Worst Design Peeve EVER - YouLookFab Forum

Just venting, but I know I must not be alone!

The other day when Angie showed an ensemble including that Quilted JCrew denim skirt I nearly fainted. My dream? Someone actually came up with my dream denim skirt? Alas, when I clicked on the rearview image of the skirt on JCrew, I was aghast to find that the back piece of the garment WAS NOT QUILTED!!! Ok, how hard is it just to use the same piece of denim on the front as on the back? Do they think I only want to be seen coming, not going?

I have also seen this done with mixed media leather.And Ponte. If you make the front of my tee in leather, please make the back in leather too! Fine, give us jersey sleeves, but can the front and the back just be the same?

Sequins. OK, why are so many garments sequined on the front panel, but not on the back? DUMB! I would rather pay more for a garment where the front and back panels matched. Whoa to the party dress that is sequined only on the front panel.

I acknowledge that in some cases the design may clearly "explain" visually why we have different fronts from backs. But in MANY of these cases that I am bemoaning there is no good reason for fronts and backs to be of different fabrics. Except cost-cutting for the manufacturer.

I dislike "halfway" pants too. Put leather strips down the sides of Ponte pants, but don't put leather on the front and Ponte on the backside. Or quilted leather on the front facing pieces and plain on the back.

The JCrew skirt just really had me steamed.

9 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

That quilted J Crew pencil was quite cute. I didn't even consider it in detail because it would have been so short on me! So I didn't look at the back. But I agree that not quilting the whole thing is a mistake.

With sequins, I kinda see it because sequins can be itchy and you don't necessarily want that brushing against your back all the time when you're in a chair. I'm talking about dressy tees or something, not formal wear, which of course should follow the trim all the way around.

I think it's Kathleen Fassanella, the pattern maker and blogger, that calls clothes without any kind of interest or details on the back "coffin clothes". It does show a lack of design and attention to detail.

Anonymous

ROTFL @ Laura! Coffin clothes!

UmmLila (Lisa)

YES.

JAileen

I liked the J Crew quilted skirt, too. I didn't realize it was only quilted in the front. As a knitter I put cables or what have you on the back as well as the front.

I read somewhere that actual coffin clothes don't have a back. Not that the back doesn't have any detail, but that there isn't a back at all.

WingGirl

Active Member

I'm wondering if the seat area was quilted would it wear more quickly and the stitching in the quilted area would start to fray. Or perhaps it was just a cost saving measure.

N-Marie

I noticed the same thing about the J Crew skirt and it bugged me too! I'm less bothered by the lack of sequins (I think that might be irritation against the back when sitting).

Joy

Maybe the designer of the quilted skirt thought that few women would want a quilted bottom?

Marley

I didn't look at the J Crew skirt - but yeah, I'm with Joy - I really don't think I want my backside to be wrapped up in a quilt. Wouldn't it look pretty bulky?

Also - I get what you are saying about leather and ponte, and jersey, etc. - and I'm sure that a lot of it is cost-cutting practices - but I think that some of it is intentional as a fashion statement - you know, the "mixed-media" factor?

Actually, I really like the mixed-media look, so this doesn't bother me all that much. But - we have different styles - and I'm much more haphazard than you - you are so much more polished than me so I can understand why this would bother you more than me!

Gigi

I think that part of it is indeed cost cutting. But I think part of it also has to do with garment fit. For instance, fake leather doesn't stretch, so on a pair of fake leather pants, it might be good to have a regular fabric back simply because that will stretch and allow the pants to fit better—and fit more body shapes.

At first, these kinds of things looked very strange to me too, but now my eye has adjusted. Whether it is good or bad that my eye has adjusted, I don't know!

Here's a Woolrich sweater I was thinking of buying in the grey color scheme until I noticed the pattern didn't match up in the back. Most of the pattern is continued on the back but not all.

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Cerinda

And what about embellished tees, sweatshirts, sweaters, where the decorative elements only span the front neckline? Aargh!

Echo

I agree that quilting on an area that receives more wear is perhaps a bad idea because the stitching can break or fray much more easily in those areas. But overall I agree with you. Especially on garments that one would wear alone - long sleeved tops, sweaters. The only justification I can see is on shells/sleeveless blouses. Many of those are designed to be worn under a jacket or cardigan, and detailing on the back would not only make the item less comfortable, but would also make it lie differently or look bumpy under another layer.

Firecracker (Sharan)

I agree with your peeve, though I do see some logic in not putting some design features on back. I have a denim skirt that has layered fabric on the front, and if the design were replicated on the back, those layers would be all sticking out from sitting on them and getting them folded every which way. So if there's a function, then I'm on board, but so often I think it's just done to save costs.

jackiec

Haha Oh no! So sad it's such a pet peeve for you. Funny, it doesn't bother me in the least, on the most part. I get what you're saying though: Reverse mullet, party in the front, business in the back

karymk

Okay I am not buying the idea that one wouldn't want a quilted behind. If so, then I wish they wouldn't even make them period. Plus, this is not real quilting on the JCrew skirt! It is just stitching. So they have NO excuse in my mind.

Never heard the phrase Coffin Clothes, but I love it!!

Ay yay yay! Put me out of my misery in this department!

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