Abstract:
An adjustable garment includes at least one lengthwise portion, the lengthwise portion including a first inside seam and a second inside seam, at least one attaching mechanism fastened to each of the first inside seam and the second inside seam, and at least one receiving portion positioned along a length of each of the first inside seam and the second inside seam for receiving the at least one attaching mechanism when the lengthwise portion is turned inwards.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the adjustment of the length of particular garments, particularly the adjustment of the length of men&#39;s, women&#39;s and children&#39;s trousers. Specifically, the invention provides for attaching a mechanism to an inside seam and an outside seam of a trouser leg for adjustment of the trouser leg to a shorter or longer length position. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is often necessary to tailor or alter clothing so that it properly fits the wearer. In particular, pant legs are often too short or too long for the wearer or jacket sleeves are likewise an uncomfortable length, and therefore must be adjusted to the appropriate length. This often requires that the wearer see a tailor who will measure the height and length, and sew the hem of the pants or the arms of the jacket accordingly. The wearer of the garment may have to wait for the tailoring to be complete before enjoying the garment. The wearer also may be unable to adjust the hem to any other preferable or necessary height or length once the tailoring is complete. Additionally, it is often desirable to adjust the length of pant legs to correspond to particular shoes or styles. For example, when wearing boots or heeled shoes, the pant leg may require adjustment as opposed to when the wearer has flat shoes on. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The garment adjustment mechanism of the present invention allows lengthwise adjustment of garments, such as pants, shirts, or jackets, so that the wearer can freely adjust a garment to his or her liking or need. The invention thus provides a useful and advantageous garment that provides adjustment of a garment to the appropriate fit, while preserving the integrity of the garment&#39;s outer appearance. 
         [0004]    Embodiments of the invention include an adjustable garment. The adjustable garment includes at least one lengthwise portion, the lengthwise portion including a first inside seam and a second inside seam, at least one attaching mechanism fastened to each of the first inside seam and the second inside seam, and at least one receiving portion positioned along a length of each of the first inside seam and the second inside seam for receiving the at least one attaching mechanism when the lengthwise portion is turned inwards. 
         [0005]    Implementations of the invention can include one or more of the following features. The garment can be a pair of trousers and the at least one lengthwise portion can be a leg of the pair of trousers. The at least one attaching mechanism can be a fabric loop and the at least one receiving portion can be a button that receives the fabric loop. The at least one attaching mechanism can include one of a cufflink, a t-bar, a chain link. a button, a tie or a press stud. The at least one receiving portion can include a slit through which the at least one attaching mechanism is inserted. 
         [0006]    The invention will be more fully understood, after a review of the following figures, detailed description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings briefly described below. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an adjusting mechanism in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates an adjusting mechanism in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The features and other details of the invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and the claims. It will be understood that particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention can be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0011]    Embodiments of the invention are related to garments that may need to be altered, particularly lengthwise, in order to properly fit the wearer. The garments may be men&#39;s clothing, women&#39;s clothing, or children&#39;s clothing. Particularly, the invention relates to a mechanism for adjusting the length of pant legs without the necessity of a seamstress or tailor to remove and alter a stitched hem. Embodiments of the invention are presented with particular applicability to pant legs, but embodiments can be used for other garments, such as shirt sleeves, jacket sleeves, or other garments having lengthwise portions. Embodiments of the invention are implemented in jeans, or denim pants, although the invention can be implemented in pants made of other fabrics. Embodiments of the invention can be used for other garments, where adjustable length or size may be desirable. 
         [0012]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a pair of trousers are shown. The magnified view in  FIG. 1  represents the bottom portion of the inside of one of the trouser, or pant legs, the bottom portion being the area of the pant having particular relevance. In other words, the magnified view is an inside-out view of the pant leg. The inner portion of the pant leg  12  includes a left side seam  14 , a right side seam  16 , and a bottom hem  18 . A loop  20  is attached at the left side seam  14  at the level of the hem and a loop  20  is attached at the right side seam  16  at the level of the bottom hem IS. The loop  20  is sewn into the bottom hem  18  where the bottom hem  18  meets the respective side seam. 
         [0013]    In addition to the loops  20 , buttons  22  or other fastening fixtures are attached to the inside seams of the pant leg  12 . Buttons  22  are positioned along the length of each of the side seams at intervals along the length of the side seams. A button  22  at a first position on the left side seam  14  corresponds to a button  22  at a first position on the right side seam  16 . 
         [0014]    In this way, an equal number of buttons  22  are attached to each of the left and the right side seams at corresponding height positions. With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the adjustability of the length of the trousers is as follows. It is frequently the case that the length of trousers is too long or too short for the prospective wearer of the trousers. For ease of adjustment of the length to a length that is suitable, trousers having the adjustment feature of the invention can be altered in length by moving the loop  20  to a level at which the pant leg is the appropriate length. The loop  20  connects to a button  22  on the same side of the pant leg as the respective loop is sewn when the trouser leg is turned inward. Therefore, the left side loop  20  connects to a left side button  22 , and the right side loop  20  connects to a right side button  22 . When the pants are right-side out, as they would be when a wearer puts them on, the fabric of the trousers is turned inward so that the loop  20  can engage with one of the plurality of buttons if it is desirable to shorten the pant leg. When the fabric of the pant leg is turned inward and the length altered by the attachment of the loop, the attaching portions are not visible to an outside observer. A clean bottom line of the pant leg is visible. 
         [0015]    In an alternative but equally sufficient embodiment, a pant leg  30  may be adjusted using a buttonhole arrangement, rather than using a loop that attaches to the buttons, as in  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pant leg  30  is shown so that the inside surface of the pant leg is visible, i.e., the pant leg is inside-out so that the stitching of the pant leg is shown in the magnified view. The pant leg  30  includes a left side seam  32 , a right side seam  34 , a bottom hem  36 , a button  38 , and a plurality of slits  40 . The button  38  can be a cufflink, a smaller version of a cufflink, a hook and loop, or some other attaching mechanism that can be inserted into slits or buttonholes to complete attachment. The slits  40  are arranged in the left and right side seams  32 ,  34 , respectively, at corresponding heights such that a slit in the right side corresponds to a slit in the left side seam. The slits  40  are not visible on the outside surface of the pant legs and are instead sewn into the inside seams in such a way that they do not extend through the thickness of the pant fabric, i.e., a lined pair of trousers. Any of a number of corresponding slits  40  can be available on the inside left and right seams. The slits  40  extend along the length of the left and right seams. The slits can be any of a number of possible lengths, such as ½″, ¼″, 1″, and so forth. Any of a number of slits can be positioned along the inside seams of the pant legs. 
         [0016]    In the alternative, the slits  40  may extend through the thickness of the fabric, and the button or cufflink  38  may be attached to the outside bottom hem of the pant leg  30 . In this embodiment, the pant leg  30  is turned inward and the cufflinks  38  are inserted at corresponding slits  40 , and the cufflinks pop through the slit  40  so that a portion of the cufflink is visible to the outside observer of the trousers. The cufflink is a decorative bottom accessory to the pant leg, while functioning as the mechanism by which the pant leg is properly adjusted in height. 
         [0017]    Similar to the embodiment in  FIG. 1 , with continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the adjustability of the length of the trousers includes turning the fabric of the trouser leg inward. For adjustment of the length to a length that is suitable, trousers having the adjustment feature of the invention can be altered in length by moving the button  38  to a level at which the pant leg is the appropriate length for the wearer. The left side button is inserted into a left side slit, while the right side button is inserted into a right side slit at a corresponding height to the left side button. When the buttons  38  are engaged with the slits  40 , the pant leg has an external bottom edge that is straight. The buttons  38  may appear as an accessory, as mentioned, or the buttons may be concealed from the outside edge of the trousers. 
         [0018]    Embodiments of the invention are directed to the adjustment of length of the pant legs of a pair of trousers. As is apparent to those skilled in the art, the adjustment features presented in both  FIGS. 1 and 2  can be incorporated into the sleeves of a jacket or shirt such that turning the sleeve inward allows engagement of a button with a loop or a slit to shorten the length of the sleeves. Also, as apparent to those skilled in the art, any of a number of slits or buttons can be inserted along the length of the pant leg, which may be dictated by the size and overall length of the pants, the fabric of the pants, and the necessity of altering the length of the pants. Further, it is clear that embodiments of the invention can be useful for the reuse of clothing, such as children&#39;s clothing, or for adjusting the length for a growing child&#39;s needs. 
         [0019]    Embodiments of the invention describe trousers having a bottom hem which is adjusted to a different length. It is to be understood that the pant legs may have unfinished bottom edges that can be adjusted to the appropriate length and create a finished bottom edge by way of folding the pant leg inward. 
         [0020]    Embodiments of the invention can use attachment mechanisms in addition to buttons, loops and cufflinks, such as a t-bar cufflink, a chain cufflink, press studs as used on tuxedo shirts, and any other known means of attachment, such as conventional cufflinks that are altered in size (i.e., smaller versions of conventional cufflinks). 
         [0021]    Thus, it is shown that the length of a garment, particularly a pair of pants can be adjusted easily and efficiently, without the requirement of the removal of stitches already in place or the addition of stitches to hold a new hem in a new length position. Further, the outer appearance of a garment having the adjustment features described herein is not compromised. A clean bottom edge results from a simple step of turning the bottom edge inward and connecting the attaching mechanisms. 
         [0022]    From the foregoing detailed description it has been shown how the objects of the invention have been obtained in a preferred manner. However, modifications and equivalence of the disclosed concepts such as those which would occur to one of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of the present invention and are covered by the following claims. 
         [0023]    Various substitutions, alterations, and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the invention. The contents of all references, issued patents, and published patent applications cited throughout this application are hereby incorporated by reference. The appropriate components, processes, and methods of those patents, applications and other documents may be selected for the present invention and embodiments thereof.