GB2419801A

GB2419801A - Clothing accessory

Info

Publication number: GB2419801A
Application number: GB0424466A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leena Wilkinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-05
Filing date: 2004-11-05
Publication date: 2006-05-10
Also published as: GB0424466D0

Abstract

A decorative element 30 is releasably attachable to a clothing strap, e.g. of a brassiere. The element may comprise a plurality of interconnected shell-like components 32 and may be attached to the strap by a member 38.

Description

Clothing Accessory The present invention relates to a clothing accessory

and in particular but not exclusively to a clothing accessory to be attached to straps on clothing.

Straps on clothing have a fundamental requirement, that is to ensure that the clothing remains in position on the body of a person wearing that clothing.

Consequently, such straps often have a basic and sometimes functional appearance, for example straps for bras (brassieres) consist of a strap of elasticated material which may be decorated by a textile such as lace, but on the whole, has a functional appearance.

Also, during wear, such straps may become visible due to slipping out from under outer clothing, which may not be desirable as this detracts from an individuals overall aesthetic appearance.

Decorations for underwear garments are known, for example US 6086451 discusses a decorative bra strap that can be fastened to the main body of a bra. The bra strap is itself a decorated element comprising a series of links. Elasticated tabs at the ends of the links allow for a degree of movement of the strap according to

movement of the wearer. However, in this prior art

arrangement, there is the disadvantage that the bra strap that is appropriate for the wearer is completely replaced which is often not desirable. A bra strap that forms part of a bra is important for comfort of the wearer, for example a larger busted wearer would need a thicker bra strap for comfort. Therefore, by completely replacing a bra strap that is most appropriate for the wearer, increases the risk of discomfort to the wearer.

The current invention seeks to overcome the problems associated with the prior art by providing a clothing accessory that can be readily attached to a clothing strap so providing not only an enhanced appearance of the clothing but also retaining comfort for the wearer.

According to the present invention, there is provided a clothing accessory for a strap for clothing, said accessory comprising a decorative element secured to attachment means that allows for releasable securing of the decorative element to the strap, wherein said attachment means comprises at least one strap engagement member that enables the decorative element to be secured to the strap such that the decorative element lies over at least a portion of a length of the strap to which it is secured.

Preferably, the strap for clothing is a strap for underwear such as a brassiere. However, it is envisaged that the invention may be used with other types of clothing straps, for example bikini straps, dress straps or even straps secured to outer clothing e.g. braces.

It is envisaged that the decorative element comprises a series of interlinked elements providing, in effect, an elongate length or chain of decorative elements. The elements may be for example interlinked pieces of jewellery or a combination of jewellery and decorative textile or fabric and such an arrangement could form a corsage. It is preferred that individual members of the elongate length of elements can move one relative to another to allow for flexing of the strap.

In a preferred arrangement, the attachment means comprises a series of engagement members attached to a length of decorative element. The number of engagement members can be varied but in general, the longer the length of the strap, the more engagement members there are. This allows for the decorative element to be adequately and evenly secured to the strap so the decorative element substantially covers the length of the strap to which it is attached. If there are too few engagement members, then the decorative element could fall away from the strap, leaving it exposed, which is not desirable.

Preferably, the or each engagement member comprises at least one hook for securing to the strap and a loop through which the strap passes. The combination of a hook and loop arrangement allows for a secure attachment of the decorative element to the strap as well as an anti-twist feature so that the element remains seated on the front of the strap.

In a preferred arrangement, the engagement member has two hook elements on either side of the loop through which the strap passes. Such an arrangement evens out the forces transmitted to the decorative elements as the wearer moves and so keeps the decorative element lying close to the surface of the strap which keeps the whole arrangement having a neat appearance, while maintaining optimum comfort for the wearer.

Preferab],y, the engagement member is made from or includes areas of flexible material which allows the engagement member to expand and contract with movement of the wearer. This feature adds a further comfort providing element for the wearer by allowing the accessory to move in accordance with the movement of the person wearing the accessory.

Although the accessory is suited to attachment to an existing clothing strap, it may be used to replace a clothing strap, for example if it has become dirty or damaged.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided attachment means formed of an engagement member as described to enable the accessory to be attached to a strap for clothing.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the accessory can be provided as a kit of parts which is formed of a plurality of decorative elements that can be mixed and matched so a wearer can adapt the accessory to whatever clothing he or she wishes to wear.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided clothing including an accessory as described.

In particular, the clothing is an undergarment such as a bra or bodice.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures in which: Figure 1: shows a brassiere having a clothing accessory according to an embodiment of the invention in situ; Figure 2: shows a front view of a clothing accessory according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3: shows a rear view of the accessory of Figure 2; Figure 4: shows an engagement member according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 5: shows an alternate engagement member; Figure 6: shows a front view of a single decorative element according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 7: shows a rear view of the element of Figure 6; Figure 8: shows a schematic view of the extent that a decorative element can lie along a strap according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 9: shows an alternate view, where the decorative element extends to approximately 50% of the length of the strap; and Figure 10: shows a decorative element secured to a separate length of strap that is free of any decoration.

As shown in Figure 1, a brassiere comprises a pair of cups 12, 14 secured to side straps 16, 18 which pass around the body of a wearer. The side straps lead to rear portions 25, 26 which pass around the back of the wearer. Bra straps 20, 22, which pass over the wearer's shoulders are secured to the main body of the bra at points 24, 28 on the upper edges of the bra cups. The bra cups have a loop at their upper edges where a hooked engagement member 36 is attached to an end of the bra strap and can be inserted to secure the strap to the body. A second hook 36 is attached to the other end of the bra and can hook into loop 29 on the upper edge 29 of the rear portion 25 of the bra. The bra strap can be said to have front portion A, which is visible at the front of the wearer's body and a rear portion B, visible at the rear of the wearer's body.

An accessory for the bra 30 is shown to be attached to the right hand bra strap (when the bra is in situ).

The accessory lies along the front visible part of the strap 20 and is formed of a series of shell like elements joined lengthwise one to another. Although shells are used for this decorative element, any shaped elements can be used or even a combination of elements.

The elements are more clearly shown in Figure 2.

Each shell 32 has a main body which fans out to form an extended region 31 and a recess 46, which allows a portion of an adjacent shell element to sit under the recess. This allows for a flat and even appearance of the elements. The shells each have an outer edge.

Figure 3, shows a rear view of the decorative element 30 of Figure 2. The main body of each shell 32 when in place sits over a strap 34. At either end of the strap, there are end portions 42 of the strap which are secured to engagement members 36. The engagement members at the end of the strap are formed of a square shaped hook 40 which extends from a rectangular loop. The loop is either a closed loop or a closeable loop to allow the engagement member to be secured or releasably secured to the strap. Also shown is a further engagement member 38, which is positioned between the two outer engagement members on the strap. This inner engagement member comprises two hooks either side of a loop. The strap passes through a hook, then through the loop and out through the second hook. This third engagement member enables the length of decorative element 30 to be held against the strap, so maintaining coverage of the strap which is hidden behind the decorative element.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of an end engagement member 36. The end hook 40 extends to a closed loop 42.

There is an extension from the closed loop which extends towards the hook 40 and this extension, together with the hooks helps to prevent the strap from slipping sideways from the hook.

As shown in Figure 5, a central engagement member 44 has a similar arrangement to that of the end engagement member 36 of Figure 4 except that there is a central loop 38 which has hooks 40 on either side of the loop.

Figure 6 shows an enlarged view of a decorative element 32, provided in the form of a shell. The shell has an aperture 48, which can receive joining members to attach a series of elements to one another. On its rear surface, the element 32, has a recess 46. The recess 46 allows one element to be partially positioned over an adjacent element so that a length of elongate decorative elements has an even appearance because at least a portion of one element can nest in a portion of an adjacent element.

Figure 7 shows an engagement member 44, as shown in Figure 5, attached to the rear of a "shell" type decorative element 30. The central loop 44 is positioned substantially in the central region of the element 30 so that the main body of the element 32 slides the engagement member when the accessory is in position. The engagement member is shown from the rear but the front of the engagement member may include a releasable securing means such as a press stud or Velcro which can receive a corresponding element that is secured to a decorative element. By having means to releasably secure or release a decorative element from the engagement member, different decorative elements can be attached to a strap as required.

Figures 8 to 10 show that different lengths of accessory can be used as required. As shown in Figure 8, the accessory can extend and cover the whole length of a strap 22. Alternatively, the accessory can extend a proportion, for example 50% of the length of the strap.

Such an arrangement would be more appropriate when only a portion of a strap could become visible, it also allows for the strap to be free to extend and contract as normal in the region where there is no accessory. However, this is not strictly necessary as the accessory of the invention is designed to allow for movement while still remaining in position.

Finally, as shown in Figure 10, a strap 34 with a decorative element may be secured by a hooked engagement member 36 to an adjacent strap 22. Both straps 34, 22 have end loops 27, 23 into which each loop of the engagement member 36 can be inserted. This arrangement allows for the fixing of a series of straps, with or without decorative accessories to one another, so that the strap can be adjusted in length for different uses, for example a longer strap may be needed for a bra that is used with a backless dress.

The aforementioned description is for illustrative

purposes only. Modifications and changes to the invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents can be considered to fall within the scope of the invention. Further, the invention covers not only individual aspects as described but also combinations of the aspects mentioned.

Claims

Claims 1. A clothing accessory for a strap for clothing, said accessory

comprising a decorative element secured to attachment means that allows for releasable securing of the decorative element to the strap, wherein said attachment means comprises at least one strap engagement member that enables the decorative element to be secured to the strap such that the decorative element lies over at least a portion of a length of the strap to which it is secured.
2. A clothing accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the decorative element comprises a series of interlinked elements providing an elongate length or chain of decorative elements.
3. A clothing accessory according to claim 2, wherein the interlinked elements are linked pieces of jewellery.
4. A clothing accessory according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the interlinked elements comprise a combination of jewellery and decorative textile or fabric.
5. A clothing accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the elongate length of elements can move one relative to another to allow for flexing of the strap to which they are attached.
6. A clothing accessory according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment means comprises a series of engagement members attached to a length of decorative elements.
7. A clothing accessory according to claim 6, wherein the engagement member comprises at least one hook for securing around the strap and a loop through which the strap passes.
8. A clothing accessory according to claim 7, wherein there are two hook elements on either side of the ioop thereby evening out the forces transmitted to the decorative elements as the wearer moves.
9. A clothing accessory according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the engagement member is made from or includes areas of flexible material which allows the engagement member to expand and contract with movement of the strap caused by movement of the wearer.
10. A clothing accessory according to any preceding claim arranged to replace an existing clothing strap.
11. A clothing accessory according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the clothing strap is selected from a strap for underwear, a strap for a bikini or a strap on a dress.
12. Attachment means formed of one or more engagement members as described in claims 6 to 9 for attaching a decorative element to a clothing strap.
13. Attachment means according to claim 12, wherein the engagement member includes a front portion of the loop which passes over the front of the clothing strap and which has a releasable securing member so that a decorative element can be releasably secured to the engagement member.
14. Attachment means according to claim 13, wherein the releasable securing member is a press stud or Velcro arranged to receive corresponding elements of a securing member attached to a decorative element.
15. A clothing accessory according to any preceding claim provided as a kit of parts including a plurality of decorative elements that can be selectively secured to a strap on clothing so a wearer can adapt the accessory to whatever clothing he or she wishes to wear.
16. An item of clothing including an accessory according to any preceding claim.
17. A clothing accessory as substantially described herein, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures.