Patent Application
20160338430
The present invention relates to clothing and apparel, and more particularly, is concerned with a composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations.
Fashion trends continually change, in women's clothing and apparel especially. Styles of tops, skirts and pants, as well as hemlines, necklines, and sleeve lengths can vary dramatically from one year to the next. Adding to one's wardrobe in order to follow these changes in fashion presents problems in terms of the money, time and space required.
A potential solution to these problems is being sought in the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,585 a garment in the form of a piece of fabric, having snaps at upper left and right hand corners thereof, when assembled with an elastic band and a scarf, gives the desired appearance of a single integral article of clothing, such as a shirt or blouse, for covering the upper torso of the wearer. Further, in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0042381 a tube of stretchable fabric, by use with a looped band or bands, can be shaped into a selected one of many different wearable garment styles.
These disclosures appear to represent steps toward a potential solution to the aforementioned problems. There still remains a need in the art for an innovation that will move greatly beyond the attempted solutions found in the prior art.
The present invention is an innovation that moves greatly beyond the attempted solutions of the prior art by providing a composite garment wearable in a multitude of different outfit variations, such as differing embodiments of dresses, skirts, trousers, tops, ponchos and jumpsuits.
It is to be understood that both the following summary and the detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Neither the summary nor the description that follows is intended to define or limit the scope of the invention to the particular features mentioned in the summary or in the description. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.
In certain embodiments, the disclosed embodiments may include one or more of the features described herein.
In one embodiment, a composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations includes: a skirt formed by a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of a wearer downward from proximate the waist to proximate the knees of the wearer, the skirt having a bottom hem with front and back portions; a bodice formed by a tubular piece of material of an hour-glass longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of the wearer upward from proximate the waist to proximate the arm pits of the wearer; a seam joining the bodice with the skirt; a plurality of button holes formed in a spaced apart relationship from one another in one of the front and back portions of the bottom hem of the skirt; and a plurality of buttons attached in a spaced apart relationship from one another on the other of the front and back portions of the bottom hem of the skirt so as to allow fitting of at least some of the buttons through at least some of the button holes and thereby closing of the skirt at the bottom hem thereof between the legs of the wearer so as to convert the skirt into a pair of trousers of one of above or below knee-length.
In one embodiment, the skirt has a top edge margin and ruffled portions proximate the top edge margin at a middle of a front and a back of the skirt.
In one embodiment, the bodice has open opposite ends such that the respective positions of the open opposite ends that are spaced above and below one another are reversible such that the bodice is configured to be worn in either of an upright or inverted orientation so as to place the skirt on the wearer in either one of below or above the bodice.
In one embodiment, the bodice has a top edge margin and a band of elastic material attached along the top edge margin so as to allow stretching and clinging of the bodice about the upper back and across the front bust of the wearer.
In one embodiment, at least top and bottom portions of the tubular-shaped piece of material forming the bodice is elastic so as to allow stretching and clinging of the bodice around regions of the body of the wearer above and below the waist of the wearer.
In one embodiment, a front vertical portion of the bodice is smocked with in an elasticated manner. The smocked front vertical portion of the bodice is wider at a first end than at an opposite second end thereof.
In one embodiment, a composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations includes: a bodice formed by a tubular-shaped piece of material of an hour-glass longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of a wearer upward from proximate the waist to proximate the arm pits of the wearer, at least a portion of the tubular-shaped piece of material forming the bodice being elasticated so as to allow stretching and clinging of the bodice around regions of the body of the wearer above and below the waist of the wearer; a skirt formed by a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of the wearer downward from the bodice to below the knees of the wearer, the skirt having a bottom hem with front and back portions; a seam joining the bodice with the skirt; a plurality of button holes formed in a spaced apart relationship from one another in one of the front and back portions of the bottom hem of the skirt; and a plurality of buttons attached in a spaced apart relationship from one another on the other of the front and back portions of the bottom hem of the skirt so as to allow fitting of at least some of the buttons through at least some of the button holes and thereby closing of the skirt at the bottom hem thereof between the legs of the wearer so as to convert the skirt into a pair of trousers of below knee-length.
In one embodiment, wherein at least a portion of the tubular-shaped piece of material forming the bodice is elasticated so as to allow stretching and clinging of the bodice around regions of the body of the wearer above and below the waist of the wearer.
In one embodiment, a composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations includes: a bodice formed by a tubular-shaped piece of material of an hour-glass longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of the wearer downward from above the waist to below the hips of the wearer; a skirt formed by a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of the wearer upward from the bodice to proximate the shoulders of the wearer, the skirt having a hem at the shoulders of the wearer with front and back portions; a seam joining the bodice with the skirt; a plurality of button holes formed in a spaced apart relationship from one another in one of the front and back portions of the hem of the skirt; and a plurality of buttons attached in a spaced apart relationship from one another on the other of the front and back portions of the hem of the skirt so as to allow fitting of at least some of the buttons through at least some of the button holes and thereby closing of the skirt along the shoulders and arms of the wearer so as to convert the bodice into a mini-skirt and the skirt into blouse.
A new garment includes a tubular bodice having a first open end and a second open end, a skirt having a first open end and a second open end, the skirt being attached at its first open end to the second open end of the tubular bodice, and a plurality of buttons and button holes around at least one of the first open end of the tubular bodice and the second open end of the skirt. The buttons are configured to be inserted through the button holes to close off portions of the end they are on.
The garment may be positioned on a wearer's body, with one or more of the buttons inserted through corresponding button holes to close off a portion of the end they are on, and with the closed off portion is looped over a portion of the wearer's body to prevent the garment or a portion thereof from falling downward. The tubular bodice may be positioned extending over a portion of the wearer's lower body, and the skirt may be positioned above the tubular bodice extending over a portion of the wearer's upper body. The closed off portion may include a shoulder strap, sleeve portion, or neck strap.
These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, further serve to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use these embodiments and others that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention will be more particularly described in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
100—composite garment (
102—skirt of garment 100
104—bodice of garment 100
106—front panel
108—middle seam between skirt 102 & bodice 104
110—hem on skirt 102
112—button holes in hem 110
114—buttons on hem 110
116—ruffled portion of skirt 102
118—elastic band along top edge margin of bodice 104
200—composite garment (
202—skirt of garment 200
204—bodice of garment 200
206—front panel
208—middle seam between skirt 202 & bodice 204
210—hem on skirt 202
212—button holes in hem 210
214—buttons on hem 210
216—ruffled portion of skirt 202
300—composite garment (
302—skirt of garment 300
304—bodice of garment 300
306—front panel
308—middle seam between skirt 302 & bodice 304
310—hem on skirt 302
312—button holes in hem 310
314—buttons on hem 310
320—pair of tights
A composite garment wearable as a multitude of outfit variations, such as differing embodiments of dresses, skirts, trousers, tops, ponchos and jumpsuits, will now be disclosed in terms of various exemplary embodiments. This specification discloses one or more embodiments that incorporate features of the invention. The embodiment(s) described, and references in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. When a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, persons skilled in the art may effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
In the several figures, like reference numerals may be used for like elements having like functions even in different drawings. The embodiments described, and their detailed construction and elements, are merely provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out in a variety of ways, and does not require any of the specific features described herein. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention with unnecessary detail.
The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Referring now to
The skirt 102 is formed by a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration. The bodice 104 is formed by a tubular-shaped piece of material of an hour-glass longitudinal configuration. An endless middle seam 108 joins the bodice 104 with the skirt 102. The skirt 102 has an endless bottom hem 110 with front and back portions 110A, 110B and made of reinforced fabric. A plurality of button holes 112 are formed in a spaced apart relationship from one another in the front portion 110A of the bottom hem 110. A plurality of buttons 114 are attached in a similar spaced apart relationship from one another on the back portion 110B of the bottom hem 110. Buttons 114 may be attached to the inside and/or outside of the bottom hem 110. If attached to the outside, they are visible when unbuttoned, and a portion of the hem with a button on it must be folded inside the skirt 102, or a portion of the front hem portion 110A with a button hole 112 on it must be folded over the button 114, in order for the button 114 to be inserted through the button hole 112.
In various embodiments, features of the garment provide for the ability to wear it as any number of different types of outfits. The tubular bodice is elasticated at the upper section and lower seam to allow stretch through different outfits. The smocked panel of elasticated woven fabric may expand to double the size when stretched to allow the tubular bodice to fit snugly but not constrictively over all parts of the body, such as bust, waist, hips, etc. The bell shaped skirt has a width and length that allows it to work as a skirt, dress, trouser, top or poncho. The buttons on the skirt hem increase the number of possible outfits dramatically, both when the skirt is worn as a lower body covering, to close the skirt between the legs to make trousers or a jumpsuit and when the skirt is worn as a top by creating a wide variety of different head holes, arm holes and sleeves, back openings, etc.
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By way of example but not limitation with respect to the various embodiments of the composite garments: the skirts may be 60 cm. in length; the bodices may be 38 cm. in length; the material of the bodice and skirt may be a fabric made from jersey/elastane (95%/5%) or 100% cotton or other jersey fabrics; the pluralities of button holes and buttons in the bottom hem of the skirts may each be seven in number; the smocked panel on the bodices may be 33 cm. at the first end and 15 cm. at the second end; and the smocked panel may be in the form of a suitable conventional woven fabric. These dimensions and materials allow the garment to be worn in the variety of configurations described above, with the sizing intended to provide adequate body coverage for a wide range of women, with flexibility provided by the elastic portions and ability to create openings of various sizes using different button arrangements. The composite garments can be provided in many colors and prints.
The invention is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described above in detail. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other arrangements could be devised. The invention encompasses every possible combination of the various features of each embodiment disclosed. While the invention has been described with reference to specific illustrative embodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
