Buttons are the most common garment closure. The button used in this pant is a basic plastic one that is white and serves the purpose of further securing the pants after the hook and eye. This button is used only has a functional feature and has no decorative purpose. It is also concealed in the waistline and it can be washed along with the garment. The button is located at a stress point (the waistline) and it is small enough that it does not interfere with the pants having a belt nor does it show on the exterior of the waistline through the fabric. This particular button is an eyed button with stitches parallel to the buttonhole. The button is sewn as a lockstitch type and is secure to the garment. It is also properly oriented and stitched with a vertical orientation. The black pants also contain a hook and eye closure which consists of two interlocking parts, a hook and an eye. They are usually small and easily concealed in the waist of the pants. The hook and eye used for this garment is medium in size and are made out of metal. The eye is a bar eye intended for edges that overlap. They are sewn in carefully so they do not
penetrate the outside of the garment. Overall we rated this pair of pants a 5 in closures, since it offers both a button and a hook and eye.
Silhouette and Style: 5 The silhouette of a garment is its outline or shape. The black slacks from Forever 21 have a classic length, and straight leg style. It is important that a garment exhibits the design principles of balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, and unity. Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight, both horizontally and vertically. We believe this pants does a good job illustrating the design principle. Proportion refers to how well individual parts relate to the whole garment. We think the black slacks display an excellent example of this element because for example the waistline is the same color and style as the pant legs. Rhythm occurs when the garment possesses a feeling of directional movement, often achieved through repetition of the same element. We think this is also done well because for example the details on the back pockets are found on the front fake pockets. Emphasis requires the garment to have a clear focal point. The focal point for these pants would be the pocket area.
Finally, unity refers to how well all the parts of the design work together thematically. This pair of pants displays current fashion trends by being a straight leg and having details in the pockets and a gore element. Overall we rated this garment a 5 in silhouette and style.
Fabric/ Materials (Fiber content): 4 A garment’s fiber content affects its appearance, ease of care, comfort, durability, and cost. These black slacks have a shell made out of 63% polyester, 33% rayon, and 4% spandex. The lining is 100% polyester. The basic building blocks for these fabrics are called fibers. Since these pants are made out of polyester and rayon, they are made out of manufactured fibers. Since the pants are made out of manufactured fibers, they tend to be cheaper, and generally durable. Rayon is a regenerated cellulosics made out of plant fibers, and polyester is a synthetic made out of petroleum products. This means that the pants have a moderate absorbency, and can get uncomfortable during hot and humid weather since they are 63% polyester. Synthetic fibers are more strong and durable than regenerated cellulosics. They are also more likely to pill, but less apt to wrinkle and to require ironing than natural fibers. Also synthetics are more resilient to mildew, insects, fire and chemicals. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 due to the characteristics described above.
Care instructions: 3 The Care Labeling Rule has been active since 1972 and it requires that apparel carry a specific care label that details full instructions on how to take care of a garment. There are different care symbols that indicate how to properly wash and iron a garment. The ASTM Committee came up with the care symbols that can be used without the words accompanying them. These pair of black slacks uses the hand wash symbol, the no bleach symbol, the iron symbol, and do not iron symbol. It also has the words accompanying each of the 4 images. This garment has low labeled care instructions since it was washed with machine wash cold
and it retained its color and shape with no problem. Overall, we rated these black slacks a 3 in care instructions since they are hand wash but can be ironed. Functional Performance Utility: 3 Utility includes the control of the fabric on these garment characteristics: shape retention, appearance retention, comfort, ease of care, safety. Shape retention is a performance feature of dimensional stability and influences how a garment maintains their size and shape. This pair of pants has elasticity incorporated in it in the form of 4% of spandex and the fabric has the ability to return to its original size after it is being stretched. These pants do have the hand washing recommendation so washing it in a machine might cause it to stretch permanently. Since this is a knit, the stretch factor is achived a lot easier than in a woven. Shrinkage occurs when a garment or a garment part becomes smaller, usually if it is laundered. For example, of this pair of pants was to be washed in warm water and dried with heat, then it would likely shrink considerably. It is important that apparel manufacturers routinely monitor the properties of the cloth before cutting and that they prewash the garment so customers don’t have to deal with the garment shrinking considerably at first wash. Appearance retention refers to the ability of the garment to stay the same color, retain creases, resist wrinkling, snagging, and pilling, and withstand the heat of care processes. It is important that the garment has colorfastness and retains its color. After washing this particular pair of black slacks, the color did fade slightly and did not retain its original black color. Synthetic fibers (which are what this garment contains) have a natural tendency to resist wrinkles. It can also withstand being ironed. This garment is comfortable because the fabric feels soft to the touch, but it overheats when it is warm and humid outside. It is not so easy to take care of these black slacks since it requires hand
washing, and they would more likely ignite since they contain synthetic fibers. Overall, we rated this garment a 3 in functional performance utility. Functional Performance Durability: 3 Durability refers to the ability for fabric to perform when it comes to the strength of the garment, resistance to abrasion of a garment, and resistance to degradation by chemicals and other elements of the environment. The strength of fabric is how well a garment resists degradation to external forces. The black pants have durability because they will resist tearing and bursting since they are stitched with both a 301 lockstitch and a 304 zigzag lockstitch. Abrasion resistance refers to the amount of rubbing action a fabric can withstand without being destroyed. If the wearer constantly rubs the pants against a hard surface abrasion will occur. Resistance degradation is the resistance fabrics have to the environment. If the pants have chemical resistance it can withstand detergents and dry-cleaning solvents, but since this particular pant cannot be dry cleaned or machine washed, it will have a low resistance to chemicals. Overall, we rated this garment a 3 in the functional performance durability. Aesthetic Performance: 4 The aesthetic performance of fabric refers to the attractiveness of a garment. Part of the aesthetic performance is color and color consistency which was discussed earlier. This garment does a good job on having a strong black color, which looks soft and is consistent throughout the pair of pants. There appears to be no shading, which is when parts of the garment slightly differ from each other. Metamerism refers to the change in color due to lighting. The most important elements of this are luster, opacity, and hand. Luster is the
amount of light a fabric reflects. In this case, the pants have a dull fabric. Opacity of the fabric refers to the amount of light that passes through it. This pair of pants has a translucent or medium light permeability. Hand is refers to drapability, compressibility, extensibility, resilience, density, surface texture, surface friction, and thermal character of a garment. This garment is very fluid, soft, stretchy, springy, has medium density, is smooth in texture, has a medium surface friction and varies in temperature depending to what it is exposed to. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in aesthetic performance. AppliquĂŠs/ Embroideries: N/A This garment contains no appliquĂŠs or embroideries. AppliquĂŠs are decorative fabric patches applied to the garment, generally cut from fusible-backed fabric, ironed on, and then permanently attached with satin stitches. Stitch width/ length: 4 This pair of black slacks has a stitch width of 1/8 inches and a length of 12 SPI (stitches per inch). Appropriate stitch length depends on the type of fabric and its weight and density. Different seams have different appropriate stitch lengths. If stitches are too long or too short it might lead to puckering. Reinforcement stitches are used to reinforce stitches that might strain or rupture easily. This garment does not have reinforcement stitches. Also, no topstitching is present. Overall we rated the garment a 4 in stitch width and length because it has the appropriate measurements but does not contain reinforcing stitching. Seam slippage: 4 Seam slippage occurs when fabric pulls away from the stitches at the seamline, eventually producing a raw edge. If a garment has severe seam slippage it is unwearable due
to aesthetics purposes. The slippage usually occurs when the stitching is too strong for the fabric. It is most evident in high stressed areas. This pair of pants does not have a lot of seam slippage concerns. The only part that appears to be a problem after wearing the pants for a while is the back seam when there is pressure when the wearer sits down. Overall, this garment is rated a 4 in seam slippage. Seam pucker: 5 Seam pucker is the lack of seam smoothness and can occur in all price lines. If the thread shrinks less than the garment then differential shrinkage occurs which causes seam puckering. No evidence of this has occurred with this pair of pants. Differential feeding is when layers of garments go through the sewing machine unevenly. There is also no evidence of this in the garment. Structural jamming is when needles or threads are too large and crowd the yarns in the fabric. Least amount of puckering occurs when the seam is on a bias, and most puckering occurs when the seam is parallel to the lengthwise grain. There is no puckering visible in this pair of black slacks. Overall this garment receives a 5 in seam puckering since it has no evidence of any occurring. Stitch Type & Class: 4 The stitch type this garment has is a lockstitch where the machines rely on interlocking. Lockstitch machines feature an underthread called a bobbin thread. To achieve high sewing speeds, the size of the bobbin around which the rotary hook must revolve is limited. Because of this, the bobbin can hold only 100 yards of thread. Depending on the complexity of the garment, the operator might have to change the bobbin 100 times during an 8 hour shift. The class that this pair black slacks belongs to is 300. This class has the
interlocked stitches and cost more than the 400 class but require less thread. Also they are strong but not extensive. Seams do not grin but they tend to pucker and the seams are reversible. The stitches are very comfortable, flat, nonbulky and they are hard to unravel. Some disadvantages include easy rupture when spread, and the replacement of the bobbin which slows production. This garment contains a 301 lockstitch and a 304 zigzag lockstitch. The 301 lockstitch is the most widely used in the production of apparel. It is a continuous, single, straight row of stitches. The 304has a symmetrical zigzag pattern and the big advantage is that they stretch with the seam. Overall this garment is rated a 4 in stitch type and class.
Grain: 5 In order for the pants to fit well the garment has to be cut on the grain. The lengthwise grain runs parallel to the length of the body and the crosswise grain runs perpendicular to the hip of a pant. This particular pair of pants is cut with a lengthwise grain.
The lengthwise yarns are the strangest and most stable. On-grain garments hang evenly and appear symmetrical. Overall this garment is rated a 5 in grain quality. Set: 3 Set refers to a smooth fir without undesirable wrinkles. These wrinkles are caused by a poor fit and cannot be removed with an iron. The wrinkles occur because the garment is too large or too small or sometimes it can be caused by the wearer’s bad posture. This garment only contains vertical wrinkles under tension in the pants are too short in the crotch area. For this reason this garment is rated a 3 in its set.
Balance: 5 Balance occurs when the garment is in equilibrium. The right and left half of the pants have to be symmetrical when viewed from the front, back, and sides. When a garment is off balance it is because it is cut off the grain. Poor posture might also result in bad balance. This pair of black pants is evenly balanced and receives an overall score of 5 in the quality of balance. Line: 5 Line refers to the alignment of the structural lines of a garment with the natural lines of the body. For example, side seams need to hang straight down the center of the side of the body parallel to the floor. Also center and back seams should also hang straight but down the center of body both in the front and in the back. This pair of pants does a good job with line and all the lines of the garment align with the body so it receives a 5 in overall quality.
Ease: 3 Ease is the amount of roominess in a garment. Ease is the difference between the measurements of the garment and the measurements of the wearer intended for the garment. The measurement of the garment should include the wearer’s body plus fitting ease plus design ease plus style fullness. Fitting ease needs to include the room in a garment for movement, and comfort which includes 1 inch for the women’s waist, and 1.5 to 2 inches for the hip. Stretchy fabrics substitute for fitting ease in a garment because the stretch makes up for the lack of ease. Design ease is optional and has to do more with the appearance of a garment. Amount of design ease depends on the current fashion. This particular pair of pants is stretchy so it allows for some of the fitting ease when moving in the pants. It does not have any design ease and its sizes are not 100% accurate to an XS wearer since it has more roominess in the waistline than it should have. Overall, ease is rated a 3 in quality. Total: 94/120 Price: $22.80 Price is a major determinant of consumer’s apparel purchase decisions because consumers rely on price as a quality determinant. Also consumers use price and perceived quality to determine the value of a garment. Ready-to-wear is categorized according to price lines. Price lines are clusters of merchandise at various price levels. Discounting can occur at any price level. Better, moderate, and budget are some of the categories used to distinguish between price lines. Most people believe that the higher the price the better a garment is in quality. A lot of factors determine what customers perceive as quality, but it is important that on the perceive value graph, the garment is below the trend line in order for it to be
considered a bargain or a good deal. This particular pair of Forever 21 pants is a moderate price but with an ok quality so it would probably fall on the overpriced side of the perceived value chart.
Macy’s Ratings
History Macy’s was founded by Rowland Hussey Macy who between 1943 and 1955 opened four retail dry goods stores, which all failed. In 1858, Macy opened a store in New York which
made sales the first day it opened. The logo always included a star because Macy got a tattoo in the shape of a star when he worked on a whaling ship. The store produced its own madeto-measure clothing for men and women that were put together at a nearby factory. In 1875 Macy took two other partners Robert Valentine and Abiel La Forge. All three died between 1877 and 1879. In 1895 the store was acquired by Isiodor Straus and Nathan Straus who moved the flagship store in 1902 to Herald Square at 34 th Street and Broadway. Expansions outside the New York area started in 1924 in Toledo, 1929 in Atlanta and Nemark, 1945 in San Francisco and 1947 in Kansas City. In 1986, Edward Finkelstein, CEO of Macy’s at the time tried to take over Federated Department Stores Inc. but failed. At the start of 1994 Federated started pursuing a merger with Macy’s and moved Macy’s headquarters to Cincinnati, OH. In 2005, Macy’s merged with May Company, and in 2006 all May Stores were named Macy’s. Currently, Macy’s operates over 800 stores, and has the largest flagship in the world. Macy’s is a department store and the pants being analyzed are the private label JM and the branded label Calvin Klein. Private Label: JM It is a work to weekend women’s clothing. The pants being analyzed are called the magic pants because they flatten the tummy, are a comfortable fit, and are machine washable.
Color consistency: 5 This garment is available in black, chocolate, and taupe for this particular style and brand. The Magic Pants we purchased from Macy’s are a strong black color, which looks soft and is consistent throughout the pair of pants. Color consistency in a garment and its trims is incredibly hard to achieve due to the difference in raw materials. Fabric producers can only dye a limited number of yarns of fabric in a batch. This pair of pants appears to be made from the same dye lot since no obvious difference is shades is visible. To make it easier for a garment to achieve the same shade, shade lots should be grouped together. Overall this garment does an excellent job achieving color consistency and receives a 5 in the category. Zippers: N/A
This magic pant has no zippers. Zippers are usually common in dress slacks and make it easier for the wearer to get in and out of the pants. If a zipper is present, it will have several parts including the zipper tape, chain, slider, pull, and top and bottom stops. A zipper tape is the material part of the zipper that is sewn to the pair of pants. A zipper chain is the portion that joins when the zipper is closed. Usually black dress pants have a bottom stop and have sliders made either out of plastic or metal. Pockets: N/A The black slacks from Macy’s have no pockets. A pocket is a small opening that would be present usually at the front or back of the pants and which allows the wearer to carry essentials. The fact that these pants don’t have any pockets might prove to be a disadvantage since the wearer can’t place any items on the garment and could detract the customer from purchasing these pants.
Hem: 5
These black slacks feature a folded hem. A hem occurs when fabric is folded in a garment and can help fix or hide raw edge. For this particular pair of pants the hem is at the bottom of the pant legs. No hem tape is used to finish the garment. The hem is folded over only once and stitched to the pant legs in a manner that the stitches do not show on the outside of the garment. This is called blind stitching and it is important in maintain a garment’s appearance. Folded hems are the most widespread way to finish a garment. The hem allowance in this pant is very wide and does allow for the pant to be made longer if garment is unfolded. Also, it helps the pants hang more smoothly. The hem was temporarily stitched, or basted, using a 100 class stitch. We rated the hem on this garment a 5 since this folded hem that provides a wide amount of length addition to the garment and can easily be let down.
Sizes: 5 The size of an item of clothing suggests to customers the appropriateness of a garment for their body dimension. This magic pants are in a petite size 4. It has a few advantages and modification from a regular 4 petite. It has tummy control, and there is elastic built into the waist that can expand. Petite sizes are designed for the shorter women (under 5’4�) with otherwise average proportions. The petite woman has a full, mature figure and a garment should be designed to fit the tastes and lifestyle of mature adults even though it is petite apparel. All the pants are therefore a short length but this is not as much a problem if the
customer is a little taller since the wearer can just let down the hem to make the pant longer. If the wearer is much shorter it might be more of a problem because an even wider hem might be bulky and too heavy to have at the bottom of the pants. Overall, we rated the sizing on this garment a 5, since it fits a petite body well.
Waistline: 5 Where the waistline of a garment is located relative to the wearer’s waist has a significant effect on the shape and fashion of a garment. This pair of pants has a natural waistline. How a pair of pants fit in the waistline is vital for comfort and this waistline fits well for someone with a wider natural waistline. Since it has elastic built into the waistline, this pair of pants does a good job returning to its natural position after sitting down and standing up, and can easily have a top be tucked into the pants. The narrowest part of the garment is at the wearer’s waist and the garment does not pull at the closures. Since there is
elastic present in the waistline easy alterations can be made to the pants. Overall, we rated the waistline a 5 because it fits all the requirements for a good waistline. Darts: 5 There are two darts present in this garment, specifically in the back of the pants. A dart is a triangular fold stitched to shape the flat fabric to specific curves of the body. These pants have single pointed darts which are stitched on the inside of the garment. The fullness is added to make the garment more elastic and easier to stretch. We rated this garment as a 5 in the dart category because the darts are effective in making the garment easier to wear. Closures: N/A Closures are clasps that lock a garment’s openings together, but in this case the magic pants have no closures. Closures undo to expand a garment for dressing and lock to make the garment fit the body. In this case, the shaping devices used for the garment make it enlarge enough to easily get the body through the garment and require no closures. Silhouette and Style: 4 The silhouette of a garment is the figure of the item. The black slacks from Macy’s have a classic length, and slim leg style. It is essential that the pair of pants exhibits all the design principles of balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, and unity. Balance refers to the equilibrium of visual weight, both parallel and perpendicular in a garment. We believe that these pants exemplify this design principle. Proportion refers to how well individual parts relate to the whole garment. We think the black slacks display an excellent example of this element because for example the waistline is the same color and style as the pant legs. Rhythm occurs when the item has a feeling of directional flow, which is often reached through
recurrence of the same element. These pants are very plain and do not have any elements that stand out. Emphasis requires the garment to have a clear central point. The focal point for these pants is the waistline area. Finally, unity refers to a theme that all the different pieces of the garment should have. This pair of pants displays has a good unity because it is simple and can easily be used as a basic piece in a woman’s closet. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in silhouette and style.
Fabric/ Materials (Fiber content): 4 A garment’s fiber content affects its appearance, ease of care, comfort, durability, and cost. These black slacks are made out of 63% polyester, 33% rayon, and 4% spandex. Fibers are what these fabrics are made out of and since these pants are predominantly polyester and rayon, they are made out of manufactured fibers. These fibers tend to be cheaper, and usually stronger. Polyester is a synthetic made out of petroleum products , and rayon is a regenerated cellulosics made out of plant fibers. This gives the pants have a modest rate of absorbency, and can make the wearer less relaxed during hot and humid weather. Synthetic fibers are stronger and more durable than regenerated cellulosics. They are also more likely to pill, but less apt to wrinkle and to require ironing than natural fibers. In general, synthetics are more durable to mildew, insects, fire and chemicals. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 due to the characteristics described above.
Care instructions: 5 Care instructions are an important characteristic that a customer considers when purchasing a garment. The label that contains the instructions has been standardized since 1972 by the Care Labeling Rule. The garment needs to carry a specific care label that details full instructions on how to take care of a garment. There are different care instructions that indicate how to properly wash and iron a garment. This garment can be washed with machine wash cold, can tumble dry low, and can be ironed if needed. Overall, we rated these black slacks a 5 in care instructions since they can be machine washed and easy to take care of. Functional Performance Utility: 4 Utility includes the ability of the fabric to have shape retention, appearance retention, comfort, ease of care, safety. Shape retention is a performance feature of dimensional stability and controls how a garment maintains their size and shape. This pair of pants has
elasticity incorporated in it in the form of 4% of spandex and elastic built into the waist which causes for the fabric to return to its original size after it is being stretched. Shrinkage occurs when an item becomes smaller, usually if it is washed. For example, of this pair of pants was to be washed in warm water and dried with heat, then it would likely shrink. It is important to prewash the garment before selling it so customers don’t have to deal with the garment shrinking considerably at first wash. Appearance retention refers to the aptitude of the pair of pants to stay the same color, retain creases, resist wrinkling, snagging, and pilling, and withstand the heat of care processes. After washing this particular pair of black slacks, the color was stayed almost identical to the original black color. Synthetic fibers (which are what this garment contains) have a natural tendency to resist wrinkles. It can also withstand being ironed. This garment is comfortable because the fabric feels soft to the touch, but it overheats when it is warm and humid outside. It is easy to take care of these black slacks since they require machine washing, but they would more likely ignite since they contain synthetic fibers. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in functional performance utility. Functional Performance Durability: 4 Durability is the ability for fabric to perform when it comes to the strength of an item of clothing, resistance to scuff, and resistance to degradation by chemicals and other elements of the environment. The strength of fabric is how well a garment resists degradation to external forces. The black pants are very durable because they will resist slashing and bursting since they are stitched with both a 301 lockstitch and a 304 zigzag lockstitch. Abrasion resistance refers to how much rubbing action a fabric can endure without being destroyed. If the wearer constantly rubs the pants against a hard surface abrasion will occur. Resistance degradation is how much a fabric can last when faced with chemicals. If the pair
of pants has a high chemical resistance it can withstand detergents and dry-cleaning solvent. These magic pants can withstand bleaching and detergents. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in the functional performance durability. Aesthetic Performance: 4 The aesthetic performance of a garment is how attractive an item looks to the wearer. Part of the aesthetic performance is color and color consistency which was discussed earlier. Again, these magic pants have a strong black color, which looks soft and is consistent throughout the pair of pants. An important component of aesthetic performance is Metamerism. This refers to the change in color due to lighting. The most important elements of metametism are luster, opacity, and hand. Luster is the amount of light a fabric reflects. In this case, the pants have a dull fabric. Opacity of the fabric refers to how much light that passes through the fabric. This pair of pants is opaque, since light does not travel through it. Hand is refers to drapability, compressibility, extensibility, resilience, density, surface texture, surface friction, and thermal character of a garment. This garment is very fluid, soft, stretchy, springy, has high density, is smooth in texture, has a medium surface friction and varies in temperature depending to what it is exposed to. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in aesthetic performance. AppliquĂŠs/ Embroideries: N/A This garment contains no appliquĂŠs or embroideries. AppliquĂŠs are ornamental fabric scraps applied to the garment, generally cut from fusible-backed fabric, ironed on, and then permanently attached with satin stitches.
Stitch width/ length: 4 The right stitch length depends on the type of fabric, its weight, and its density. This pair of black slacks has a stitch width of 1/8 inches and a length of 12 SPI (stitches per inch). The appropriate amount of stitch length depends the type seam the pants have and when stitches are too long or too short it might lead to puckering. Reinforcement stitches are used to support stitches that might break easily. This pair of pants do not have reinforcement stitches. Overall we rated the garment a 4 in stitch width and length because it has the appropriate measurements but does not contain reinforcing stitching. Seam slippage: 4 Seam slippage occurs when stitching is too strong from the fabric and the fabric starts to pull away at the seamline. This could eventually produce a raw edge. If a garment has severe seam slippage it is unwearable due to aesthetics purposes. Seam slippage is most apparent in high stressed areas. This pair of pants does not have a lot of seam slippage concerns. The only part that appears to be a problem after wearing the pants for a while are side seams when there is pressure when the wearer moves around a lot. Overall, this garment is rated a 4 in seam slippage. Seam pucker: 5 Seam pucker is usually caused by differential shrinkage when a garment is washed and is characterized by lack of seam smoothness. Differential shrinkage is caused by the thread shrinking more than the fabric which can occur in all price lines. No evidence of this has occurred with this pair of pants. Differential feeding is when layers of garments go through the sewing machine unevenly. There is also no evidence of this in the garment. Another way
seam puckering can occurs is by structural jamming. This happens when needles or threads are too large and crowd the yarns in the fabric. The least amount of puckering occurs when the seam is on a bias, and most puckering occurs when the seam is parallel to the lengthwise grain. There is no puckering visible in this pair of black slacks. Overall this garment receives a 5 in seam puckering since it has no evidence of any occurring.
Stitch Type & Class: 4 The stitch type this magic pants have is a lockstitch where the machines rely on interlocking. Lockstitch machines have a bobbin thread that needs to be replaced every 100 yards of fabric. Depending on the intricacy of the garment, the operator might have to change the bobbin 100 times during an 8 hour shift. This pair of black slacks belongs to the 300 stitch class. This class has the interlocked stitches and cost more than the 400 class but require less thread. The stitches are strong but not extensive. The seams are reversible. The stitches are very relaxed, smooth, and they are hard to unstitch. Some disadvantages include
easy burst when stretched, and the replacement of the bobbin which slows production. This garment contains a 301 lockstitch and a 304 zigzag lockstitch. The 301 lockstitch is the most widely used in the production of apparel. It is a constant, solitary, straight row of stitches. The 304 has a balanced zigzag pattern and the big advantage is that 304 stretches with the seam. Overall this garment is rated a 4 in stitch type and class. Grain: 5 In order for the pants to fit properly item of clothing has to be cut on the grain. This particular pair of pants is cut with a lengthwise grain and this grain runs parallel to the length of the body. The lengthwise yarns are the strongest and most stable. On-grain garments hang evenly and appear symmetrical. Overall this garment is rated a 5 in grain quality. Set: 3 Set refers to a smooth fit with no unwanted wrinkles. These wrinkles cannot be removed with an iron and are usually apparent because the pair of pants does not fit properly. Usually the garment is too large or too small or it can even be due to the fact that the wearer has bad posture. This garment only contains vertical wrinkles where the elastic band is around the waist. These wrinkles are removed when the elastic is stretched to full capacity. For this reason this garment is rated a 3 in its set. Balance: 5 Balance occurs when the garment is symmetrical. The right and left half of the pants have the same length and fit when viewed from the front, back, and sides. A garment is usually off balance if it is because it is cut off the grain. Poor posture might also result in bad
balance. This pair of black pants is evenly balanced and receives an overall score of 5 in the quality of balance. Line: 5 Line refers to the alignment of the structural lines of a garment with the natural lines of the body. Side seams, center seams, and back seams should need to hang straight down the center of the side of the body parallel to the floor both in the front and in the back of the garment. This pair of pants does a good job with line and all the lines of the garment align with the body so it receives a 5 in overall quality. Ease: 5 Ease is the amount of spaciousness in a garment. The measurement of the garment should include the wearer’s body plus fitting ease plus design ease plus style fullness. Fitting ease needs to include the room in a garment for movement, and comfort which includes 1 inch for the women’s waist, and 1.5 to 2 inches for the hip. This difference between the measurements of the garment and ones of the wearer constitute a garment with good ease. Stretchy fabrics substitute for fitting ease in a garment because the stretch makes up for the lack of ease. Design ease can also be incorporated in a garment but depends more on the current fashion. This particular pair of pants is stretchy and it has elastic in the waistline so it allows for fitting ease when moving in the pants. Overall, ease is rated a 5 in quality. Total: 90/105 Price: $24.98 Consumers use price and perceived quality to determine the value of a garment. This makes price is a major determinant of consumer’s apparel purchase decisions and can really
influence a wearer’s judgment on the quality of an item of clothing. A lot of factors determine what customers perceive as quality, but it is important that on the perceive value graph, the garment is below the trend line in order for it to be considered a bargain or a good deal. In general, Ready-to-wear is categorized according to price lines which are clusters of merchandise at various price levels. Better, moderate, and budget are some of the categories used to distinguish between price lines. Also, discounting can occur at any price line and people believe that the higher the price the better a garment is in quality. This particular pair of JM pants is a moderate price but with a pretty high quality so it would probably fall in the bargain region.
Walmart Ratings Private Label: George Walmart has acquired this label since 2004 from Asda, a leading food retailer in the UK that was bought by Walmart. George represents 20 to 25 percent of the private label category at Walmart and is a big focus on being a new and improved brand. The pair of black slacks being analyzed is curvy fit which is relaxed through the hip and thigh.
Color consistency: 4 This garment is available in black and grey heather colors for this particular style and brand. The overall color in this garment is a lighter shade of black, which looks a little faded and is consistent throughout the pair of pants. It appears that the garment used the same dye lots because the shades match or there is little variance. It is easier to keep the same color if the shade lots, which are swatches of fabric with the same shade, are grouped together. Overall this pair of pants has color consistency but does not have a strong black shade, so it receives a 4 in this category.
Zippers: 5 This garment uses a conventional zipper which remains attached when it is unzipped. The zipper makes it easier for the wearer to remove or put on the pair of pants by creating a larger opeining in the waist. The zipper is made out of numerous parts including the zipper tape, chain, slider, pull, and top and bottom stops. The zipper tape for this pair of pants is a knit tape and it is made out of synthetic fibers. This garment has a separate elements zipper which interlocks when the zipper is closed but could break off or pull away from the tape especially since the zipper is located on a high pressure zone. The zipper slider glides up and down the pants but with a little difficulty; it does not work as easily or smoothly as it should. The stops are only located at the bottom of the zipper. The zipper is about 1.5 millimeters wide and 8 inches long. The zipper is made out of metal and it is YKK brand which is stronger than aluminum and plastic. This is desirable since the sipper is located in a high stress area. The type of zipper this black pant uses is a lapped zipper which only has one line of visible
stitching on the outside of the garment. It does a great job concealing the zipper. Overall, we rated this zipper as a 5. Pockets: 5 The black slacks from Walmart feature 4 slashed pockets: 2 on the back of the garment, and 2 in the front. These pockets have pocket bags sewn behind the slit inside the garment. The pockets are cut horizontally on the grain and are made in perfect rectangles. They have even lips that do not sag or gape. Pocket bag is made out of interfacing that is light in weight and does not show through the garment. The ends of the slashed pockets in the back pockets of the garment are reinforced with topstitching and are basted shut so the pockets stay flat until the pants are used. These pockets are single welt pockets. This garment also features 2 single welt pockets that are not basted shut in the front of the black slacks. We rated the pockets a 5 because they are located both in the front and in the back of the garment and easily concealed.
Hem: 5
These black slacks feature a folded hem. A hem is any finish to the edge of garment; in this case it is located at the bottom of the pant legs. The hem leaves folded edges instead of raw ones and no hem tape is used to finish the garment. The hem is folded over once and stitched to the pant legs. Folded hems are the most common way to finish a garment. The hem allowance in this pant is wide and does allow for the pant to be made longer if garment is unfolded. Also, it helps the pants hang more smoothly. The hem is stitched using a 300 class stitch, particularly a 301 lockstitch. We rated the hem on this garment a 5 since this folded hem that provides a wide amount of length addition to the garment and can easily be let down.
Sizes: 4 The size of a garment suggests to consumers the suitability of a garment for their body dimensions. This pair of pants is a womenswear size 8. The number correlates with the height, waist, and hip measurements. The sizes and grades vary greatly and Walmart’s George brand tends to run a little bigger than some of the other brands. The pants don’t have
any denomination indicating if the garment is short, regular, or long, so it is assumed it is regular length. If the customer happens to be taller the hem can be let down for extra length. If the wearer is much shorter it might be more of a problem because an even wider hem might be bulky and too heavy to have at the bottom of the pants. Overall, we rated the sizing on this garment a 4, since it fits a little bigger than other garments of the same size.
Waistline: 5 This pair of pants has a natural waistline. The way the waistline fits is important for comfort and this waistline fits well for someone with a wider natural waistline. It excels at returning to its natural position after someone sits down or stands up. The narrowest part of the garment falls at the wearer’s waist and the garment does not strain at the closures. There is no elastic present in the waistline so easy alterations cannot be made to the pants. Overall, we rated the waistline a 5 because it fits all the requirements for a good waistline. Darts: 5
There are four darts present in this garment, specifically in the back of the pants. A dart is a triangular fold stitched to shape the flat fabric to specific curves of the body. These pants have single pointed darts which are stitched on the inside of the garment. The darts do an excellent job to fit a curvy body by adding fullness to make the garment more elastic and easier to stretch. We rated this garment as a 5 in the dart category because the darts are effective in making the garment easier to wear.
Closures: 5 The closures used in this garment are buttons and hook and eye. A closure is a clasp that secures a garment’s openings. Closures come apart to make a garment bigger for dressing and fasten to makes the garment fit the body. The button used in this pant is a basic plastic one that is a clear color and serves the purpose of further securing the pants after the hook and eye. The button has no decorative features and it is concealed in the waistline and it can be washed along with the garment. The button is located at a stress point (the waistline)
and it is small enough that it does not interfere with the pants having a belt nor does it show on the exterior of the waistline through the fabric. This particular button is an eyed button with stitches parallel to the buttonhole. The button is sewn as a lockstitch type and is secure to the garment. It is also properly oriented and stitched with a vertical orientation. The black pants also contain 2 hook and eye closures which consist of two interlocking parts, a hook and an eye. The hook and eyes used for this garment are medium in size and are made out of metal. The eyes are bar eyes intended for edges that lie on top of each other. They are sewn in carefully so they do not penetrate the outside of the garment. Overall we rated this pair of pants a 5 in closures, since it offers both a button and a hook and eye. Silhouette and Style: 5 These black slacks have a classic length, a curvy fit, and a flared leg. In order for a garment to have style it is important that a garment exhibits the design principles of balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, and unity. We believe this pair of pants does a good job illustrating balance because it is visually proportional both horizontally and vertically. We also think the black slacks display an excellent example of proportion because for example the waistline is the same color and style as the pant legs. The black slacks do have directional movement or rhythm because for example the type of pockets is consistent both in the front and in the back of the garment. The garment also has a clear focal point which is the pocket area. Finally, this pair of pants displays unity by having current fashion trends that curvy fit for women with larger hips and having details in the pockets and 4 darts. Overall we rated this garment a 5 in silhouette and style.
Fabric/ Materials (Fiber content): 4 A garment’s fiber content affects its appearance, ease of care, comfort, durability, and cost. These black slacks are made out of 73% polyester, 23% rayon, and 4% spandex. Since these pants are made out of polyester and rayon, they are made out of manufactured fibers. Since the pants are made out of manufactured fibers, they tend to be cheaper, and generally durable. Rayon is a regenerated cellulosics made out of plant fibers, and polyester is a synthetic made out of petroleum products. This means that the pants have a moderate absorbency, and can get uncomfortable during hot and humid weather since they are predominantly 73% polyester. Synthetics are less likely to wrinkle and to require ironing than natural fibers. Also synthetics are more resilient to mildew, insects, fire and chemicals. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 due to the characteristics described above.
Care instructions: 5 This garment can be washed with machine wash cold, can tumble dry low, and can be ironed if needed. The way this garment is labeled adheres with the Care Labeling Rule that
has been active since 1972 and it requires that apparel carry a specific care label that details full instructions on how to take care of a garment. Overall, we rated these black slacks a 5 in care instructions since they can be machine washed and easy to take care of. Functional Performance Utility: 4 Utility is made up of the following characteristics: shape retention, appearance retention, comfort, ease of care, safety. Shape retention refers to how well an item of clothing maintains its size and shape. Due to the elasticity present in this pair of pants in the form of 4% of spandex and the fabric has the ability to return to its original size after it is being stretched. Shrinkage might occur in this pair of pants if it was washed in warm water and dried with heat. It would probably cause the garment to become smaller. Preshrinkage is important and manufacturers should wash the garment before it is sold to the consumers. After washing this particular pair of black slacks, the color retention was not 100%. The color did fade slightly and did not retain its original black color. A positive factor of appearance retention did occur with the garment because it resisted wrinkles since it is made out of synthetic fibers. It is easy to take care of these black slacks since it requires machine washing, but they would more likely ignite since they contain synthetic fibers. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in functional performance utility. Functional Performance Durability: 4 Durability is ability for fabric to perform when it comes to the following categories: the strength of the article of clothing, the resistance to abrasion of the item of clothing, and the resistance to degradation by chemicals and other elements of the environment. The black pants have durability because they will resist tearing and bursting since they are stitched with
both a 301 lockstitch and a 304 zigzag lockstitch. The abrasion resistance in this pair of pants is relatively high even when rubbed against a surface for a longer period of time, although if the wearer constantly rubs the pants against a hard surface abrasion will eventually occur. If the pants have resistance abrasion then they will have chemical resistance which can withstand detergents and dry-cleaning solvents. This pant can be machine washed with detergent so it can withstand some level of chemicals. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in the functional performance durability. Aesthetic Performance: 4 The aesthetic performance is how well a garment looks in terms of color, shading, and metamerism. This garment does not have a strong black color, but more of a faded shade of black which is consistent throughout the pair of pants. There appears to be no shading, which is when parts of the garment slightly differ from each other. Metamerism is the change in color due to lighting. The main elements of this are luster, opacity, and hand. In the case of luster, the pants have a dull fabric. In the case of opacity, this pair of pants has opaque and has low light permeability. Hand is refers to drapability, compressibility, extensibility, resilience, density, surface texture, surface friction, and thermal character of a garment. This garment id very fluid, stretchy, springy, has high density, is medium in texture, has a medium surface friction and varies in temperature depending to what it is exposed to. Overall, we rated this garment a 4 in aesthetic performance. AppliquĂŠs/ Embroideries: N/A This garment contains no appliquĂŠs or embroideries. An appliquĂŠ is a decorative fabric patch applied to the garment.
Stitch width/ length: 4 This pair of black slacks has a stitch width of 1/8 inches and a length of 12 SPI (stitches per inch). Appropriate stitch length depends on the type of fabric, its weight and its density. It is important for stitches to not be too long or too short because if stitches are too long or too short it might lead to puckering. No topstitching or reinforcement stitches are present in this garment. Overall we rated the garment a 4 in stitch width and length because it has the appropriate measurements but does not contain reinforcing stitching. Seam slippage: 4 Seam slippage usually occurs when the stitching is too strong for the fabric. It causes the fabric to pull away from the stitches at the seamline, eventually producing a raw edge. This happens especially in areas where there is a large amount of stress. If a garment has severe seam slippage it is unwearable because of the way it looks. This pair of pants does not have a lot of seam slippage concerns. The only part that might to be a problem after wearing the pants for a while is the back seam when there is pressure when the wearer sits down. Overall, this garment is rated a 4 in seam slippage. Seam pucker: 5 If the thread shrinks less than the garment then seam puckering will occur in the form of differential slippage. No evidence of this has occurred with this pair of pants. There is also no evidence of differential feeding in the garment because all the layers of the garment were sewn evenly. Least amount of puckering occurs when the seam is on a bias, and most puckering occurs when the seam is parallel to the lengthwise grain. There is also no
structural jamming visible in this pair of black slacks, which occurs when needles are too large for the fabric. Overall this garment receives a 5 in seam puckering since it has no evidence of any occurring.
Stitch Type & Class: 4 The class that this pair black slacks belongs to is 300 and the stitch type this garment has is a lockstitch. In lockstitching the machines rely on interlocking and feature a bobbin thread. The bobbin can hold only 100 yards of thread. Class 300 costs more than the 400 class but require less thread and are stronger but not more extensive. Seams do not usually grin, but might pucker. The stitches are very comfortable, flat, nonbulky and they are hard to unravel. A disadvantage in the 300 stitch class is easy rupture when spread. This garment contains a 301 lockstitch and a 304 zigzag lockstitch. The 301 is a continuous, single, straight row of stitches. The 304 has a symmetrical zigzag pattern and the big advantage is that they stretch with the seam. Overall this garment is rated a 4 in stitch type and class. Grain: 5
The pants feature a lengthwise grain. For the pants to fit well the garment has to be cut on the grain. The lengthwise grain runs parallel to the length of the body and the lengthwise yarns are the strangest and most stable. On-grain garments hang evenly and appear symmetrical. Overall this garment is rated a 5 in grain quality. Set: 5 Set refers to a smooth fit without undesirable wrinkles. This garment does not contain any undesirable wrinkles. If the garment had wrinkles they would be caused by a poor fit and could not be removed with an iron. The wrinkles occur because the garment is too large or too small or sometimes it can be caused by the wearer’s bad posture. For this reason this garment is rated a 5 in its set. Balance: 5 Balance occurs when the garment is equal on the right and left side. When a garment is off balance it is because it is cut off the grain. Poor posture might also result in bad balance. This pair of black pants is evenly balanced and receives an overall score of 5 in the quality of balance. Line: 5 Line refers to the alignment of the structural lines of a garment with the natural lines of the body. Side seams, center seams, and back seams need to hang straight down the center of the side of the body parallel to the floor. For this pair of pants all the lines of the garment align with the body so it receives a 5 in overall quality. Ease: 3
Ease is how much room the wearer has in a garment. It is the difference between the measurements of the garment and the measurements of the wearer intended for the garment. Fitting ease should include the room in a garment for movement, and comfort which includes 1 inch for the women’s waist, and 1.5 to 2 inches for the hip. Stretchy fabrics substitute for fitting ease in a garment because the stretch makes up for the lack of ease. Design ease is optional and has to do more with the appearance of a garment. Amount of design ease depends on the current fashion. This particular pair of pants is stretchy so it allows for a good amount of the fitting ease when moving in the pants. It is not particularly stylish in design, but it does have the 4 pockets which add some interest to the garment. Overall, ease is rated a 4 in quality. Total: 105/120 Price: $16.44 Most people believe that the higher the price the better a garment is in quality. This translates in the consumers’ use of price and perceived quality to determine the value of a garment. Ready-to-wear is categorized according to price lines. Price lines are a group of merchandise selection at various price levels. Better, moderate, and budget are some of the more important categories used to distinguish between price lines. A lot of factors determine what customers perceive as quality, but it is important that on the perceive value graph, the garment is below the trend line in order for it to be considered a bargain or a good deal. This particular pair of George pants is a budget price but with a pretty high quality so it would probably fall in the bargain region.