GB2410674A

GB2410674A - Wearing apparel kit

Info

Publication number: GB2410674A
Application number: GB0402490A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Erica Caroline Pollard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-04
Filing date: 2004-02-04
Publication date: 2005-08-10
Also published as: GB0402490D0

Abstract

The kit comprises a major wearing apparel part and a number of separate distinguishable minor apparel parts. Releasable co-operating point contact retaining means are provided on the major apparel part and on each of the minor apparel parts. This enables a selected minor apparel part from the kit to be replaceably detachably retained on the major apparel part. The kit forms the basis of a fashion concept, especially for children's clothes.

Description

24 1 0674 - 1

WEARING APPAREL KIT

Field of the invention

This invention relates to a wearing apparel kit, particularly but not exclusively to a garment kit which can form the basis of a fashion concept, especially for childrens clothes.

Background of the invention

Children are becoming increasingly fashion conscious and like their clothes to have an individual style. At the same time, fewer parents make clothes for their children, so that most clothes are purchased through chain stores, such stores selling numerous copies of identical items.

There is therefore a need to provide children's clothes, and for that matter wearing apparel of any type, which can readily be individually styled according to the wearers wishes.

By the present invention, this objective can be achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a wearing apparel kit comprising a major wearing apparel part and a number of separate minor apparel parts, at least some of which are distinguishable from each other, releasable co operating point contact retaining means being provided on the major apparel part and on each of the minor apparel parts to enable a selected minor apparel part from the kit to be replaceable detachably retained on the major apparel part.

The Applicant is aware that garments are known which have detachable parts such as jackets with removable linings, and coats with removable hoods. Generally, such removable parts - 2 - are secured by zippers or by hook-and-loop pads e.g. Velcro (Trade Mark). Where more than one removable part is provided, as in the historical case of shirts with removable collars, each of the collars was identical, the objective having been to enable the shirt to be worn for a number of days, a clean collar being attached each day.

The present invention differs from such arrangements in that point contact retaining means are used to secure the minor apparel part to the major apparel part and also in that the separate minor apparel parts are distinguishable from each other.

Preferably, the releasable point contact retaining means are pop-stud devices (otherwise known as press-stud fixers), although the use of button/button hole arrangements is also possible. Where pop-stud devices are used, the stud parts of the pop-stud devices are preferably carried on the minor apparel parts and stud-retaining popper parts of the pop stud devices are carried on the major apparel part. The pop-stud devices can be formed of metal, or more preferably of a plastics material.

Ideally, each minor apparel part carries at least two of the releasable co-operating point contact retaining means, spaced from each other, the spacing corresponding to the spacing of at least two of the releasable cooperating point contact retaining means carried on the major wearing apparel part. Such an arrangement enables the flexibility of using one set of retaining means for one minor apparel part, but another overlapping set of retaining means if a different minor apparel part is used, e.g. having a different size or function.

The minor apparel parts may be distinguishable from each other by size, shape, colour, pattern, ornament, fabric - 3 type, fabric weight and/or function.

Examples of minor apparel parts include a pocket, mobile phone holder, sun glasses holder, sculptured flexible bag, yoke, belt, tie, belt loop, hood, sleeve, trouser leg, collar, cuff, extension piece, such as a shirt, skirt or trouser extension piece, fill-in piece, waist band, ruffle, flounce, or non-functional decoration, such as a badge or hanging decoration.

Preferably, the kit further comprises at least one cover member, cooperating point contact retaining means being provided on the cover member to enable the cover member to be replaceably detachably retained on the major apparel part in place of a selected minor apparel part thereby to obscure the retaining means.

In a preferred embodiment, the selected minor apparel part retained on the major apparel part is visible when the wearing apparel is worn.

The retaining means can be located on an outside face or on an inside face of the major apparel part.

When the retaining means are located adjacent an edge of the major apparel part that edge is preferably reinforced, e.g. with bias binding.

Preferably, the kit further comprises a container such as a bag and/or box within which the minor apparel parts can be stored. The container is preferably coordinated, i.e. it shares colour and/or pattern characteristics with the main apparel part. When the container is a bag, it may be adapted to hang from the same hanger as the major apparel part, giving advantages in the display of the kit in stores and in the storage of the kit in, for example, the wardrobe - 4 of a user. Where both a bag and a box are included in the kit as containers, the bag may be used to store larger and/or flexible items such as fabric parts, with the box being used for smaller and/or more rigid items.

The apparel may be selected from a garment, shoe or hat. The apparel parts may be formed of any suitable material, such as woven and non-woven natural or synthetic materials, including cotton, wool, leather, nylon, polyesters, polyacrylics and the like.

The invention will now be further described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatical drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of an apparel kit according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the construction of a pop-stud device for use in the apparel kit according to the invention; Figures 3, 4 and 5 show three options respectively for assembling the kit shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of an apparel kit according to the invention; Figures 7 and 8 show two options respectively for assembling the kit shown in Figure 6; and Figure 9 shows the construction of an embodiment of a cover member forming part of the kit shown in Figure 6.

The wearing apparel kit shown in Figure 1 includes a major wearing apparel part in the form of a green child's short skirt 10 and a number of separate distinguishable minor - 5 apparel parts including two yellow belt hoops 12 (shown from the rear), a red pocket 14, a blue pocket 15 (both also shown from the rear) and a purple skirt extension piece 16.

The releasable co-operating point contact retaining means used in this embodiment are pop-stud devices, one of which is shown in Figure 2. This device is of two parts, a stud part 18 and a stud-retaining part 20. The stud part 18 has a circular base 22 from the centre of which a stud 24 upstands. Sewing holes 26 are provided in the circular base 22 to enable the stud part to be sewed to a minor apparel part of the kit. The stud-retaining part 20 of the device shown in Figure 2 has a square base 28 in the centre of which a stud-retaining aperture 30 is provided. Sewing holes 32 are provided in the square base 28 to enable the studretaining part to be sewn to the major wearing apparel part.

Although not shown in the drawings, in known manner the stud 24 and the stud-retaining aperture 30 are so shaped that when the stud is inserted in the aperture with a pressing motion the stud is retained therein, but can be released therefrom by pulling the parts of the stud device apart.

The short skirt 10 is provided with a number of stud retaining parts of pop-stud devices, namely four such items 34, 36, 38 and 40 sewn to the outside face of the skirt adjacent a waist band 42 and ten such items sewn to the inside face of the skirt, adjacent its lower edge 54, of which 44, 46, 48 50 and 52 only have been shown in Figure 1 in outline to indicate their position. The lower edge 54 of the short skirt 10 is reinforced with bias binding 56.

Each belt hoop 12 has sewn to the back thereof the stud parts 58, 60 and 59, 61 respectively of two pop-stud devices. The belt hoops are identical to each other. - 6 -

The red pocket 14 has sewn to the back thereof the stud parts 62, 64, 66 and 68 of four pop-stud devices. The blue pocket 15 has sewn to the back thereof the stud parts 82, 84, 86 and 88 of four pop-stud devices. The two pockets are of the same shape.

The skirt extension piece is provided with stud parts of ten pop-stud devices, sewn to the outside face adjacent a bias binding upper edge 70 thereof, only parts 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80 being shown in Figure 1.

The kit can be assembled in a number of ways according to the choice of the user.

In the option shown in Figure 3, the belt hoops 12 have been used, by connecting the stud parts 58, 60 on the back of the belt hoops with the stud-retaining parts 34, 36, 38 and 40 sewn on the front face of the skirt 10.

In the option shown in Figure 4, the red pocket 14 has been used, by connecting the stud parts 62, 64, 66 and 68 on the back of the red pocket with the stud-retaining parts 34, 36, 38 and 40 sewn on the front face of the skirt 10.

In the option shown in Figure 5, the blue pocket 15 has been used, by connecting the stud parts 82, 84, 86 and 88 on the back of the blue pocket with the stud-retaining parts 34, 36, 38 and 40 sewn on the front face of the skirt 10. Also in this option, the purple skirt extension piece 16 has been used, by connecting the stud parts 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80 on the front face of the skirt extension with the stud retaining parts 44, 46, 48 50 and 52 sewn on the back face of the skirt 10, thereby turning the short skirt into a long skirt.

In all the options the selected minor apparel part, i.e the - 7 belt hoops 12, the pocket 14 or pocket 15 and the extension piece 16 are visible when the wearing apparel is worn.

The wearing apparel kit shown in Figure 6 includes a major wearing apparel part in the form of trousers 100. Four stud-retaining parts 106, 107, 108 and 109 of pop-stud devices are sewn to the outside face of the trousers adjacent a waist band 104. The lower part of the legs of the trousers are provided with slits 102. Three stud retaining parts 110, 112 and 114 of pop-stud devices, are sewn to the inside face of the trousers, adjacent the slits 102.

In this embodiment the kit includes a number of separate distinguishable minor apparel parts including a pocket 116 (shown from the rear) two fill-in pieces 136 carrying a feather-like decoration, and a number of cover members also (shown from the rear) including simple four cover members 118, 120, 122 and 124, two cover members 126 and 128 carrying handing beaded decorations and two cover members and 132 having a decorative chain 134 suspended between them. As shown in Figure 9 a simple cover member comprises a glass or plastics material hemispherical bead 160, having the stud portion of a pop-stud device, secured thereto with adhesive.

The kit also includes a box 162 within which the pocket 116, fill-in pieces 136 and cover members can be stored. In Figure 6 the box 162 is shown in reduced scale. The box is colour coordinated with the trousers 100.

The pocket 116 has stud parts 150, 152, 154, 156 of pop-stud devices sewn to the back face thereof. The fill-in pieces 136 carry three stud parts 138, 140 and 142 of pop-stud devices. 8

In the option shown in Figure 7, the pocket 116 has been used, by connecting the stud parts 150, 152, 154 and 156 on the back thereof with the stud-retaining parts 106, 107, 108 and 109 sewn on the front face of the trousers 10.

Also in this option, the decorative fill-in pieces 136 have been used, by connecting the stud parts 138, 140 and 142 sewn thereon with the studretaining parts 110, 112 and 114 sewn on the back face of the trousers 10.

In the option shown in Figure 8, the decorative cover members 126 and 128 have been used, by connecting the stud parts on the back thereof to the stud-retaining parts 108 and 109. Also in this option the cover members 130 and 132, having the chain 134 suspended between them are used, by connecting the stud parts on the back thereof to the stud retaining parts 106 and 107. The cover members in this option, as well as being decorative, serve to obscure the stud-retaining parts of the pop-stud devices.

In all the options of this second embodiment, the selected minor apparel part, i.e pocket 116, fill-in pieces 136 and cover members 126 to 132 are visible when the wearing apparel is worn.

Claims

1. A wearing apparel kit comprising a major wearing apparel part and a number of separate minor apparel parts, at least some of which are distinguishable from each other, releasable co-operating point contact retaining means being provided on the major apparel part and on each of the minor apparel parts to enable a selected minor apparel part from the kit to be replaceably detachably retained on the major apparel part.

2. A wearing apparel kit according to claim 1, wherein each minor apparel part carries at least two of the releasable co-operating point contact retaining means, spaced from each other, the spacing corresponding to the spacing of at least two of the releasable co-operating point contact retaining means carried on the major wearing apparel part.

3. A wearing apparel kit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the minor apparel parts are distinguishable from each other by size, shape, colour, pattern, ornament, fabric type, fabric weight and/or function.

4. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein each minor apparel part is selected from a pocket, yoke, belt, tie, belt loop, hood, sleeve, trouser leg, collar, cuff, extension piece, fill-in piece, waist band, ruffle, flounce, non-functional decoration. -

5. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one cover member, co operating point contact retaining means being provided on the cover member to enable the cover member to be replaceably detachably retained on the major apparel part in place of a selected minor apparel part thereby to obscure the retaining means.

6. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the selected minor apparel part retained on the major apparel part is visible when the wearing apparel is worn.

7. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the releasable point contact retaining means are pop-stud devices.

8. A wearing apparel kit according to claim 7, wherein the stud parts of the pop-stud devices are carried on the minor apparel parts and studretaining popper parts of the pop-stud devices are carried on the major apparel part.

9. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means are located on an outside face of the major apparel part. c

10. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means are located on an inside face of the major apparel part.

11. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining means are located adjacent an edge of the major apparel part and that edge is reinforced. - 11

12. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the kit further comprises a container within which the minor apparel parts can be stored.

13. A wearing apparel kit according to claim 12, wherein the container shares colour and/or pattern characteristics with the main apparel part.

14. A wearing apparel kit according to any preceding claim, wherein the apparel is selected from a garment, shoe or hat.