Composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations

Abstract

A composite garment includes a skirt, being a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration fitting around the body of a wearer from the waist downward to proximate the knees, and a bodice, being a tubular-shaped piece of material of an hour-glass longitudinal configuration fitting around the body from below the hips upward to the arm pits. Button holes are spaced apart in one of front and back portions of a hem of the skirt. Buttons are spaced apart on the other of front and back portions of the skirt hem so as to allow fitting some buttons through some button holes and thereby closing of the skirt at the hem either between the wearer's legs so as to convert the skirt into either trousers or along the wearer's shoulders and arms so as to convert the skirt into blouse.

Claims

1. A composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations, comprising: a single garment, including a bodice and skirt, that is reconfigurable with the use of buttons to form trousers, skirt, dress and blouse; the skirt being formed by a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration that fits around a body of a wearer downward from proximate the waist to proximate the knees of the wearer, said skirt having a bottom hem with front and back portions; wherein the skirt can also be inverted so the bottom hem is worn at the shoulders as a blouse; the bodice being formed by a tubular-shaped 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; wherein the bodice can be inverted so the upper hem is worn on the thighs and becomes a figure hugging skirt portion; a seam joining said bodice with said skirt; a plurality of button holes formed in a spaced apart relationship from one another in one of said front and back portions of said bottom hem of said skirt; and a plurality of buttons attached in a spaced apart relationship from one another on the other of said front and back portions of said bottom hem of said skirt so as to allow fitting of at least some of said buttons through at least some of said button holes and thereby closing of said skirt at said bottom hem thereof between the legs of the wearer so as to reconfigure and convert said skirt into a pair of trousers of either above or below knee-length; wherein when the skirt is inverted, the buttons can be closed to form the blouse as a two-sleeve blouse, a one-sleeve blouse, a sleeveless blouse, or a halter neck blouse.

2. The composite garment of claim 1 wherein said skirt has a top edge margin and ruffled portions proximate said top edge margin at a middle of a front and a back of the skirt.

3. The composite garment of claim 1 wherein said bodice has a top edge margin and a band of elastic material attached along said top edge margin of said bodice so as to allow stretching and clinging of said bodice about the upper back and across the front bust of the wearer.

4. The composite garment of claim 1 wherein at least top and bottom portions of said tubular-shaped piece of material forming said bodice is elastic so as to allow stretching and clinging of said bodice around regions of the body of the wearer and reconfiguring to wear either above or below the waist of the wearer.

5. The composite garment of claim 1 wherein said bodice has open opposite ends located proximate to and remote from said skirt whose positions are spaced above and below one another and are reconfigured and inverted such that said bodice is configured to be worn in either one of an upright or inverted orientation so as to correspondingly reconfigure said skirt on the wearer to either one of below or above said bodice.

6. The composite garment of claim 1 wherein a front vertical portion of said bodice is smocked in an elasticated manner.

7. The composite garment of claim 6 wherein said smocked front vertical portion of said bodice is wider at a first end than at a second end thereof.

8. A composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations, comprising: a single garment including a reconfigurable upper portion forming a bodice and a reconfigurable lower portion forming a skirt; the bodice being formed by a tubular-shaped piece of material of an hour-glass longitudinal configuration that fits around a body of a wearer upward from proximate the waist to proximate the arm pits of the wearer, at least a portion of said tubular-shaped piece of material forming said bodice being elasticated so as to allow stretching and clinging of said bodice around regions of the body of the wearer above and below the waist of the wearer, wherein the bodice can be inverted so the upper hem is worn on the thighs and is a figure hugging skirt portion; the skirt being formed by a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of the wearer downward from said bodice to below the knees of the wearer, said skirt having a bottom hem with front and back portions, wherein the skirt can also be inverted so the bottom hem is worn at the shoulders as a blouse; a seam joining said bodice with said skirt; a plurality of button holes formed in a spaced apart relationship from one another in one of said front and back portions of said bottom hem of said skirt; and a plurality of buttons attached in a spaced apart relationship from one another on the other of said front and back portions of said bottom hem of said skirt so as to allow fitting of at least some of said buttons through at least some of said button holes and thereby closing of said skirt at said bottom hem thereof between the legs of the wearer so as to reconfigure and convert said skirt into a pair of trousers of below knee-length.

9. The composite garment of claim 8 wherein said skirt has a top edge margin and ruffled portions proximate said top edge margin at a middle of a front and a back of the skirt.

10. The composite garment of claim 8 wherein said bodice has a top edge margin and a band of elastic material attached along said top edge margin of said bodice so as to allow stretching and clinging of said bodice about the lower back and across the mid-section of the wearer.

11. The composite garment of claim 8 wherein at least top and bottom portions of said tubular-shaped piece of material forming said bodice is elastic so as to allow stretching and clinging of said bodice around regions of the body of the wearer and reconfiguring to wear either above or below the waist of the wearer.

12. The composite garment of claim 8 wherein said bodice has open opposite ends located proximate to and remote from said skirt whose positions that are spaced above and below one another are reconfigured and inverted such that said bodice is configured to be worn in either one of an upright or inverted orientation so as to correspondingly reconfigure said skirt on the wearer either below or above the bodice.

13. The composite garment of claim 8 wherein a front vertical portion of said bodice is smocked with an elasticated manner.

14. The composite garment of claim 8 wherein said smocked front vertical portion of said bodice is wider at a first end than at a second end thereof.

15. A composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations, comprising: a single garment including a reconfigurable upper portion forming a bodice and a reconfigurable lower portion forming a skirt; the bodice bring formed by a tubular-shaped piece of material of an hour-glass longitudinal configuration that fits around a body of a wearer downward from above the waist of the wearer to below the hips of the wearer so as to form a skirt portion; the skirt bring formed by a loose piece of material of a bell-shaped longitudinal configuration that fits around the body of the wearer upward from said bodice to proximate the shoulders of the wearer, said skirt having a hem at the shoulders of the wearer with front and back portions; a seam joining said bodice with said skirt; a plurality of button holes formed in a spaced apart relationship from one another in one of said front and back portions of said hem of said skirt; and a plurality of buttons attached in a spaced apart relationship from one another on the other of said front and back portions of said hem of said skirt so as to allow fitting of at least some of said buttons through at least some of said button holes and thereby closing of said skirt along the neck, shoulders and/or arms of the wearer, so as to reconfigure and convert said skirt into a top.

16. The composite garment of claim 15 wherein said bodice has an edge margin and a band of elastic material attached along said edge margin of said bodice so as to allow stretching and clinging of said bodice about the body of the wearer.

17. The composite garment of claim 15 wherein at least top and bottom portions of said tubular-shaped piece of material forming said bodice is elastic so as to allow stretching and clinging of said bodice around regions of the body of the wearer and reconfiguring to wear either above or below the waist of the wearer.

18. The composite garment of claim 15 wherein said bodice has open opposite ends located proximate to and remote from said skirt whose positions that are spaced above and below one another are reconfigured and inverted such that said bodice is configured to be worn in either of an upright or inverted orientation so as to reconfigure said skirt on the wearer to either below or above the bodice.

19. The composite garment of claim 15 wherein a front vertical portion of said bodice is smocked in an elasticated manner.

20. The composite garment of claim 15 wherein said smocked front vertical portion of said bodice is wider at a first end than at a second end thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) 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:

(2) FIGS. 1 and 2 are front and back views respectively of a first embodiment of a composite garment, being presented as a dress.

(3) FIGS. 3 and 4 are front and back views respectively of a second embodiment of the composite garment, being presented as a dress.

(4) FIGS. 5-7 are front, side (or profile) and back views respectively of a third embodiment of the composite garment, being presented as a dress differently proportioned compared to that of the second embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4.

(5) FIGS. 8-10 are front, side (or profile) and back views respectively of a fourth embodiment of the composite garment, being presented as a skirt differently proportioned compared to that of the third embodiment of FIGS. 5-7.

(6) FIGS. 11-13 are front, side (or profile) and back views respectively of a fifth embodiment of the composite garment, being presented as mini-dresses.

(7) FIGS. 14-16 are front, side (or profile) and back views respectively of a sixth embodiment of the composite garment, being presented as tops differently proportioned compared to that of the fifth embodiment of FIGS. 11-13 in combination with tights.

(8) FIGS. 17A-17AZ depict the composite garment wearable in a multitude of outfit variations, such as differing embodiments of dresses, skirts, trousers, tops, ponchos and jumpsuits.

(9) FIGS. 18-20 are enlarged front views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17AI, 17O and 17AM, respectively.

(10) FIGS. 21-23 are enlarged front views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17AY, 17AM and 17AQ, respectively.

(11) FIGS. 24-26 are enlarged front views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17K, 17C and 17E, respectively.

(12) FIGS. 27-29 are enlarged back views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17AB, 17AJ and 17AO, respectively.

(13) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

REFERENCE NUMERALS/PARTS LIST

(14) 100composite garment (FIGS. 1-4) 102skirt of garment 100 102Afront 102Bback 104bodice of garment 100 106front panel 106Afirst end 106Bsecond end 108middle seam between skirt 102 & bodice 104 110hem on skirt 102 110Afront portion 110Bback portion 112button holes in hem 110 114buttons on hem 110 116ruffled portion of skirt 102 118elastic band along top edge margin of bodice 104 200composite garment (FIGS. 5-7) 202skirt of garment 200 202Afront 202Bback 204bodice of garment 200 206front panel 208middle seam between skirt 202 & bodice 204 210hem on skirt 202 212button holes in hem 210 214buttons on hem 210 216ruffled portion of skirt 202 300composite garment (FIGS. 8-16) 302skirt of garment 300 304bodice of garment 300 306front panel 308middle seam between skirt 302 & bodice 304 310hem on skirt 302 312button holes in hem 310 314buttons on hem 310 320pair of tights

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) 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.

(16) 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.

(17) 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.

(18) Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, first and second embodiments of a composite garment, generally designated 100, are presented as dresses but are wearable in a multitude of outfit variations being shown in FIG. 17. The composite garment 100 includes a skirt 102 and a tube or bodice 104. It should be understood that the modern definition of the term bodice is intended in which the term refers to the part of a woman's dress (excluding sleeves) above the waist (see Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, Revised, ISBN 978-0-19-954841-5), with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-4. The coverage of the bodice is extended in length to below the waist in some of the other embodiments. The second embodiment of the composite garment 100 differs from the first embodiment only in that the second embodiment additionally has a panel 106 at a front vertical portion of the bodice 104 that is smocked in an elasticated manner, such as by use of an elasticated thread. The smocked panel 106 may be wider at a first end 106A than at a second end 106B thereof. The bodice 104 may be worn as shown, extending above (or if reversed, below) the skirt 102, or may be worn partially or completely covered by the skirt 102, as in FIGS. 17Y and 17Z. For example, first end 106A may be pulled to the wearer's waist, and then second end 106B may be pulled up and over the first end 106A to the wearer's armpits, so that the second end 106B and top of skirt 102 are now above first end 106A. Similarly, first end 106A may be worn at the wearer's midriff and second end 106B at the wearer's waist with a portion of bodice 104 tucked under second end 106B so that the bodice 104 is partially covered by skirt 102.

(19) 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.

(20) 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.

(21) Referring to FIGS. 5-7 and 8-10, the composite garments 200, 300 of the third and fourth embodiments respectively include skirts 202, 302 and bodices 204, 304, being differently proportioned compared to one another and also to the skirt 102 and bodice 104 composite garment 100 of FIGS. 1-4. These embodiments may be garments produced with different proportions, or may be the same garment as in FIGS. 1-4 with the bodice folded over to create the different proportions/appearance. Like the composite garment 100, the composite garments 200, 300 also have respective front vertical panels 206, 306, middle seams 208, 308, bottom hems 210, 310, button holes 212, 312 and buttons 214, 314. Also, the composite garments 200, 300 are presented as dresses but are wearable in a multitude of outfit variations being shown in FIG. 17.

(22) As seen in FIGS. 1-10, the skirts 102, 202, 302 of the respective garments 100, 200, 300 fit around the wearer's body downward from proximate the waist or the hips to proximate the knees of the wearer. The bodices 104, 204, 304 of the respective garments 100, 200, 300 fit around the wearer's body upward from the proximate the waist or the hips to proximate the arm pits of the wearer. As seen in FIGS. 25 and 19, at least some of the buttons 214, 314 may be fitted through at least some of the button holes 212, 312 so as to close the skirt 202, 302 at its bottom hem 210, 310 between the wearer's legs so as to convert the skirt 202, 302 into a pair of trousers, being of either above or below knee-length.

(23) Also, as shown in FIGS. 1-7, the skirts 102, 202 may have respective endless top edge margins containing respective ruffled portions 116, 216 proximate the middle of the front 102A, 202A and back 102B, 202B of the skirt. Further, as representatively shown in FIGS. 1-4, the bodice 104 of the garment 100 may have an endless top edge margin with a band 118 of elastic material attached, such as by way of example but not limitation being sewn with chain stitch, along the top edge margin so as to fit the bodice 104 about the upper back and across the front bust of the wearer, as shown in the exemplary outfits in FIG. 24-26. The tubular-shaped piece of material forming the bodices 104, 204, 304 may be elastic at least at top and bottom portions so as to allow stretching and clinging of the bodice around regions of the wearer's body above and below the waist of the wearer, as shown in FIGS. 5-10, 25 and 26.

(24) As shown in FIGS. 1-16, the bodices 104, 204, 304 also have open opposite ends located proximate to and remote from the respective skirts 102, 202, 302. The respective positions of the open opposite ends of the bodices, being spaced above and below one another, are reversible such that the respective bodices are configured to be worn in either one of an upright orientation, as shown in FIGS. 1-10, or an inverted orientation, as shown in FIGS. 11-16, so as to place the skirts 102, 202, 302 on the wearer in either one of below or above the bodices 104, 204, 304.

(25) In FIGS. 11-13, the composite garment 300 is worn in the inverted orientation so that its bodice 304 fits around the wearer's body from above the waist downward to below the hips of the wearer and its skirt 302 fits around the wearer's body from the bodice 304 upward to the wearer's shoulders. The hem 310 is now located at the wearer's shoulders with at least some of the buttons 314 fitted through at least some of the button holes 312 so as to thereby close the skirt 302 along the wearer's shoulders and arms so as to convert the bodice 304 and skirt 302 into the combination of a mini-skirt and a top or blouse. In FIGS. 14-16, the composite garment 300 is worn in the same manner as in FIGS. 11-13, except the bodice 304 is further folded to shorten the length of the mini-skirt and now a pair of tights 320 are worn from the wearer's waist under the mini-skirt downward covering the wearer's legs.

(26) In FIGS. 17A-17AZ the above-described embodiments of the composite garments are shown wearable in a multitude of outfit variations, such as differing embodiments of dresses, skirts, trousers, tops, ponchos and jumpsuits. FIGS. 18-29 show respective enlarged front and back views of selected ones of the exemplary outfit variations of the composite garments 200, 300 in FIGS. 17A-17AZ.

(27) FIGS. 18-20 are enlarged front views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17AI, 17O and 17AM, respectively. FIG. 18 shows the garment worn as a dress, with two buttons 314 inserted through button holes 312 on both shoulders and the rest left unbuttoned, creating a head hole between the two buttons and arm holes on either side. FIG. 19 shows the garment worn as a pair of trousers, with four buttons 314 inserted through button holes 312 to close off the bottom opening of the bell-shaped skirt 302 except for leg openings on either side. FIG. 20 shows the garment worn as a shirt, with two sets of adjacent buttons inserted through button holes to create a head hole between the two sets and arm holes to either side. The garment in FIG. 20 may be in a front/back reversed position from FIG. 18, such that the overlaps lines visible in the front near the buttons in FIG. 18 are not visible in FIG. 20.

(28) FIGS. 21-23 are enlarged front views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17AY, 17AM and 17AQ, respectively. FIG. 21 shows the garment worn as a poncho, with one button 314 inserted through a button hole 312 on each side of the opening of the skirt 302 to create arm holes on either side and a central hole between the two buttons 314 for the wearer's hips to pass through. Here, bodice 304 is worn around the neck. FIG. 22 shows the garment worn as a top, similar to in FIG. 18, however here adjacent sets of two buttons 314 on each side are inserted through button holes 312 to create the distinct head and arm holes. FIG. 23 shows the garment worn as a top, where one button 314 is inserted through a button hole 312 behind the wearer's neck, dividing the skirt 302 opening into two portions, a head hole through which the wearer's head extends and a back opening through which the wearer's arms extend and a portion of their back shows. There are no sleeves in this configuration.

(29) FIGS. 24-26 are enlarged front views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17K, 17C and 17E, respectively. FIG. 24 shows the garment worn as a skirt, with bodice 304 around the hips and skirt 302 extending downward therefrom. FIG. 25 shows the garment worn as high waisted short trousers with buttons 214 inserted through button holes to form legs and bodice 204 covering the wearer's waist and torso up to the bust. FIG. 26 shows the garment worn as a dress or jumpsuit, but with trousers instead of a skirt portion, buttons 214 being inserted through button holes to form the leg holes of the trousers and bodice 204 extending up and over the wearer's bust.

(30) FIGS. 27-29 are enlarged back views of exemplary outfit variations of the composite garment as shown in FIGS. 17AB, 17AJ and 17AO, respectively. FIG. 27 shows the garment worn as a mini-dress, with bodice 304 fitted over the wearer's hips and two sets of adjacent buttons 314 inserted through button holes 312 to form central head opening and side sleeves. FIG. 28 shows the garment worn as a mini-dress, with bodice 304 fitted over the wearer's hips and a button 314 inserted through a button hole 312 behind the wearer's neck to form a head hole and back opening through which the wearer's arms extend. FIG. 29 shows the garment worn as a dress, with bodice 304 fitted over the wearer's hips and a button 314 inserted through a button hole 312 behind the wearer's back to form a top opening through which the wearer's head and shoulders extend and back opening through which the wearer's back is partially exposed.

(31) 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.

(32) 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.