GB2461603A

GB2461603A - Bra with a cleavage concealing modesty panel

Info

Publication number: GB2461603A
Application number: GB0812633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yvette Hannah Herman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-07-10
Filing date: 2008-07-10
Publication date: 2010-01-13
Also published as: GB0812633D0

Abstract

A cleavage concealing modesty panel 30 is releasably secured to the cups 12 of a bra 10. The bra 10 has is described having two support cups 12 and means 14, 16 for holding the cups against the body of the wearer. The panel is attached by releasable fastenings such as hook and loop tape 20, 34, and poppers 18, 32. The device may be attached to any undergarment that has bust supporting cups, such as a bustier.

Description

Improvements in Ladies' Underwear

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to ladies' underwear and in particular to a brassiere, herein after referred to as a bra and to an undergarment for covering the bust cleavage of its wearer.

Background of the invention

Today's fashions are often too low necked and revealing for women with a larger than average bust. Hitherto there have been three main ways of dealing with this problem:- * To lift the shoulder seams which, while improving the situation, can spoil the shape and fit of the garment, * To wear a camisole under the garment, which can spoil the outline of the outfit and adds an extra pair of straps to an already overburdened pair of shoulders, or * To attach a permanent or removable insert to the garment which will solve the problem for each individual item of clothing. This would need to be done by an experience seamstress who could source suitable matching fabric.

Summary of the invention

With a view to mitigating this problem, the present invention provides in accordance with a first aspect a bra having two support cups and means for holding the cups against the body of the wearer, characterised by a cleavage concealing modesty panel releasably secured to the cups of the bra.

Instead of using a separate garment, the present invention proposes securing to the cups of the bra a panel that overlies and conceals the cleavage of the wearer. The panel is releasably held in place, such as by means of poppers or hook and loop tape so that it can be detached simply when it is no longer required.

The invention can be implemented in a bra dedicated to receive a modesty panel or by modifying an existing bra to provide suitable means of attachment for a modesty panel.

Thus, in accordance with a second aspect, the invention provides an undergarment for ladies, comprising a modesty panel to overlie the bust cleavage of the wearer, which panel, when in use, does not encircle the body of the wearer and is instead provided with fastening means to enable it to be releasably secured to the cups of a bra.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure shows a bra with a separable modesty panel.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

The bra 10 in the drawing is generally conventional, having cups 12 which are held on the body of the wearer by a back strap 14 and two shoulder straps 16. The invention can equally be applied to bras without shoulder straps and even to backless bras where the cups are adhered to the wearer.

The term "bra" as used herein is intended to include any undergarment that has bust supporting cups and means for holding them in place and would, for example, include a bustier.

If a bra is designed for use with a plunging neckline it may reveal too much cleavage to allow it to be worn in certain circumstances. In the invention, a modesty panel 30 is releasably secured to the cups 12 of the bra 10 to cover the V-shaped gap between them so as to conceal the cleavage of the wearer.

Any suitable fastening means may be use to secure the modesty panel releasably to the cups of the bra. In the illustrated example, a popper 18, 32 is used to anchor the modesty panel to the bridge connecting the two cups 12. Pads of loop tape 20 are sewn or adhered to the cups 12 of the bra and pads 34 of hook tape are provided on the modesty panel 30 to hold the side edges of the modesty panel 30 against the cups 12. If the material of the bra is one that can be gripped by hook tape, then the pads 20 may prove unnecessary.

Ideally, the fastening means should retain the modesty panel securely in place when it is in use but should not interfere with the wearing of the bra when the modesty panel is removed. In this respect, the fastening means on the bra should have no sharp projections that would catch on the outer clothes of the wearer.

The appearance of the modesty panel need not match that of the bra, neither in colour nor in texture, but may be selected to complement the outer clothes of the wearer. This allows the same bra to be used with a variety of outfits, only the modesty panel being changed to match the outfit.

In essence, the modesty panel may be regarded as a separate garment that relies on a bra to hold it in place when it is needed but which can be removed very quickly and simply.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A bra having two support cups and means for holding the cups against the body of the wearer, characterised by a cleavage concealing modesty panel releasably secured to the cups of the bra.
2. A bra as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modesty panel held in place by means of poppers.
3. A bra as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the modesty panel held in place by means of hook and loop fastenings.
4. An undergarment for ladies, comprising a modesty panel to overlie the bust cleavage of the wearer, which panel, when in use, does not encircle the body of the wearer and is instead provided with fastening means to enable it to be releasably secured to the cups of a bra.
5. A bra constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.