Abstract:
A method of providing an individual with a modesty covering is presented. The method includes providing an article of clothing having a waistband and draping a front apron portion from the waistband. The method also includes connecting the waistband to a crotch receiving portion by using connection portions that extend generally perpendicularly from the waist band and at least partially covering the crotch receiving portion with the front apron portion. The method also includes connecting the front apron portion to the crotch receiving portion by at least one connecting stay. The method further includes the individual putting on the article of clothing. Movement or wind driven displacement of the front apron portion from a crotch area is prevented by the at least one connecting stay maintaining the front apron portion in position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/544,965, filed Aug. 8, 2005 which is a § 371 National Phase application of International Application No. PCT/EP2004/001603, filed Feb. 19, 2004, which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The invention relates to an item of clothing with a loin-cloth having a hip strap from which at least one frontal apron part is suspended. 
         [0003]    One-piece or two-piece swimsuits enveloping the upper and/or lower part of the body are known as bathing costumes. During bathing or while staying at swimming pools or at the beach, these serve to cover the chest, the genitals and the buttocks for hygienic and social reasons. 
         [0004]    The lower part of the single-piece and two-piece swimsuit is regularly designed as a trunk, i.e. the front and rear parts of the swimming trunks are linked at the crotch. The trunks thereby cover the body from the waist down in a single part, with the opening for the legs being in different sizes. For instance, the leg openings in normal swimming trunks or bathing suits are adapted to the circumference of the thigh, whereas bikinis or tangas expose the body on the side up to the hip and, in addition, expose parts of the abdomen and the buttocks. The hips are in some instances covered only by a string holding the upper part of the trunk&#39;s waistband together. 
         [0005]    Primitive tribes are known to wear so-called loin-clothes to protect the lower part of the body, this being an item of clothing covering the genitals and the buttocks without the front and rear part being linked at the crotch. The loin-cloth normally consists of two sections made of fabric or leather, or two large plant leaves suspended from a string tied around the waist. 
         [0006]    This configuration leaves the intimate parts in the crotch exposed and unprotected, with the concomitant hygienic and social drawbacks and with the effect that the loin-cloth is unsuitable as a swimsuit in pools and on beaches. The utility value of this loin-cloth is therefore restricted. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The invention is directed to a method of providing an individual with a modesty covering. The method includes providing an article of clothing having a waistband and draping a front apron portion from the waistband. The method also includes connecting the waistband to a crotch receiving portion by using connection portions that extend generally perpendicularly from the waist band and at least partially covering the crotch receiving portion with the front apron portion. The method also includes connecting the front apron portion to the crotch receiving portion by at least one connecting stay. The method further includes the individual putting on the article of clothing. Movement or wind driven displacement of the front apron portion from a crotch area is prevented by the at least one connecting stay maintaining the front apron portion in position. 
         [0008]    The invention is also directed to an article of clothing comprising a loin-cloth having a waistband from which at least one front apron part hangs down. The article of clothing having a front crotch receiving portion and, linked thereto, a rear crotch receiving portion. The crotch receiving portions is connected to the hip strap at end sections thereof that point away from one another, and the at least one front apron part at least partially covers the front crotch receiving portion. The front crotch receiving portion is closed off above a pubic area by a band and is connected to the waistband by two tightening elements, and at least the front apron portion is connected to the front crotch receiving portion on both sides via connecting stays. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below in detail in the accompanying drawings. The drawings schematically illustrate the following: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  a side cross-section through a bikini or tanga worn on the body 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  an illustration according to  FIG. 1  with a one-piece swimwear as specified by the invention with a two-piece loin-cloth worn on the body 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  a front view of the one-piece swimwear with a front crotch receiving portion and a front loin-cloth 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  a rear view of the one-piece swimwear with a rear crotch receiving portion and a rear loin-cloth 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  a front view of the one-piece swimwear according to  FIG. 3  in which the front crotch receiving portion has a waistband, and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  a perspective drawing of the one-piece swimwear worn on the body. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Introduction to the Embodiments 
       [0016]    The objective is therefore to create an unconventional and imaginative item of clothing of the kind described above which is suitable to be worn for swimming and sun-bathing and which takes account of hygienic and social restraints. 
         [0017]    The solution of this objective as specified in this invention is provided by an item of clothing of the kind described above, characterized by the fact that it has a front part and a rear crotch receiving portion linked to the front part, that the crotch receiving portions are linked to the hip string at their ends facing away from each other, and that the front apron part covers the front crotch receiving portion at least in some areas. This configuration results in the genitals and intimate crotch section being covered and protected, with the crotch receiving portions and the apron parts possible matching, and thus maintaining the essential and evident properties of the loin-cloth, namely the free fall of the front and the rear apron section. Such matching and mutually effective embodiment of the loin-cloth and of the crotch receiving portions linked in one piece allows the use of the item of invention, for instance, for swimming or sun-bathing. 
         [0018]    One advantageous embodiment of the invention could be provided by the hip string also having a rear apron part hanging from it, which at least partly covers some areas of the rear crotch receiving portion. Such a loin-cloth with two apron parts could also cover the rear crotch section and so keep up the effect of a swimsuit consisting of the loin-cloth. 
         [0019]    Of particular importance is the social acceptance of the item of clothing as specified by the invention. To this end, it is advantageous if the front apron part is linked to the front crotch receiving portion and the rear apron part to the rear crotch receiving portion, preferably by at least one loose-falling connecting stay consisting, for instance, of elastic material. This will prevent the front apron part from slipping up or sideways and will keep the front and rear apron parts safely over the genital area and/or over the gluteal fold. At the same time and notwithstanding the connecting stays, the front and rear apron part are allowed to fall freely. 
         [0020]    For the enhanced wearing comfort of the item of clothing as specified by the invention it is expedient if a solid strip of fabric or a rubber band is arranged above the pubic triangle which closes off with the front crotch receiving portion above the pubic area and which is linked to the hip strap by two tightening elements formed of rubber or similar materials. This allows the front crotch section to be developed with particular ease and, at the same time, the genital area can be protected from exposure by the front apron part arranged in front of it, with the effect that the demands involving social acceptance are met. 
         [0021]    In order to enhance the wearing safety of the item of clothing, it is advantageous if the waistband is designed as a firm stay, allowing the front crotch receiving portion to be stabilized in its width. 
         [0022]    In order to press the waistband at the end of the pubic area against the body, it is expedient if the points of attachment of the elastic tightening elements are located below the central axis of the firm stay, allowing the firm stay to be tilted by the tension of the elastic tightening elements in the direction of the body and thus pressing it against the body. The shape of the stay may be adapted to the shape of the body in order to improve the wearing comfort. 
         [0023]    To allow the apron part to be changed separately from the crotch receiving portion, it is advantageous if the front apron part and/or the rear apron part is detachably linked to the hip strap in a visible or concealed manner by means of connecting devices such as buttons, press studs, VELCRO straps or similar items. Changing the front or rear apron part alone is thus also possible. 
         [0024]    For the enhanced wearing comfort and the easy development of the crotch receiving portion with the crotch section simultaneously remaining firmly in place, it is expedient if the front crotch section covered and concealed by the front apron part consists in whole or in part of an elastic mesh fabric. 
         [0025]    The social acceptance of the item of clothing can be enhanced further if the side borders of the front apron part is designed as wedge-shaped, tapering connecting stays turned towards the body and if the wedge-shaped connecting stays are linked at their tips with the front crotch receiving portion. This will reduce the exposure of the pubic area already concealed by the front crotch receiving portion and the front apron part. 
         [0026]    To allow the apron part to be changed separately from the crotch receiving portion, it is advantageous if the connecting stays and the wedge-shaped connecting stays of the front apron part are firmly tied to the apron part and are detachably linked to the crotch receiving portion by arranging connecting devices such as buttons, press studs, Velcro straps or similar. 
         [0027]    In order to safeguard the service life of the swimming garment it is expedient if the apron parts and the crotch receiving portions are made of fabric which is preferably washable and which essentially maintains its shape and size after several washing processes. 
         [0028]    For enhanced wearing comfort it is also expedient if the crotch receiving portions are preferably made of an elastic fabric. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    An item of clothing designated in its entirety with  100  and serving as one-piece swimwear shows in the embodiment in  FIG. 2 to 6  a loin-cloth consisting of a front apron part  1  and a rear apron part  1   a  and a crotch receiving portion also including a front crotch receiving portion  2  and a rear crotch receiving portion  2   a , with both the crotch receiving portions  2  and  2   a  linked to each other in the crotch area and designed bikini or tanga-shaped. 
         [0030]    The central axis shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  characterizes the partition of the one-piece crotch receiving portion into the front crotch receiving portion  2  and the rear crotch receiving portion  2   a . Compared with  FIG. 1  it becomes evident that the crotch receiving portions  2  and  2   a  of the item under this invention essentially correspond to the crotch receiving portions  13  and  13   a  of a conventional tanga and can therefore be manufactured with the same cost-efficiency and in the same garment sizes. 
         [0031]    The front apron part  1  and the rear apron part  1   a  are adapted in their dimensions to the front crotch receiving portion  2  and the rear crotch receiving portion  2   a  and thus partly cover these. As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . The crotch receiving portions  2  and  2   a  are firmly tied to the hip strap or waistband  3  at each of their upper ends a, e, f and i and thus cover the genital area and the crotch area. The front apron part  1  and the rear apron part  1   a  hang freely down from this waistband  3 . 
         [0032]    The front apron part  1  is connected to the underlying crotch receiving portion  2  by means of a loosely falling, short connecting stay  5  in order to prevent the loin-cloth from slipping or blowing away. The rear apron part  1   a  with the rear crotch receiving portion  2   a  assigned to it is also connected to such a connecting stay  5   a . The connecting stays  5  and  5   a  are shown particularly clearly in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 . 
         [0033]    A band  4  identifiable in  FIGS. 3 and 5  is arranged at the front crotch receiving portion  2  above the pubic area which closes off the front crotch receiving portion  2  above the pubic area and which is extensibly linked to the waistband  3  by means of two elastic tightening elements  6  and  6   a . The area circumscribed by the points a-j-k-e in  FIG. 3  may, for a particularly convenient design of the front crotch receiving portion  2 , be fabric-free, with the front crotch receiving portion  2  continuing to be seated firmly in place. 
         [0034]    The band  4  may be preferably embodied as a firm stay  7 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , in order to stabilize the front crotch receiving portion  2  in its width. The tightening elements  6  and  6   a , acting on the points of attack  8  and  8   a  arranged below the central axis II of the firm stay  7 , tilt the firm stay  7  towards the body such that the upper border  11  of the firm stay  7  is pressed against the body. In order to enhance the wearing comfort and to avoid pressure points, the shape of the firm stay  7  and/or the shape of the upper border  11  of the firm stay  11  may be adapted to the shape of the body above the pubic area. 
         [0035]    The front apron part  1  and the rear apron part  1   a  of the loin-cloth may, for the purpose of changing for cleaning of for fashion adaptation, be detachably linked to the waistband  3  by means of the connecting elements  9  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , with such connecting elements being buttons, press studs, VELCRO straps or similar items. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of the swimwear  100  in which the side borders of the front apron part  1  are designed as wedge-shaped, tapering connecting stays  10  turned towards the body, with each of the tips  12  of the connecting stay  10  connected to the front crotch receiving portion  2 , preferably at its outer border. This allows pubic area already covered by the front crotch receiving portion  2  and the overlying apron part  1  to be screened further from exposure.