AU2005200779B2 - Sarong Garments - Google Patents

Description

SARONG GARMENTS Field of the Invention The invention pertains to garments and more particularly to sarongs and sarong like garments. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this 5 particular field of use. Background of the Invention Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field. 10 A sarong is a garment consisting of a long piece of cloth wrapped around the body and often tucked at the waist or under the armpits. Garments of this type are traditionally worn in South East Asia and are also worn by western women. Sarong and sarong-like garments are of ever increasing popularity in the west. Sarongs are frequently worn at the beach and are gaining in popularity as a conventional, casual 15 style of dress. In many instances sarongs are designed to be worn over a swimsuit providing a woman with stylish coverage, protection from the sun and from cool weather. Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the 20 disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a sarong-like body wrap garment that is generally symmetrical on a central vertical axis between a left side and a right side. The garment has an upper portion and a lower portion. The two portions are separated by a narrowing waist. The upper portion extends outward to a 25 pair of upper ties. The lower portion extends outward to a pair of lower ties. The upper ties are adapted to be knotted in front of and around a chest of a user. The lower ties are adapted to be knotted in front of and adjacent to the hips of the user. The lower portion extends below the lower ties in an area defined by a lower longitudinal hem. 1 Brief Description of the Drawin2 Figures A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a first garment according to the teachings of the 5 present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the garment depicted in Figure 1, as worn; Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the garment depicted in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a top plan view of a second garment according to the teachings 10 of the present invention; Figure 5 is a front perspective view the garment depicted in Figure 4, as worn; Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the garment depicted in Figures 4 and 5; 15 Figure 7 is a front elevation of a third garment in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; Figure 8 is a front perspective view of the garment depicted in Figure 7, as worn; and Figure 9 is a rear perspective of the garments depicted in Figures 7 and 8. 20 Best Mode and Other Embodiments of the Invention As shown in Figure 1, an innovative sarong-like garment or body wrap comprises a flat textile 11 that is generally symmetrical about an imaginary centre line 12. The textile 11 includes a peripheral edge or hem 13 which may be finished in any one of a 25 number of ways. Typically, such a garment would include a double-turned hem and may also include a variety of finishing techniques such as the "lettuce leaf' edge finishing. No particular finish is deemed essential. The garment generally comprises an upper portion 14 and a lower portion 15. As suggested in Figures 1 and 2, the upper portion 14 is subdivided from the lower 30 portion 15 by a narrowing or defined waist 16. In preferred embodiments the waist 16 2 comes to an inverted point as shown in Figure 1. The upper portion includes an upper longitudinal hem 17 that preferably blends into the waist portion 16. The upper longitudinal hem flares outward to an upper tie 18. The lower portion 15 includes a lower longitudinal hem 19. The lower longitudinal 5 hem 19 blends into the lower terminal hem 20 and flares outwardly to the lower tie 21. Note that the tip-to-tip width between the two lower ties 21 is longer than the tip-to-tip width of the two upper ties 18. In preferred embodiments the lower ties 21 are only slightly longer than the upper ties 18. The ties 18, 21 may also be equal in length. Also note that the width between the lower longitudinal ends 19 is somewhat 10 wider than the width between the upper longitudinal hems 17. Also note that each of the ties 18, 21 taper from a pointed tip 22 to a maximum width toward the centre line 12, each one blending smoothly along its underside toward its adjacent longitudinal seam 17, 19. In preferred embodiments, the waist 16 occurs approximately two thirds of the way up 15 the garment. Optional shoulder straps may be provided. As shown in Figure 2, the garment 10 depicted in Figure 1 is worn under the armpits and tied in the front. The upper ties 18 are knotted around the chest of the user and the lower ties 21 are knotted at, or just above, the hips. Similarly, the upper ties 18 are knotted around the chest of the user and the lower ties 21 are knotted at or just below 20 the waist. It will also be observed that the garment depicted in Figures 1-3 can be worn in a variety of ways. For example, the top tie can be brought up and knotted behind the neck to create a halter-neck style. The bottom section of the sarong can be pulled up to the underarms making it a shorter sarong, optionally, the top piece can be worn as a 25 shawl to cover the shoulders. An alternate embodiment of the invention is depicted in Figures 4-6. As shown in Figure 4, the second embodiment comprises six distinct pieces of cloth that are joined together. A lower section or skirt 40 is joined to a pair of wing ties 41 by first and second transverse seams 42. A third transverse seam 43 joins the lower portion 40 to 30 a centre section 44 which is located between the ties 41 which is joined to each of them by a longitudinal seam 45. A pair of optional shoulder straps 46 connects the centre section 44 to each of the wing ties 41. In preferred embodiments, the shoulder straps are spaced apart where they join the top hem of the centre portion 44. It would be appreciated that the garment depicted in Figures 4-6 can be worn in a variety of ways. Figure 5 depicts the garment worn with the shoulder straps 46 in 5 place and with the ties 41 knotted in the front of the body and extending down toward or past the waist of the wearer. It will be appreciated that the shoulder straps can be opened out to create a cap-sleeve effect over the shoulders. These shoulder straps can also be tucked inside, out of sight, and the front tie can be tied around the neck to create a halter-neck style. It will also be appreciated that shoulder straps of this type 10 may be incorporated into the garment depicted in Figures 1-3. A third embodiment of the invention is depicted in Figures 7-9. As shown in Figure 7, the garment 70 comprises a generally symmetrical plan. Each side includes a sleeve 71 preferably having a flared or enlarged sleeve opening 72. The neck hem 73 extends smoothly toward a central tie 74 that includes, in this example, a 15 raked terminal end 75. Both the right side of the garment 76 and the left side of the garment 77 include a tie similar to item 74. In some embodiments one or both sides of the garment are equipped with a vertical slot 78 through which a tie 74 is capable of passing through. The slot may pass through a side seam, for example extending from the waist upward. In preferred embodiments the bottom hem 80 blends 20 smoothly upward toward the tie portion 74. As shown in Figure 8, the garment can be worn by knotting the ties 74 together in front of the wearer. Note that the optional flared sleeves 72 are knotted 81 to portions of the sleeve opening as shown in Figure 8. It will be appreciated that numerous modifications are contemplated to the basic 25 designs disclosed above. In particular, the finished treatment of the edges may be provided by a variety of convention fashions including plain straight-stitched, over locked, ruffled, tasseled, fringed, lettuce leaf etc. In addition sleeves can be provided in a variety of lengths, with or without added cuffs and fuller than those indicated if required. The precise length of the ties is not considered essential to the invention. 30 The designs depicted herein are also capable of execution in a wide variety of fabrics including sheer, opaque, knits and wovens. If required, a shorter skirt layer can be added to any of the above designs to create added interest or opacity when sheer 4 fabrics are used. In any embodiment shoulder straps may be provided as shown or as thinner "spaghetti" style or transparent straps. Accordingly, particular details of design provided above should be considered as examples and not a limitation to the scope or spirit of the invention. 5 5

Claims (9)

1. A sarong-like body wrap garment that is generally symmetric along a central 5 vertical axis between a left side and a right side, comprising: an upper portion and a lower portion, the two portions separated by a narrowing waist, wherein: the upper portion extends outward to a pair of upper ties; the lower portion extends outward to a pair of lower ties; 10 the upper ties adapted to be knotted in front of and around a chest of a user; and the lower ties adapted to be knotted in front of and adjacent to the hips of the user, whereby, the lower portion extends below the lower ties in an area defined by a lower longitudinal hem. 15

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein: the upper ties taper to a tip, the lower ties taper to a tip, and the length from the vertical axis to the lower tie tip is longer than a length from the vertical axis to the upper tie tip. 20

3. The garment of either of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: the waist occurs approximately two-thirds of a distance from a bottom edge to a top edge. 25

4. The garment of any one of claims I to 3, wherein: the waist comes to an inverted point.

5. The garment of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: the length of the upper ties also allows them to be tied around the neck of the 30 person wearing the garment, forming a halter. 6

6. The garment of any one of claims to 5, wherein: the length of the lower ties also allows them to be tied around the chest of the person wearing the garment, forming a short dress where the upper portion forms a shawl for covering the shoulders. 5

7. The garment of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: the upper ties blend smoothly into the narrowing waist.

8. The garment of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: 10 straps are attached to a top hem.

9. A sarong-like body wrap garment substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 7