US3114152A

US3114152A - Shirts with attached collars

Info

Publication number: US3114152A
Application number: US236876A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sidney D Blue
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-11-13
Filing date: 1962-11-13
Publication date: 1963-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-17
Also published as: GB1006464A; CH421023A; AT266738B; NL124353C; BE639740A; NL300455A; DK113911B

Description

S. D. BLUE SHIRTS WITH ATTACHED COLLARS Dec. 17, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 13, 1962 INVENTOR.

SIDNEY D. BLUE ATTORNEY S. D. BLUE SHIRTS WITH ATTACHED COLLARS Dec. 17, 1963 Filed Nov. 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR SIDNEY D. BLUE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,114,152 SHRTS WITH ATTACHED C(1'LLAR Sidney D. Blue, Larchrnont, N.Y. (605 Park Ave, New York 21, FLY.) Filed Nov. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 236,876 4 Claims. (Cl. 22-116) This invention relates generally to mens and boys shirts having attached, starchless collars, and more particularly is directed to improvements in dress shirts with attached collars of the type disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,935,749, issued May 10, 1960.

Dress shirts of the type disclosed in the above identified patent have an attached collar that includes a standing neck band portion secured to the body of the shirt at the neck opening of the latter, but with the front ends of the neckband terminating short of the overlapped edges of the shirt front. The neckband is formed according to the well known modern practice so that it naturally assumes a truncated or frusto-conical shape on the wearers neck to conform to and accommodate the anatomical taper of the neck. Thus, when the overlapped edges of the shirt front are held in closed position at the neck line by releasable fastening means, the front ends of the standing neckband portion confront each other at the front of the wearers neck, that is, merely abut instead of overlapping. Since the abutting front ends of the standing neckband portion of the collar are not directly secured to each other, the collar is free to adjust to the contours and slope of the wearers neck. The separately cut cape or collar top portion which is secured to, and extends downwardly from the upper edge of the standing neckband portion has end edges which define collar points and are circumferentially recessed with respect to the adjacent front ends of the neckband portion.

With the above described existing construction of an attached collar for a dress shirt, the space between the end edges of the cape portion at the upper edge of the neckband portion in the closed condition of the collar depends upon the size of the necktie knot which is located in such space and also upon the degree of tightness of the necktie loop around the wearers neck. Thus, if the wearer desires to wear his necktie with a very slack loop and a relatively small knot, the ends of the neckband portion can stand away from the wearers neck and out of the normal conical shape of the neckband portion, particularly at the junctures of the top edge of the neckband portion with the end edges of the cape portion, so that an excessive space occurs between the upper parts of the end edges of the cape portion and the relatively small knot is not closely and neatly confined within such space.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a dress shirt with an attached collar of the described character having means therein operative to hold the front ends of the neckband in substantially abutting relationship and inwardly against the wearers neck, particularly at the junctures of the top edge of the neckband portion with the front end edges of the cape or collar top portion, in response to the securing together, at the neck opening of the body of the shirt, of the overlapped edges of the shirt front, thereby to ensure that a neat and trim appearance is presented even when a necktie is worn with a relatively small knot and slack loop.

In accordance with an important aspect of this invention, each of the ends of the neckband portion of the attached collar has incorporated therein a piece of thin semirigid material preferably of plastic sheet material and, preferably in the form of a triangle with curvilinear edges. When fully inserted in the neckband, one side edge of each semi-rigid piece follows the curved form of the free 3,114,152 Patented Dec. 17, 19%3 edge of the related end of the finished neckband portion and extends along the top edge of the latter to a point under the adjacent end edge of the cape portion and is secured to the neckband by stitching therethrough, while the base or bottom edge of the plastic piece extends unattached and parallel to the lower edge of the neckband portion. When the overlapped edges of the shirt front are secured together in closed position at a point adjacent the neck opening of the shirt body to cause the neckband to assume its normal frusto-conical shape, each of, the generally triangular semi-rigid pieces assumes the shape of a portion of the conical surface so that the curved side edge of the plastic piece following the curved form of the end of the neckband portion and the apex of the triangular plastic piece are deflected inwardly toward the wearers neck to correspondingly inwardly urge the front ends of the neckband portion and the front end edges of the cape portion at the points of attachment of the latter to the standing neckband.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the upper portion of a dress shirt having an attached collar constructed in accordance with the present invention, and with one of the collar points bent upwardly to better disclose the arrangement at the front of the collar;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view which is partly broken away and in section and particularly shows the arrangement of the semi-rigid plastic pieces incorporated in the neckband portion of the attached collar of FIG. 1 in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3, but illustrating an intermediate phase in the manufacture of the collar;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of one of the semirigid plastic pieces incorporated in the collar in accordance with the present invention, and which is shown in its unflexed condition;

FIG. 6 is a top or edge view of the plastic piece of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the plastic piece of FIGS. 5 and 6, but shown in its flexed condition resulting from securing together of the overlapped edges of the shirt front, as in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 8 is an endview showing the semi-rigid piece flexed arcuately from the fiat plane shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a shirt having an attached collar embodying the present invention and there generally identified by the reference numeral 10 further includes the usual body made up of

front panels

12 and 14 having edges overlapping lengthwise, at the center of the shirt front, and connected at their upper edges to the usual yoke 16, with the front panels and yoke being cut to form a neck opening 18. Further, the illustrated shirt has the usual sleeves with either barrel or French cuffs which are not shown in order to permit the relatively large scale illustration of the collar which incorporates the invention.

The collar It) includes a standing neckband portion 20 and a collar top or cape portion 22. As shown on FIG. 3, the neckband portion 20 includes an inner facing or ply 24 and a coextensive outer facing or ply 26, both made of shirting material which may be the same as that used for the shirt body, and an interlining 28 disposed between the

facings

24 and 26 and formed of the usual 3,1 3 collar lining material. Similarly, the top or cape portion 22 of the collar includes facings 3t and 32 of the same configuration and formed of shirting material and an interlining 34 disposed between the facings 3i and 32 and formed of the usual collar lining material.

As is usual in the construction of two-piece attached shirt collars, that is, collars having separately cut neckband and cape portions, the several layers of the neckband portion and of the cape portion 22 of collar 10 are cut with the longitudinal edges thereof which are eventually to be secured together having different arcs or curvatures, so that the neckband of normal curvilinear form will, as it naturally falls into a truncated or frustoconical shape, hug the tapered neck of the wearer, while the cape portion of the collar will fall slightly away from the neckband to provide space therebetween in which a necktie can easily slide. Further, the

end edges

36 and 38 of the facings and interlining of the cape portion 22 are cut at angles to the longitudinal axis of the latter to form collar points 40 and 42. The end edges 36 and 33 and the lower or outer edges 44 of

facings

30 and 32 are turned inwardly and secured together, along with the interposed interlining 34, as by stitching 46.

In initially securing together the neckband portion 20 and cape portion 22, as shown on FIG. 4, the longitudinal edge of the cape portion 22 which appears ad jacent the top of the latter in the completed collar 10 is interposed between the corresponding longitudinal edges of the

facings

24 and 26 of the neckband portion 20 with the interlining 28 of the neckband portion disposed against the outwardly directed surface of facing 26, and stitching 43 is employed to secure together the described interleaved longitudinal margins of the facings and interlinings of the neckband portion 2?) and cape portion 22. The stitching 43 further secures together the

facings

24 and 26 and interlining 28 along the ends of the neckband portion 20. After the facings and interlinings of the neckband portion and cape portion of the collar have been initially secured together by the stitching 48, the

facings

24 and 26 and the interlining 23 of the neckband portion are turned downwardly, as in FIG. 3, so that the stitching 48 is no longer visible.

As in the attached collar disclosed fully in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,935,749, the length of the curvilinearly formed neckband portion 20 of collar 10 is greater than the length of cape portion 22 so that the ends 5t) and S2 of the neckband portion project circumferentially beyond the

end edges

36 and 38, respectively, of the cape portion. Further, the length of the neckband portion 20 is, in turn, shorter than the circumferential distance around the margins of the

shirt fronts

12 and 14 and yoke 16 defining the neck opening 18 so that, when the

facings

24 and 26 and interlining 28 are reverted along the lower longitudinal edge of the neckband portion 20 and there attached to the shirt body along the edge of the neck opening, as by stitching 54 (FIG. 3), the

upper ends

58 and 60 of the edge portions of

front panels

12 and 14 of the shirt body, which are intended to be secured together in overlapping relation, will project beyond the ends and 52 of the neckband portion, as on FIG. 2. The amounts by which the upper ends 58 and 61B of the edge portions of

front panels

12 and 14 project beyond the ends 59 and 52, respectively, of the neckband portion are suflicient so that, when the edge portions of the front panels are overlapped and the collar It? is closed about the wearers neck, as in FIGS. 1 and 2, the

ends

56 and 52 will substantially abut and, in no case, will the latter overlap. Thus, when in the wearing position, the standing neckband assumes a generally frusto-conical shape. The edges of the

ends

50 and 52 of the standing neckband portion 2% are preferably curved so that, when the collar 10 is closed and the

ends

50 and 52 abut, the edges of the latter define a V-shaped symmetrical opening 62 at the front of the wearers throat between the

front edges

36 and 38 of the cape portion 22.

In the illustrated dress shirt embodying this invention, the collar 19 is held in its closed position by removably securing the upper end 58 of the outer overlapped edge portion of front panel 12 to an underlying point on the front panel 14 which is located below stitching 54 and adjacent thereto. The removable or releasable securing means employed may consist of a snap fastener 64 (FIGS. 1 and 2) having its cooperative parts secured to the upper end 53 of the overlapped edge portion of front panel 12 and to the described underlying point on front panel 14.

It will be noted that the snap fastener 64 merely holds the

upper ends

58 and 60 of the edge portions of

front panels

12 and 14 in overlapped relationship, and thereby holds the collar 10 in its closed condition by applying circumferential restraint thereto only at the lower edge of the neckband portion 20 which normally has a relatively loose fit about the base of the Wearers neck. Thus, the upper parts of the neckband 20 and the cape portion 22 depending from the neckband are free to circumferentially expand and contract thereby providing the desired instantaneous adjustment in circumferential measurement for maximum comfort to the wearer. Further, since the ends 5% and 52 of the neckband portion 20 are not directly secured to each other the collar is free to readily adapt itself to the contour of the wearers neck line.

Since the collar 19 is held in its closed position only by the snap fastener 64 which applies circumferential restraint along the neck opening 18, it will be apparent that the size of the gap 62 appearing between the

end edges

36 and 38 of cape portion 22 at the top of the latter, in which gap the knot of a four-in-hand necktie is accommodated, is largely dependent upon the tightness of the loop of the necktie. Thus, if the loop is slack, and thereby does not urge the top of the collar inwardly against the wearers neck, a relatively large gap 62 may appear between the

end edges

36 and 38 at the top of the collar and a relatively small knot disposed in such a large gap does not present a neat or attractive appearance.

In order to urge the

ends

50 and 52 of the neckband portion 20 into substantially close confronting or abutting relationship, and further to hold the top of the standing neckband portion inwardly against the wearers neck, particularly in the region of the

end edges

36 and 38 of cape portion 22, thereby to provide a relatively small gap between the latter even when the necktie is worn with a relatively slack loop, the collar 10 embodying the'present invention has pieces 66 and 68 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of thin, semi-rigid sheet material, for example, of polyethylene terephthalate, available under the trademark Mylar, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, polypropylene, nylon, polyoxymethylene, available under the trademark Delrin, and the like, are incorporated in the ends of neckband portion 20. Since the

ends

50 and 52 of the neckband portion 20 are not joined to each other, such ends are subject to rotation or twisting by the wearers neck out of the normal frusto-conical plane in which the neckband otherwise tends to lie. The semi-rigid

plastic pieces

66 and 68 are believed to extend the natural restraining forces in the remainder of the neckband portion 20 to the

ends

50 and 52 for holding the latter in the normal frusto-conical plane. As shown on FIGS. 2 and 5, each of the semi-rigid

plastic pieces

66 and 68 has a generally isosceles triangular form with curvilinear side and bottom edges '70, 72 and '74. The curved side edge follows the curved form of the free edge of the

related end

50 or 52 of neckband portion 20 and extends along a section of the upper edge of the latter to a point under the adjacent end edge of the cape portion, while the base or bottom edge 74 of each plastic piece extends parallel to the lower edge of the neckband portion. It is also to be noted that each of the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 tends to lie in a fiat plane (FIG. 6).

The semi-rigid

plastic pieces

66 and 68 are interposed between the facing 26 and the interlining 28 of neckband portion 20 (FIG. 3) after the latter has been initially secured to the cape portion 22 by the stitching 48, as on FIG. 4, and before the attachment of the collar to the body of the shirt by the stitching 54. Each of the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 is further dimensioned so that, when fully inserted in the

end

56 or 52 of the neckband portion, that is, with the edge 70 of the plastic piece closely following the curvature of the free edge of the end of the neckband portion, the bottom edge 74 of the plastic piece is spaced upwardly from the proposed line of the stitching 54 (FIG. 2). Further, the apex 76 of each plastic piece lies substantially under the region of the attachment of the

adjacent end edge

36 or 38 of cape portion 22 to neckband portion 26.

The semi-rigid

plastic pieces

66 and 68 are secured in their illustrated operative positions within the neckband portion 22 by the finish stitching 78 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) which runs substanitally parallel to the concealed stitching 43, but is spaced downwardly from the latter. Thus, the stitching 78 only passes through the side edge portion 79 of each of the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 extending along the curved free edge of the

related end

50 or 52 of the standing neckband portion 20. It will be apparent that the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 are interposed in the neckband portion 20 and there secured by the finish stitching 78 prior to the attachment of the neckband portion to the body of the shirt by the stitching 54. Further, since the bottom edges 74 of the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 lie above the stitching 54-, the bottom or base edges of the plastic pieces are not weakened by holes passing therethrough and thus maintain their full flexural strength.

When the attached collar incorporating the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 in the ends of its neckband portion in accordance with this invention is held in its closed position by circumferential restraint applied along the bottom edge of the neckband portion, that is, at the edge of the neck opening 18, the neckband portion assumes its normal frusto-conical form and causes the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 to be similarly arouately flexed inwardly from their normal flat planes. By reason of the generally triangular configuration of the

plastic pieces

66 and 68, such arcuate flexing of the plastic pieces cause the apex or top 76 and side edge 7% of each plastic piece to be deflected inwardly toward the neck of the wearer in relation to the related bottom edge 74, as indicated on FIG. 7. Thus, each of the plastic pieces 66 and 63 applies generally inwardly directed forces, as indicated by the arrows '86 on FIG. 7, at the edge of the

related end

50 or 52 of neckband portion 29. The inwardly direction of the neckband as represented by the arrows 80 hold the standing neckband portion 26 toward the wearers neck, particularly at the edges of the ends 5% and 5?. and at the junctures of such ends with the

edges

36 and 38 of the cape portion 22, thereby maintaining a minimal gap between the

edges

36 and 38 for closely and neatly confining a small necktie knot, even when the loop of the necktie is relatively slack and therefore does not apply circumferential restraint at the top edge of the neckband portion 21 Further, the curvilinear configuration of the side edge 7% of each of the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 results in a curling tendency of each such side edge in response to arcuate flexing of the plastic pieces so that the ends 56 and 52 of the neckband portion 2% are exposed to a curling pressure urging them inwardly to follow the curvature and taper of the wearers neck and thereby maintain close abutment of the

ends

56 and 52.

It is to be noted that the above described action of the

plastic pieces

66 and 68 in maintaining close abutment of the ends 5i and 52 of the neckband portion, and in urging such ends inwardly toward the wearers neck, is achieved without sacrificing the advantages of the construction of the attached collar for a dress shirt as de scribed in Patent No. 2,935,749. Thus, the collar 10 incorporating the

semi-rigid pieces

66 and 68 is free to readily adapt itself to the contour of the wearers neclo line, regardless of the degree of slope thereof by reason of the absence of any direct attachment between the ends 5%) and 52 of the neckband portion 26. Further, since the ends Sit and 52 do not overlap and are not buttoned together, as in the usual dress shirt collar or collar with a standing neckband, there is no central pivot about which the ends of the neckband and the shirt front panels are hinged, so that the adaptation of the collar to the contour or slope of the wearers neckline can occur without, in any way, disturbing the smooth drape of the shirt front over the wearers chest, and particularly without disturbing the vertical disposition of the overlapped edge portions or margins of the

front panels

12 and 14.

Moreover, the fact that the

semi-rigid pieces

66 and 68 are bent into a curvilinear surface causes them to be very resistant to any bending imposed on them by the wearers neck, thus causing the

pieces

66 and 68 to maintain the desired appearance of the shirt even under the most serious circumstances. Further, the generally triangular configuration of the plastic pieces when they are in the attitude of the conical neckband portion, causes them to resiliently hold the collar against the wearers neck while allowing the weaker apex portion of the plastic pieces and accompanying neckband portion to yield comfortably to the wearers neck movements.

While I have illustrated and described the semi-rigid members as being preferably of plastic material and in the general form of a triangle with curvilinear edges, it is to be understood that members of other semi-rigid material and of other general configuration may be employed so long as the edges are shaped whereby at least the edge which is attached to and extends along its related abutting end of the neckband portion is of substantially the same curvature as that end, and so long as the unattached bottom edge conforms to the contour of the lower edge of the neckband portion to permit arcuate flexing of the member to cause inward deflection thereof out of its normal flat plane with the resulting inward deflection of said free end of the related abutting end of the neckband portion.

Although a particular embodiment of this invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. in a dress shirt having a cloth body with a neck opening and overlapped edge portions extending downwardly from the neck opening, at the front, to define a front opening for the shirt, and releasable means for holding the overlapped edge portions in closed position at the neck opening; an attached collar comprising a standing neckband portion formed to assume a frustoconical shape to hug the tapered contour of the wearers neck and secured, at its lower edge, to the shirt body along the edge of the neck opening with the ends of said neckband portion being circumferentially recessed relative to the upper ends of the edge portions of the body and substantially abutting at the front of the collar when said overlapped edge portions are held in closed position, a separately out cape portion secured only to, and extending downwardly from the upper edge of said neckband portion, said ends of the neckband portion projecting circumferen-tially beyond the adjacent ends of said cape portion, and normally flat, semi-rigid members incorporated in said ends of the neckband portion, each of said members having one side edge and a top edge with a contour that substantialy conforms to and follows along the free edge and a portion of the top edge of the related end of said neckband portion and a base edge extending along the adjacent part of said lower edge of the neckband portion so that, when the overlapped edges of the shirt body are held in closed position at the neck opening, said base edge of each semi-rigid member is arcuately flexed to cause inward deflection of the said one side edge and the upper edge of each said member and of said free edge of the related end of the neckband portion.

2. In a dress shirt having a cloth body with a neck opening and overlapped edge portions extending downwardly from the neck opening, at the front, to define a front opening for the shirt, and releasable means for holding the overlapped edge portions in closed position at the neck opening; an attached collar comprising a standing neckband portion formed to assume a frusto-conical shape to hug the tapered contour of the wearers neck and secured, at its lower edge, to the shirt body along the edge of the neck opening with the ends of said neckband portion being ciroumferentially recessed relative to the upper ends of the edge portions of the body and substantially abutting at the front of the collar when said overlapped edge portions are held in closed position, a separately cut cape portion secured only to, and extending downwardly from the upper edge of said neckband portion and having end edges defining collar points, said ends of the neckband portion projecting circumferentially beyond said end edges of the cape portion and having free edges which slant upwardly away from the end of said lower edge at the neck opening to said end edges of the cape portion, and normally flat, members of semi rigid plastic material incorporated in said ends of the neckband portion, each of said members having a generally triangular configuration with its base edge extending along the adjacent part of said lower edge of said neckband portion and with one of its side edges extending along the free edge of the related end of said neckband portion to locate the apex of the triangular member under the adjacent end edge of said cape portion so that, when the overlapped edges of the shirt body are held in closed position at the neck opening, the resulting circumferential restraint at the lower edge of said neckband portion causes arcuate flexing of Said base edge of each semi-rigid triangular member to inwardly deflect the side edges and apex of each member relative to the base edge thereof for maintaining said ends of the neckband in close abutting relation.

3. in a shirt with attached collar having a body in which there is a neck opening and front panels with inner and outer edge portions extending downwardly from the neck opening to define a front opening for the shirt and arranged to be overlapped when closed, said attached collar including a standing neckband portion formed to assume a frusto-conical shape to hug the tapered contour of the wearers neck and having its lower edge secured to said body along the edge of the neck opening with at least the lower edges of the ends of the neckband portion in confronting relationship in substantially the plane of said frusto-conical neckband at the front of the collar when said edge portions of the body are overlapped, and a collar top portion extending downwardly from the upper edge of said neckband portion; the combination of a normally flat, semi-rigid member incorporated in each of said ends of the neckband portion, each of said members having at least one curved side edge and a bottom edge, said one of the side edges located adjacent the edge of its related end of the neckband portion so that, when the shirt is worn and said overlapped edges are in closed position, said semi-rigid member is arcuately fiexed along its bottom edge to cause inward deflection of said member out of its normal flat plane with resulting inward deflection of the related end of the neckband portion.

4. In a dress shirt as in claim 1, wherein stitching is provided to retain the semi-rigid member in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,243,463 Turrell Oct. 16, 1917 2,308,369 Kaplan Jan. 12, 1943 2,935,749 Blue May 10, 1960

Claims

1. IN A DRESS SHIRT HAVING A CLOTH BODY WITH A NECK OPENING AND OVERLAPPED EDGE PORTIONS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE NECK OPENING, AT THE FRONT, TO DEFINE A FRONT OPENING FOR THE SHIRT, AND RELEASABLE MEANS FOR HOLDING THE OVERLAPPED EDGE PORTIONS IN CLOSED POSITION AT THE NECK OPENING; AN ATTACHED COLLAR COMPRISING A STANDING NECKBAND PORTION FORMED TO ASSUME A FRUSTOCONICAL SHAPE TO HUG THE TAPERED CONTOUR OF THE WEARER''S NECK AND SECURED, AT ITS LOWER EDGE, TO THE SHIRT BODY ALONG THE EDGE OF THE NECK OPENING WITH THE ENDS OF SAID NECKBAND PORTION BEING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY RECESSED RELATIVE TO THE UPPER ENDS OF THE EDGE PORTIONS OF THE BODY AND SUBSTANTIALLY ABUTTING AT THE FRONT OF THE COLLAR WHEN SAID OVERLAPPED EDGE PORTIONS ARE HELD IN CLOSED POSITION, A SEPARATELY CUT CAPE PORTION SECURED ONLY TO, AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID NECKBAND PORTION, SAID ENDS OF THE NECKBAND PORTION PROJECTING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY BEYOND THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID CAPE PORTION, AND NORMALLY FLAT, SEMI-RIGID MEMBERS INCORPORATED IN SAID ENDS OF THE NECKBAND PORTION, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING ONE SIDE EDGE AND A TOP EDGE WITH A CONTOUR THAT SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORMS TO AND FOLLOWS ALONG THE FREE EDGE AND A PORTION OF THE TOP EDGE OF THE RELATED END OF SAID NECKBAND PORTION AND A BASE EDGE EXTENDING ALONG THE ADJACENT PART OF SAID LOWER EDGE OF THE NECKBAND PORTION SO THAT, WHEN THE OVERLAPPED EDGES OF THE SHIRT BODY ARE HELD IN CLOSED POSITION AT THE NECK OPENING, SAID BASE EDGE OF EACH SEMI-RIGID MEMBER IS ARCUATELY FLEXED TO CAUSE INWARD DEFLECTION OF THE SAID ONE SIDE EDGE AND THE UPPER EDGE OF EACH SAID MEMBER AND OF SAID FREE EDGE OF THE RELATED END OF THE NECKBAND PORTION.