ready to wear??? NOT

> Then the problems started.
>
> I started looking closer. Well..... Gee, maybe it's just me, but I kind of
> think there needs to be a belt loop on both sides of the front. Is that
> just me?? I mean, there's one on the left front, but not the
> right. Design choice?? I don't think so. Perhaps also, we could trim off
> the thread tails and CLEANLY cut open the buttonhole???? Possibly, we
> could topstitch the fly without puckering the fabric??? I'd let that
> slide, but it's puckered so badly the pants will never press flat. Oh, and
> the bottom of the zipper tape is just hanging out on the inside. It's
> beginning to fray off already. And it's not just around the top of the
> pant. There are thread tails all over. Most especially at the hem.
>
> I emailed both the HQ of the store where I bought them and Lee. I sent
> pictures.
>
>

> Hey All,
>
> This is a rant that only my sewing pals would get.
>
> OK. So right or wrong, one of the things I know most of us judge our work
> by is ready to wear. We strive to incorporate RTW construction methods
> into our way of making clothing. We strive to make our garments look like
> RTW garments (just with better fit) because that's what our clients expect.
>
> Well. Lemme tell y'all...... RTW just became a dirty word around here.
>
> DH works for the corp. office of a very large poultry company. Company
> policy is anyone management level or above wears khaki colored pants and a
> matching shirt with company logo and their name on it. They provide the
> shirts and we buy the pants. They can be any brand so long as they
> resemble traditional chinos and are of a color to match the shirts (close
> as possible.) No problem normally.
>
> For years I have bought him one brand. The fit is (was) consistent, the
> color is right, they wear a long while, reasonable price. Well, that brand
> has done a redesign and a fit adjustment. The fit adjustment we won't talk
> about (other than to say himself nearly turned blue.) But he didn't like
> the style redesign. So that brand is out. Back to the drawing board.
>
> I found him a pair of Lee pants that were OH SO close to the old design
> pants he liked so well. They were the right color, the right size, the
> right design. Oh joy!!! I bought them and did a victory dance all the way
> home. (tricky when driving!) He tried them on and they fit
> wonderfully. Yay!!!!
>
> Then the problems started.
>
> I started looking closer. Well..... Gee, maybe it's just me, but I kind of
> think there needs to be a belt loop on both sides of the front. Is that
> just me?? I mean, there's one on the left front, but not the
> right. Design choice?? I don't think so. Perhaps also, we could trim off
> the thread tails and CLEANLY cut open the buttonhole???? Possibly, we
> could topstitch the fly without puckering the fabric??? I'd let that
> slide, but it's puckered so badly the pants will never press flat. Oh, and
> the bottom of the zipper tape is just hanging out on the inside. It's
> beginning to fray off already. And it's not just around the top of the
> pant. There are thread tails all over. Most especially at the hem.
>
> I emailed both the HQ of the store where I bought them and Lee. I sent
> pictures.
>
>

>
> I'm thoroughly disgusted. I will be taking the pants back to the store
> today. Thankfully, they have a wonderful return policy and never turn a
> hair at taking something back. But, they don't pay me for the gas I burn
> driving to their store TWICE. And I can't recoup my time either, not the
> time I spent in there yesterday hunting for these (crappy) pants or the
> time I will spend elsewhere today looking for (hopefully not crappy) pants.
>
> Had to share this with folks who would get it. Won't be comparing my work
> to RTW any time soon. Ugh.
>
> Sharon
> ---
> Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of time and just annoys the
> pig.

> Sharon Hays wrote:
>> Hey All,
>> This is a rant that only my sewing pals would get.
>> OK. So right or wrong, one of the things I know most of us judge our
>> work
>> by is ready to wear. We strive to incorporate RTW construction methods
>> into our way of making clothing. We strive to make our garments look
>> like
>> RTW garments (just with better fit) because that's what our clients
>> expect.
>> Well. Lemme tell y'all...... RTW just became a dirty word around here.
>> DH works for the corp. office of a very large poultry company. Company
>> policy is anyone management level or above wears khaki colored pants
>> and a
>> matching shirt with company logo and their name on it. They provide the
>> shirts and we buy the pants. They can be any brand so long as they
>> resemble traditional chinos and are of a color to match the shirts (close
>> as possible.) No problem normally.
>> For years I have bought him one brand. The fit is (was) consistent, the
>> color is right, they wear a long while, reasonable price. Well, that
>> brand
>> has done a redesign and a fit adjustment. The fit adjustment we won't
>> talk
>> about (other than to say himself nearly turned blue.) But he didn't like
>> the style redesign. So that brand is out. Back to the drawing board.
>> I found him a pair of Lee pants that were OH SO close to the old design
>> pants he liked so well. They were the right color, the right size, the
>> right design. Oh joy!!! I bought them and did a victory dance all the
>> way
>> home. (tricky when driving!) He tried them on and they fit
>> wonderfully. Yay!!!!
>> Then the problems started.
>> I started looking closer. Well..... Gee, maybe it's just me, but I
>> kind of think there needs to be a belt loop on both sides of the
>> front. Is that
>> just me?? I mean, there's one on the left front, but not the
>> right. Design choice?? I don't think so. Perhaps also, we could
>> trim off
>> the thread tails and CLEANLY cut open the buttonhole???? Possibly, we
>> could topstitch the fly without puckering the fabric??? I'd let that
>> slide, but it's puckered so badly the pants will never press flat.
>> Oh, and
>> the bottom of the zipper tape is just hanging out on the inside. It's
>> beginning to fray off already. And it's not just around the top of the
>> pant. There are thread tails all over. Most especially at the hem.
>> I emailed both the HQ of the store where I bought them and Lee. I
>> sent pictures.
>>

>> I'm thoroughly disgusted. I will be taking the pants back to the store
>> today. Thankfully, they have a wonderful return policy and never turn a
>> hair at taking something back. But, they don't pay me for the gas I burn
>> driving to their store TWICE. And I can't recoup my time either, not the
>> time I spent in there yesterday hunting for these (crappy) pants or the
>> time I will spend elsewhere today looking for (hopefully not crappy)
>> pants.
>> Had to share this with folks who would get it. Won't be comparing my
>> work
>> to RTW any time soon. Ugh.
>> Sharon
>> ---
>> Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of time and just
>> annoys the pig.
>
>
> I admit that I *like* the neat 'everything hidden' finish of the better
> RTW, and the tidiness of a serged seam, but I try only to compare my
> work to the better RTW, such as Jaeger, Dacks, or possibly Marks &
> Spencer's Per Una range etc. rather than the ordinary High Street crap
> such as Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins, Evans...
>
> Has you hubby looked at Lands' End? A lot of their slacks come in three
> cuts and several leg lengths. And the stuff wears very well.
>

>> Has you hubby looked at Lands' End? A lot of their slacks come in three
>> cuts and several leg lengths. And the stuff wears very well.

>>
> I understand your frustration with the pants for your DH. It is so
> frustrationg to look for something, think you found just the right thing
> and then have to bring it back. Lands End does have good quality and you
> can get there things at Sears now.
> I have been struggling to find decent quality pants for myself and have
> a lot of things go back lately. I bought 2 pairs of paints that fit me
> to as tee and had to return them because the shrank at least 2 inches in
> the legs after washing. Bought another pair and it was so big I had to
> return them too. Finally found a decent fit in Penney's and they only
> had 1 pair.
> It makes you want to scream.
> I really think the problem is that so much of our RTW is no longer made
> in this country and quality control is non existant.
> Juno