DRESS SHIRT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to clothing and specifically to dress shirts. Dress shirts are clothes worn as a top, sometimes a standalone item, and other times in combination with another top clothing article like a blazer, jacket, sweater, and/or tie. Dress shirts are often tucked-in to a bottom article of clothing, such as pants or a skirt, to produce a desired neat or professional appearance.

However there are several problems with dress shirts currently on the market. Once tucked in, dress shirts generally “pull up”, “ride up”, or bunch up when the wearer moves (i.e. when the wear stands up, sits down, or walks around), resulting in an uneven tuck or even completely untucking the dress shirt. This produces a messy, unkempt, or unflattering appearance. Dress shirts do not typically fit or maintain the desired shape and tuck according to how they are shown in advertisements, on packaging, and/or on models.

A strong need exists for a dress shirt that does not bunch up and become easily untucked. The prior art has long looked for solutions to the problem, in some cases dating back to the 1920's. In one case, U.S. Pat. No. 1,530,565, Lindauer proposed a strap device that is passed from the bottom rear hem between the legs and attached to the bottom of the front hem of the shirt. This is similar to that of Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,653,288. This approach continued with U.S. Pat. No. 2,727,247. Another approach was to apply friction between the pants and the shirt. Hubbard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,339 discloses a waistband structure on the interior surface of a pair of trousers that is intended to prevent a shirt that is tucked in from riding up. This approach doesn't work well because inevitably, the shirt rides up at the waist, and the tight fit prevents the shirt from riding back down. In addition, that approach requires a normal force to produce the frictional force. The normal force, which is by definition perpendicular to the motion that the frictional force is to prevent, is therefore a force in towards the body. This implies that these approaches require that the trousers fit tightly at the waist. This is not be comfortable for the wearer and is really no solution to the problem at all.

A variation on this concept is the frictional element being embedded in the shirt. This is disclosed by Hamlet, U.S. Publication No. 2006/0010559. Hamlet discloses a device made of rigid fibers attached to a base material that creates a fabric band that is placed around the waist of the shirt. The nap, or direction of the fibers, point up. According to Hamlet, this prevents the shirt from riding up because the fibers are in contact with the inside surface of the trouser at the region of the waist line. However, Hamlet also discloses that this approach requires “compressing action” between the shirt and the pants, that is, the belt must be cinched tight in order for it to work.

The impracticality of these devices, as well as the discomfort they produce is plainly evident. Therefore there continues to be a need for a dress shirt that is constructed so that it does not ride up as the wearer moves, yet is comfortable to wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a dress shirt that is combination of a tapered shape that creates a close fit on the buttocks of the person wearing the shirt using a fabric with sufficient elasticity in its fiber content so that the snug fit holds the bottom of the shirt in place. However, the fabric cannot be so elastic that it introduces tightness around the waist, which would then cause the shirt to ride up. In addition, an elastic hem may be attached to the bottom of the shirt in order that the fabric of the shirt is positioned properly below the posterior of the buttocks. For dress shirts that are button-down, that is, there is a buttoned opening down the front of the shirt, additional snaps may be used at the bottom of the shirt at the front opening in order to fasten the two sides of the bottom of the shirt and thereby maintain elastic tension along the longitudinal axis of the elastic hem.

The present disclosure is also to a shirt that remains untucked and resists riding up from being tucked into a lower clothing by a wearer. This feature is particularly beneficial when the wearer of the shirt moves about during regular course of wear as the shirt remains tucked in. In an aspect, the present disclosure includes different types of shirts, such as formal and informal shirts that may be worn tucked into a pair of pants, with the pair of pants forming the lower clothing. For female wearers, the shirt may be tucked into pants, skirts, or other fashion wear, as the wearer sees fit. The shirt may include one or more features to enable it to remain untucked and resist ride-ups from the lower clothing. In an example, the shirt may include tapered shape from a chest area of the wearer to a hip area, and further to an area below the posterior of the wearer. One of ordinary skill would appreciate that these areas are definite for purposes of recreating the disclosed shirt but is defined in this manner as the measurements change according to the physique of the wearer.

In another example feature included with, or separately from, the tapered shape, is the use of different elasticity amounts at the different areas referenced above. In an example, the different elasticity amounts may result from a difference in the amount of material in each of the different areas referenced above. For example, as the chest area is more than the hip and the subsequent posterior area, the amount of general material in each area decreases as is implicitly a feature of the tapered shape. The decrease in the general material is also a decrease in the amount of elastic material and that decrease in the amount of elastic material supports the decreased elasticity amounts. Alternatively, the shirt fabric is created off a cut that has a tapered variation in the amount of elastic material woven into the general fabric. In an implementation, the top part of the taper has more elasticity, followed by the lower parts of the taper, irrespective of the amount of material in each of the above referenced taper areas.

In another example feature included with, or separately, from each of the tapered shape and the use of the different elasticity amounts, is the use of gussets in the underarm areas of the shirt. In an aspect the gussets are stitched into the shirt as a separate piece. In another aspect, the gussets are integrated into the material of the shirt by a similar method as noted above, where an area of the general shirt material includes a different amount of elasticity or is of a reduced elastic content, such that the area expresses different movement than the general shirt material. In another example, the gussets are of different grains or weave than the shirt material. The shirt material may be of a straight grain across the body, while the gusset are of a material that is cut in a cross grain to afford a different direction of stretch than the shirt material. As such, the term material may refer to an entirely different material or a different cut or a different grain of the same material. In each of these gusset examples, the gusset is a symmetrical piece of material that may be symmetrical about one or more of a longitudinal axis or a latitudinal axis of a shirt in a normal vertical (hanging) layout.

Yet another example feature included with, or separately, from each of the above features, is the use of secondary buttons towards a bottom hem of the short after the primary buttons. The primary buttons represent the button-up features from around the neck area to below the waist area of a wearer, so that the shirt may enclose the wearer's body. The secondary buttons represent addition buttons provided from below the last primary button till about a hem of the shirt. The primary buttons incorporate larger spacing than the secondary buttons. The secondary buttons may be press-type snap buttons to join the hem from either side of the shirt together.

A further example feature included with, or separately, from each of the above features, is the use of elastic within the hem to ensure that the shirt stays in place as the hem wraps around the wearer at a region slightly below the posterior. The hem is elasticized either by the elastic within the hem or using an integrated material of additional elasticity than the rest of the shirt material in the hem area. Furthermore, the shirt may be designed to keep the sleeves to neck ratio for traditional sizing, but to extend the shirt hem more than the traditional sizing. The extended hem is at an area below the posterior of the wearer. This allows for the shirt hem, with its elastic feature and/or the shirt with its secondary buttons to engage the area posterior and resist ride-ups and untucking that may be the case in traditional shirts. Furthermore, the secondary buttons provide additional engagement of the area below the posterior by allowing the wearer to select as many of the secondary buttons to secure together the shirt area below the primary buttons. Once the secondary buttons are secured together, the hem, with its separately stitched elastic or with its integrated elastic material, is able to provide as much engagement with the area below the posterior as required by the wearer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are front views of example shirts incorporating aspects in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 1D is a side view of an example shirt incorporating example aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1E is a rear view of an example shirt incorporating example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1F is a view of a gusset that is incorporated in armpit areas of an example shirt incorporating the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of an example shirt in an arms-down position for a wearer.

FIG. 3 is another rear view of an example shirt of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of an example shirt in an arms-down position for the wearer.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are bottom closure features, using secondary buttons and showing at least a primary button, of an example shirt with an open front, in open and closed positions.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are architectural drawings of rear views of example shirts with included dimension measurement identifiers.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are architectural drawings of the front views of example shirts with included dimensional measurement identifiers.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are front and rear views of an example shirt.

FIG. 9 is an assembly of one embodiment focusing on an elastic hem of an example shirt.

FIG. 10 is a side view drawing of body wearing the shirt and measurement points.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention solves the problems of the prior art, by providing a novel new design for a dress shirt that does not bunch up or become easily untucked. The dress shirt in one embodiment is constructed with an at least partially tapered torso portion comprised of a front portion made of fabric and an at least partially tapered torso back portion made of the same fabric. Fabrics may be comprised of polyester, nylon, lyocel, rayon, modal, or natural fabrics like wool, cotton, silk, or jersey, and any blends thereof. In this embodiment, the dress shirt also features two openings for the insertion of the intended wearer's arm, wherein the upper region of the dress shirt where the front and back torso portions attach by seam is closed except for a hole for the insertion of the intended wearer's head and neck.

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are front views of example shirts incorporating aspects in accordance with the present disclosure. Example shirts 100, 110, 130 incorporate one or more features of (a) a tapered shape from a chest area of the wearer to a hip area, and further to an area below the posterior of the wearer; (b) different elasticities in each of the areas referenced in (a), where the different elasticities are integrated elastic within a single material during a weaving stage, are different elastic materials backing a single material, or different materials sewn together to form the tapered shape; (c) elastic within a hem of the shirt, where the elastic is woven into the material at the hem or is sewn into the hem; and (d) secondary buttons below primary buttons, the secondary buttons offering further engagement of the hem and the shirt at the area below the posterior of the wearer to the posterior. In each example shirt 100, 110, 130, the shirt may include: sleeves 114A, 114B, 134A, 134B; gussets 112A, 112B, 132A, 132B; hem 116, 136 with elastic 118, 138 within it or integrated to it; and/or secondary buttons 123, 140.

Each of shirts 100, 110, 130 may be men's or women's dress shirt. When the shirt is a men's dress shirt, sizes may include: 15 32/33, 15 34/35, 15.5 32/33, 15.5 34/35, 16 32/33, 16 34/35, 16.5 32/33, 16.5 34/35, 17 32/33, 17 34/35, 17.5 32/33, and 17.5 34/35. A person of ordinary skill would recognize these sizes as corresponding to a sleeve length and neck circumference, respectively, in each case. Additionally, a default size may exist at 15.5 34/35/. Further, each of shirts 100, 110, 130 may include fusible tape and fusible webbing to bind and maintain the shape of various shirt components.

A neck band 142 is provided with circumference that reflects a predetermined ratio with the sleeves. The hem 116, 136 maybe styled in a straight line or with one or more curves as illustrated in the differences of the hem in FIG. 1A compared with FIGS. 1B and 1C. The length from the highest point on shoulder (HPS) to the hem is such that a predetermined length is first selected using he reference of the sleeve length and neck length, followed by an addition of a predetermined additional length. This allows for the shirt to sit just below the posterior. Example specifications are provided in TABLES 1 and 2, but may also be calculated using the entries in the tables to find ratios or multipliers to predict other dimensions—e.g., the length of the shirt from HPS to the hem. For example, for sleeve length S1 in TABLE 1, an example HPS to hem value is determined for one or more actual shirts in a sample. These two values maybe be divided or provided as a ratio to form a multiplier. The multiplier may be used with a measured S1 values to predict an appropriate HPS to hem value for a wearer of the shirt having the measure S1 values. As the appropriate HPS to hem value is more than a comparable regular shirt, the appropriate HPS to hem value will include the predetermined additional length referenced above.

FIG. 1D is a side view of an example shirt 150 incorporating example aspects of the present disclosure. Example shirt 150 includes at least the gusset 152 and an elastic hem 154. FIG. 1E is a rear view of an example shirt 170 incorporating example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 1E may be a rear view of example shirt 150, in one instance. In this instance, gusset 172A is the same as gusset 152, but in the rear view. Gusset 172B is provided on the right side, not visible in FIG. 1D, but is similar to gusset 172A. Similarly, hem 174 may be a rear view continuation of hem 154 shown in a left side view. A person of ordinary skill would recognize that the figures herein provide clear distinction of existence of a gusset feature in the example shirts for illustrative purposes only. Particularly, the person of ordinary skill would recognize that the gusset must be so structured as to be in the nearly or literally the same color and/or texture of the shirt material. This makes its almost invisible because it must not to be apparent to an external observer that the shirt has distinct underarm material. Indeed, there is not distraction to the shirt being what it is for all intents and purposes—a formal shirt, a recreation shirt, a casual shirt, etc.

FIG. 1F is a view of a gusset 180 that is incorporated in armpit areas of an example shirt incorporating the present disclosure. The gusset 180 is shaped in the form of a diamond to ensure the broadest elastic coverage in terms of absorbing a range of motions of at least the sleeve area. In particular, the gusset 180 is at least attachable to a portion of a sleeve and to a chest area of the shirt. The gusset may also be attachable to one or more seam areas of the shoulder (e.g., front and/or back). In an aspect, the gusset may be of similar or same color and of similar or same texture of the movable material to avoid detection and to ensure comfort to the wearer in a public environment. Further, while the shirt is of a first material, the gusset may be of a second material. The second material, in an example, may be the first material that is cut on a different grain or weave than the first material. As such, the fabric composition in the first material is the same or similar to fabric composition in the second material, except that when formed into the shirt in FIGS. 1D and 1E (and elsewhere in the specification and drawings unless stated otherwise), the first material is distinguished from the second material by the cut on the grain—straight grain to afford stretch across a circumference of the wearer for the first material forming at least the torso portion 178 versus a cross grain to afford vertical stretch in the armpit area of the wearer for the second material forming the gussets 172A, 172B.

In a further aspect, the example shirts herein are generally made of a stretch cotton poplin material. Such a material may be 95% to 100% cotton and may include spandex as to any remaining portion. Alternatively, the material may be 95% to 100% of a synthetic poly fabric. Further, the gusset 180 may be constructed from one or more panels and may include same or similar material as the shirt, but cut on a different grain as the shirt. The shirt referred to such context is understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to include at least substantially the torso portion 178. Further, in another example, the gusset is of same or similar material as the shirt (e.g., the torso portion 178), but may include variations to the spandex content in the gussets 172A, 172B for added or different elasticity or stretch characteristics. In an example, the shirt is in a straight grain cut with elasticity or stretch characteristics of at least the torso portion 178 applying across the body—circumferentially, while the gussets used in the shirt is in a cross grain cut with elasticity or stretch characteristics of the gussets applying to vertical movement asserted to the armpit (or the sleeves generally). In any construction, the gusset 180 is designed symmetrical about at least axis 182. This symmetry ensures even distribution of stretches when the sleeves are moved around by a wearer of the shirt incorporating the gussets. As a result, the gussets are able to absorb the stretching from the sleeves by allowing the gusset material to stretch vertically, while the rest of the shirt allows stretching around the circumference of the wearer. As such, a bottom part of the shirt that is within a lower garment, such as trousers or skirts, stays untucked and resists bunching at the waist, just outside the lower garment.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of an example shirt 200 in an arms-down position for a wearer. FIG. 2 particularly illustrates that the gussets are scaled to fit within a width of the sleeve such that it is not plainly visible to an external viewer. Furthermore, FIG. 2 also illustrates that the example shirt 200 extends below the posterior of the wearer with a region 204 hugging or engaging the posterior and the hem 202 being below the posterior. The hem 202 may be tightly against the wearer or may be lose depending on the secondary buttons secured or unsecured by the wearer. In an example, the shirt is of a first material and includes one or multiple portions of the same fabric stitched or woven together according to pre-determined dimensions. The gusset is of a second material comprising or characterized by different fabric or the same fabric cut on a different grain, and is located adjacent to at least two of the holes or openings, to absorb stretching by movement of the first material in a vertical direction. In an example, when the shirt is tucked in at the hem 174 and the sleeves are raised the first material is stretched vertically at least at the armpit area. The second material by virtual of being of a different cut is capable of absorbing the stretch in the vertical direction. Particularly, holes or openings for the sleeves and collar are provided in the first material for a neck and arms of a wearer. The holes or openings may further include a vertical opening for a torso of the wearer.

The wearer may move the arms and the neck during a regular course of use of the shirt, but the second material of the gusset is of more elastic construction than the first material. This allows the gusset to absorb the movements of the wearer without untucking of the shirt from a lower garment—and primarily, without untucking of the first material that is used to construct the shirt and that is of lesser elasticity. The gusset, therefore, also helps resist the bunching of the first material around the area just outside the lower garment. The first material is also referred to herein as a movable material as it allows movement by the wearer, but the movement must be absorbed by the gusset to prevent untucking and to resist bunching as explained throughout this disclosure. Furthermore, the gussets include attachment regions (e.g., reference numeral 184 in FIG. 1F) at the edges of the gussets to allow the gussets to be included in the movable material at locations adjacent to holes provided to accommodate a wearer's appendages—e.g., arms, necks. For example, reference numerals 172A and 172B provide such illustration of two gussets located adjacent sleeves of a shirt (that may be substantially the movable material). The attachment regions are provided to enable strong coupling to the movable material but not decreasing the elasticity or the intended effect of the gussets—to absorb movement by stretching more than the movable material. The attachment regions may be hems 176 of the gusset that is formed by a doubling-over of the material of the gusset. This provides strength to the gusset even while maintaining the elasticity of the remainder of the gusset.

The gusset incorporating the second material may also include multiple portions of a same fabric stitched or woven together according to pre-determined dimensions and/or pre-determined cuts of a different grain than the first material. In an alternative implementation, different fabric of different elasticities may be used instead in the gusset. An average or aggregate of the different elasticities (or applicable direction of the different elasticities) may make the second material have more elasticity in a certain direction that is not afforded to in the first material. In a further alternative implementation, the first material includes woven variations in the taper areas to change an elasticity of the first material. For example, while constructing the first material, a lower elasticity is offered in the chest area, an increasing elasticity amount is offered in the hips area followed by the highest elasticity in the posterior area. This allows the shirt to maintain position while tucked in. However, a person of ordinary skill would also consider that the lower elasticity is offered in the chest area, followed by decreasing elasticity amounts in the hips and the posterior area. This may be to allow for arm and neck movements to be absorbed in the material of the chest area and not transferred to the lower half of the shirt. In either aspects, there is a variation of the elasticity of the first material by integrated weaving or by incorporating different materials behind the first materials or by stitching together different areas of materials to form a first material. Separately, the first material may be of a uniform singular elasticity throughout at least the torso portion. As such, a first material, unless expressed differently, may include one or more fabrics or cuts of fabrics. The one or more fabrics may be of one or more elasticities and of one or more quantities within the first material. Such variations may also be in the gusset, but the gusset is constructed of a different elasticity or of a different cut than its adjacent first material, making it distinct from the first material.

FIG. 3 is another rear view of an example shirt 300 of the present disclosure. The example shirt 300 may be a rear view of the example shirt 200 of FIG. 2, with the hem 302 being below an area hugging or engaging the posterior of the wearer. FIG. 4 is a right side view of an example shirt 400 in an arms-down position for the wearer. The example shirt 400 may be a right side view of the example shirts 200 and 300 in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. As in the case of FIGS. 2 and 3, the example shirt has a hem 402 that is elasticized and that rests below the posterior of the wearer, such that a posterior area 404 of the example shirt 400 hugs or engages the posterior of the wearer. The hugging or engagement of the posterior area 404 depends on the number of secondary buttons 120, 140 (e.g., FIGS. 1B, 1C) secured in the front of the shirt, towards the hem 402. The shirt 110 includes primary buttons 122 that may be mechanically different than the secondary buttons 120 by one or more aspects. For example, the primary buttons may be hole penetrating-type, while the secondary buttons are snap-type buttons. The primary buttons may serve a different purpose (e.g., maintaining modesty or preventing air to enter or escape into an interior of the shirt) than the secondary buttons (e.g., to further engage the elastic hem or to further assist the hugging or engaging of the posterior area of the shirt to the wearer).

A further embodiment of the disclosure is in FIGS. 5A and 5B. Dimensional identifiers indicated in the FIG. 5A correspond to the snap—the example secondary buttons—and hem dimensions provided in either Tables 1 or 2. Larger or smaller shirts may be constructed by proportionally increasing or decreasing the dimensions provided in inches in Tables 1 and 2. Further, the dimensions in Table 1 provide a shirt with a bottom curved hem as illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 6A and 7A, while the dimensions in Table 2 support features of a shirt with a substantially straight hem as in FIGS. 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 2, 3, 4, 6B, 7B, 8A, and 8B.

The dimensional identifiers indicated in the FIGS. 6 and 7 correspond to the dimensions provided in Table 1 for points of measure (POM) S1, D2-D6, and C1-C9 on the back of the shirt for FIG. 6, and for POM S2-S5, S8, A1-A4, A5, A7, B1-B4, K1, and J3 on the front of the shirt for FIG. 7. Changes in these dimensions may be proportional, for increasing or decreasing shirt sizes, from the dimensions provided in inches in Table 1 or in Table 2.

The dress shirt, schematically shown in side view on FIG. 10, is worn on a body (1000) and has a first taper from the chest (1002) down to the waist (1004). In the preferred embodiment the first taper is at least 10% and no more than 31%. The shirt is also tapered from the waist (1004) to the bottom hem (1008) with a second taper that is more than that of the first taper. In the preferred embodiment, the second taper be at least 16% and no more than 35%.

The bottom of the shirt is constructed to extend below posterior of the buttock (1006). That is, for a shirt constructed for given size category, the person corresponding to that size category that wears the constructed shirt should have the bottom hem of the shirt extend past their posterior of their buttock (1006). A shirt is constructed for given size category if a person corresponding to that size category can fit properly into the shirt so that their head and neck protrude through the corresponding holes in the shirt without undue stretch of the chest region of the shirt (1002) when the front of the shirt is buttoned or otherwise closed. In an embodiment, the bottom (including or referencing the hem) of the shirt extends between approximately 1 inch and 4 inches past the posterior (1006) when a shirt of a given size category is worn by a person corresponding to that size category.

In one embodiment the fabric of the dress shirt is a stretch material that exhibits elastic properties in a specific direction for substantially a torso portion of the shirt and that cause the region of the shirt in the area of the posterior (1006) and below to the hem (1008) to hug the lower buttock region of the properly sized wearer, (1006) to (1008). The posterior (1006) is the region of the buttock that extends out the furthest from the body. The elasticity of the fabric may be sufficient to create the hugging effect along the posterior region (1006) to (1008), where the fabric is engaged with the posterior, but the elasticity is not so that the shirt rides up and bunches up at the waist region (1004). Fabrics like cotton do not exhibit sufficient elasticity for the hugging effect, and high-elasticity fabrics like spandex, which are used in so-called “muscle-shirts”, bunch up at the waist (1004) when they are worn. Therefore, the elasticity of the fabric is such that the shirt engages or hugs the wearer's buttocks but does not bunch at the waist. For this reason, neither woven cotton shirts with little elasticity nor highly elastic “muscle-shirts” are shirts that meet the requirements of staying tucked and not bunching up at the waist.

The fabric should have a recovery after 1 minute of approximately 85% or more. In one embodiment, the fabric is a woven or knit fabrics using at least 4% and not more than approximately 10% of the deformable fiber, for example, spandex or a fiber similar to it in elasticity. In other embodiments, the fabric is a woven stretch cotton poplin comprised of 96% cotton and 4% of a resiliently deformable material, such as Lycra® or a fiber similar to it in elasticity. In the preferred embodiment, the resulting fabric exhibits a modulus of a range between approximately 0.32 and 0.675 pounds of force (lbf) in the vertical direction and a modulus in the horizontal direction between 0.227 and 0.473 lbf with a resulting elongation of 165%+/−25%, or in the range of 123% to 206% in the vertical and an elongation of 185% +/−25%, or in the rage of 138% to 231% in the horizontal direction. Elongation may be specified as a percentage of the original fabric specimen length at a specified load.

In another embodiment, the dress shirt has an elasticized hem. In one embodiment the elasticized hem is constructed by creating a casing hem line and then inserting a piece of elastic material in the fabric casing and then sealing all the edges. In another embodiment an elasticized hem is only created in the back portion of the shirt, which is then connected by a seam to the front portion of the shirt that features a traditional non-elasticized hem. In the preferred embodiment, the elastic hem width is between approximately ¼″ and approximately 1″. In the preferred embodiment, the elastic hem has an minimum stretch of elastic hem sweep of 40% with the ability of the hem to recover back to 0%, that is, of its measurement. The elastic may be sewn into the hem from side seam to side seam using an spi of 17-20 when relaxed—which will equate to 14-18 spi when the elastic hem is stretched tight. The elastic is aligned with the fabric edge either manually or using a machine folder, and then encased into the fabric with two folds, with a single needle stitched to secure the hem. The stitch should be at least 15 spi but no more than 20 spi. An exemplary process of constructing the hem is shown in FIG. 9. Particularly, FIG. 9 is an assembly 900 of one embodiment focusing on an elastic hem of an example shirt. Elastic 902 is provided in the hem 904 as the elastic is stretched. The final stitching 906 is illustrated in Step 3, with the elastic released from its stretched form and the hem 904 completely encasing the elastic. In one embodiment, the use of elastic thread as the seam in the hem line may further aid in producing the desired effect. Further, additional elastic material may be provided in the hem portion of the shirt a integrated into the weave of that part of the shirt. In the preferred embodiment, the elastic hem is between approximately ¼″ and 1″ in width.

In yet another embodiment of the dress shirt, there is a vertical opening extending from the front of the neck hole down to and including the front of the bottom hem. This opening has a first and second side, corresponding to the left and right side of the shirt, viewed from the wearer's perspective. In one embodiment, closure devices are attached along the edge of the first and second sides of the opening. In the preferred embodiment, these are buttons on one side and corresponding button holes on the other. In the preferred embodiment, there are between 7 and 14 closure devices along the opening. In the preferred embodiment, the last two closure devices at the bottom of the shirt are capable of spontaneously opening when the two sides of the opening are pulled apart from each other above a pre-determined force. See FIG. 5A and 5B. In this embodiment, the lowest closure point should be no higher from than 1″ up from the bottom hem. See FIG. 5A. The last two closure devices are positioned so that when the shirt of a given size category is worn by the person of corresponding size, tension along the longitudinal axis of the elastic hem (104) is maintained when those two closure devices are engaged to bind the first and second side of the front opening of the shirt together. See FIGS. 1-4.

One embodiment of the invention is shown on FIG. 5A and 5B. The dimensional identifiers indicated in the FIG. 5A correspond to the snap and hem dimensions provided in Table 1. Larger or smaller shirts may be constructed by proportionally increasing or decreasing the dimensions provided in inches in Table 1.

The dimensional identifiers indicated in the FIGS. 6A and 7A correspond to the dimensions provided in Table 1 for points of measure (POM) S1, D2-D6, and C1-C9 on the back of the shirt for FIG. 6A, and for POM S2-S5, S8, A1-A4, A5, A7, B1-B4, K1, and J3 on the front of the shirt for FIG. 7A. Similarly, the dimensions in Table 2 support features of a shirt with a substantially straight hem as in FIGS. 6B and 7B. Changes in these dimensions may be proportional, for increasing or decreasing shirt sizes, from the dimensions provided in inches in Tables 1 or Table 2. Dimensions not shown in Table 2, as to FIGS. 6B or 7B (compared with those from FIGS. 6A and 7A) may be inferred from the dimension of Table 1 and FIGS. 6A and 7A, by a person of ordinary skill in the art reading the present disclosure.

TABLE 1

Points of

Measure

Tolerance
Tolerance

(POM)
DESCRIPTION
(−)
(+)
14½
15
15½

1^stFit
2^ndFit

A1
Center Front
¼
¼
31
31¾
32½

32½

(CF) Length

From Highest

Point at Shoulder

(HPS) to Bottom

Edge

A2
Length at HPS
¼
¼
30½
31¼
32

to Bottom Edge

A3
Sideseam
¼
¼
17¼
18
18¾

19

Length From

Armhole to

Bottom Edge

A4
Shoulder Slope
¼
¼
½
½
½

1¾

A5
Forward
⅛
⅛
2
2
2

2

Shoulder Yoke

at Armhole

A7
Waist
0
0
16
16¼
16½

Placement from

HPS

B1
Waist Width at
¼
¼
18
18⅜
18¾
¾

18¼

PO, A7

B2
Hem Sweep on
¼
¼
17½
17⅞
18¼
¾

18

the Straight

B3
Chest Width 1″
¼
¼
20
20⅜
20¾
⅞

20¼

Below Armhole

B4
Front Width 6″
¼
¼

16

¼

Down From

tapered

HPS

C1
Center Back
¼
¼
30½
31¼
32

31¾

(CB) Length to

Bottom Edge

from Neck

Seam

C2
Length at HPS
¼
¼
30¼
31
31¾

32

to Bottom Edge

at Back

C3
Back Yoke
⅛
⅛
3⅞
3⅞
3⅞

3⅞

Height from

Neck Seam to

Yoke Seam at

CB

C4
Dart Placement
⅛
⅛
6¾
6¾
6¾

from Sideseams

C5
Top of Dart
⅛
⅛
6
6
6

6

Placement from

Side Seam (SS)

C6
Bottom of Dart
⅛
⅛
5
5
5

5½

Placement from

SS

C7
Dart Length
⅛
⅛
13¼
13⅝
14
⅜

14

C8
Dart Depth
⅛
⅛
¼
¼
¼

¼

C9
Distance
⅛
⅛
8¾
8¾
8¾

8½

Between Darts

D2
Back Shoulders
¼
¼
16¾
17¼
17¾

17¼

Width,

Armhole to

Armhole

D3
Back Yoke
¼
¼
16¼
16¾
17¼

16

Length

D4
Back Width 6″
¼
¼

16¾

15¾

Down From

HPS

D5
Back Hem
¼
¼
18
18½
19

19

Sweep

D6
Back Hem
¼
¼
22
22½
23

24

Sweep Extended

S1
Sleeve Length
¼
¼
34½
34½
34½

34½

from CB Neck 3

s//b 33 ½

Point

Measurement

32/33

S1a
Sleeve Length
¼
¼
35½
35½
35½

from CB Neck 3

Point

Measurement

34/35

S2
Sleeve Length
¼
¼
25½
25½
25¼

25¼

from Armhole

S3
Armhole on
¼
¼
9¾
10
10¼

10

Curve

S4
Muscle Width
¼
¼
7⅝
7⅞
8 ⅛

7⅞

1″ Down From

Armhole

S5
Forearm Width
¼
¼
6
6¼
6½

6½

12″ Up From

Sleeve Opening

S6
Cuff Height
⅛
⅛
2½
2⅝
2¾

S7
Cuff Opening
⅛
⅛
4¼
4¼
4¼

Closed

S8
Distance
⅛
⅛
⅝
¾
⅞

Between

Buttons

SL1
Cuff Width
⅛
⅛
10
10
10

Open at Widest

Part

SL2
Cuff Width at
⅛
⅛
8⅛
8¼
8⅜

Bottom Edge

SL3
Cuff Edge
⅛
⅛
¾
⅞
1

Ankle Length

SL4
Buttonhole
⅛
⅛
1⅜
1⅜
1⅜

Placement From

Cuff Seam

SL5
Distance from
⅛
⅛
8½
8½
8½

Center of

Buttonhole to

Center of

Buttonhole

SL6
Distance to First
⅛
⅛
1⅝
1⅝
1⅝

Sleeve Dart

from Edge

SL7
First Sleeve
⅛
⅛
⅝
⅝
⅝

Dart Depth

SL8
Distance to
⅛
⅛
1⅞
1⅞
1⅞

Second Sleeve

Dart

SL9
2^ndSleeve Dart
⅛
⅛
¼
¼
¼

Depth

PL1
Sleeve Placket
⅛
⅛
5⅞
5⅞
5⅞

Length at Side

to Seam

PL2
Sleeve Placket
⅛
⅛
6¼
6¼
6¼

Length at Tip to

Seam

PL3
Sleeve Placket
⅛
⅛
⅞
⅞
⅞

Width

PL4
Doghouse
⅛
⅛
1⅛
1⅛
1⅛

Length at Side

PL5
Doghouse
⅛
⅛
⅝
⅝
⅝

Length on

Angle

PL6
Button
⅛
⅛
2⅜
2⅜
2⅜

Placement from

Cuff

PL7
Ribbon Insert at
⅛
⅛
⅛
⅛
⅛

Cuff

E1
Top Collar
⅛
⅛
15
15
15

14½

Length at Edge

E2
Collar Length at
⅛
⅛
14¾
15¼
15¾

15½

Stand Seam

E3
Collar Height at
⅛
⅛
1 11/16
1 11/16
1 11/16

1 11/16

Center Back

E4
Collar Height at
⅛
⅛
0
0

Edge

F1
Collar Facing
⅛
⅛
1¼
1¼
1¼

Height at Edge

F2
Collar Facing
⅛
⅛
15⅝
15⅝
15⅝

Length Edge to

Edge

F3
Collar Facing
⅛
⅛
8⅜
8⅞
9⅜

Length Along

Stand

F4
Collar Facing
⅛
⅛
2⅕
2⅔
3⅕

Angle Length

F5
Distance from
⅛
⅛
15½
16½
16½

16

Center Button

Hole to Center

Hole

F6
Collar Stand
⅛
⅛
16¼
16¾
17¼

Length

F7
Collar Stand
⅛
⅛
⅕
⅔
1 3/16

Height at Center

F8
Collar Stand
⅛
⅛
¾
¾
¾

Height at Edge

F9
Collar Stand
⅛
⅛
⅞
⅞
⅞

Height at Collar

Edge

F0
Collar Stand
⅛
⅛
11/16
11/16
11/16

Length from

Collar to Edge

G1
Collar Stay
0
0
1½
2
2 ½

Height

G2
Collar Stay
0
0
⅜
⅜
2½

Width

H1
Collar Spread
⅛
⅛
⅜
⅜
⅜

H2
Front Neck
⅛
⅛
4¾
4¾
4¾

Drop from HPS

H3
Back Neck Drop
⅛
⅛
3¾
3⅞
4

from HPS

H4
Tie Space
⅛
⅛
0
0
0

H5
Ribbon Insert at
⅛
⅛
⅛
⅛
⅛

Neck/Stand Set

J1
Front Placket

1
1
1

Width

J2
Face Placket

¾
¾
¾

Width

J3
Hem Height

⅜
⅜
⅜

K1
Distance

2 ½
2½
2½

Between Band

Button to First

Placket Button

K2
Distance

1 1/16
1 1/16
1 1/16

Between

Buttons Center

to Center

K3
Distance from

0
0

Hem to Bottom

Snaps

K4
Distance

Between Snaps

X1
Placement of

1½
1½
1½

Extra Buttons

on Underside of

Button Plackets

TABLE 2

Points of

15.5 34/35 Size Chart Review

Measure

Tolerance
Tolerance

Actual

(POM)
DESCRIPTION
(−)
(+)
Target
Actual
Delta
Revised

Al
Center Front (CF) Length From
¼
¼
32½

Highest Point at Shoulder

(HPS) to Bottom Edge

A2
Neck Width - Seam to Seam
−⅛
⅛
5⅜
6
⅝
5½

(¼″ Grade)

A7
Waist
0
0
16½

Placement from HPS

B1
Waist Width at PO, A7
¼
¼
18¾

B3
Chest Width 1″ Below
¼
¼

Armhole

B4
Front Width 6″ Down From
¼
¼
16

¼

HPS

tapered

C3
Back Yoke Height from Neck
⅛
⅛
3⅞

Seam to Yoke Seam at CB

C9
Distance
⅛
⅛
8¾

8½

Between Darts

D2
Back Shoulders Width,
¼
¼
17¾

17¼

Armhole to Armhole

D3
Back Yoke Length
¼
¼
17 ¼

16

D5
Back Hem Sweep
¼
¼
19

19

D6
Back Hem Sweep Extended
¼
¼
23

24

S1
Sleeve Length from Center
¼
¼

Back (CB) Neck 3 Point

Measurement 32/33

S3
Armhole on Curve
¼
¼
25¼

S4
Muscle Width 1″ Down From
¼
¼
10¼

Armhole

S5
Forearm Width 12″ Up From
¼
¼
8⅛

Sleeve Opening

Ref. FIG.
Gusset Width - To
⅛
⅛
3¼
3¼

3⅜

1F
Edges/Center Stitch

Ref. FIG.
Gusset Length - To
⅛
⅛
11
10⅞
−⅛
11

1F
Edges/Center Stitch

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	14813827	Jul 2015	US
Child	16216563		US

DRESS SHIRT

Information

Publication Number

Date Filed

Date Published

Inventors

Original Assignees

CPC

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Continuation in Parts (1)