Abstract:
A garment having a collar, the garment comprising: a placket, extending the length of the garment and having spaced apart first and a second buttons substantially nearer to the collar than a third button; wherein a portion of the placket intermediate the first and second button comprises a fly-front placket hiding an intermediate button therein; and wherein a remaining portion of the placket is not a fly front placket.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/369,780, filed Dec. 5, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/084,382, filed Nov. 19, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,538,791, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Business casual is an increasingly viable mode of dress. For most, business casual includes a button down collared shirt or blouse. The top buttons of these garments are often left unsecured, so as to leave open the collar area for a more casual appearance, even while wearing business attire. 
         [0003]    However, often times, the placement of the buttons on the garment are not custom to the wearer. This may lead to an uncomfortable situation. If the wearer is too buttoned up—i.e. one too many buttons are buttoned—he/she may project the appearance of being uptight or stuffy. If the wearer is too buttoned down—i.e. one too few buttons are buttoned—he/she may be seen as sloppy. This is particularly troublesome where being too buttoned down exposes an inappropriate amount of chest hair or cleavage. But, if one were to simply add more buttons to a shirt or blouse, the resultant look would be aesthetically unpleasing simply due to the excess number of buttons. 
         [0004]    It is therefore desirable to provide garments having hidden intermediate buttons between the topmost exposed buttons that will permit wearers to be optimally unbuttoned. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A collared shirt is described herein that overcomes the limitations noted above. 
         [0006]    The collared shirt has a placket with spaced apart first and a second buttons, wherein a portion of the placket intermediate the first and second button is a fly-front placket for hiding an intermediate button. 
         [0007]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the presently described apparatus and method of its use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0008]    Illustrated in the accompanying drawing(s) is at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present invention. In such drawing(s): 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates a garment according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a garment showing a hidden portion of a placket according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a three-button polo shirt according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is another illustration of the three-button polo shirt according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates a four-button polo shirt according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is another illustration of the four-button polo shirt according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    The above described drawing figures illustrate the described invention in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications to what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiment illustrated. Therefore, it should be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and should not be taken as a limitation on the scope of the present invention. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary garment  10  in accordance with at least one preferred embodiment. 
         [0017]    The garment (for example, a shirt or blouse) comprises a collar  20  and a placket  40  extending therefrom, permitting a user to don the garment with substantial ease. Preferably, the placket extends the entire length of the shirt, but it may also extend only a portion of the shirt. Indeed, in embodiments where the placket extends only a portion of the shirt, it is preferable that the placket extends the upper portion of the shirt, as defined by the user&#39;s chest area while in use. 
         [0018]    The placket comprises a top piece  42  that overlays a bottom piece  44 , the bottom piece having a plurality of spaced apart exposed buttons  46  for removably engaging correspondingly spaced apart button holes  48  of the top piece. Thus, the top and bottom pieces may be disengaged so that the user may easily don the shirt, and then reengaged to close the shirt. In some embodiments, the collar may also include one or more collar buttons  22  and corresponding button holes  24 . Importantly, the exposed buttons and the collar buttons, when engaged with their respective button holes, are exposed through the button holes of the top piece and therefore are plainly visible to an observer. 
         [0019]    The plurality of buttons includes at least a first and a second button, and corresponding button holes. The first button is the button located closest to the collar, while the second button is the next closest. Neither the first nor the second button is located on the collar. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the placket further comprises a hidden portion  50  located between the first and second button holes and consisting of a fly-front for concealing an intermediate button  56  when the shirt is closed. In some embodiments, the intermediate button has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the first and second buttons. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the hidden portion consists of the top piece  52  ( 42 ) overlaying an intermediate piece  51  between the first and second buttons (or button holes) so as to form a pocket therebetween. A hidden button hole (not shown) is preferably located on the intermediate piece for removably engaging the intermediate button. However, the top piece preferably lacks a corresponding button hole for the intermediate button and therefore covers the engaged hidden button from view. The top and intermediate pieces may overlay the bottom piece  54  ( 44 ), which includes the intermediate button, so as to permit the intermediate button to engage the hidden button hole as described herein. In at least one embodiment, the hidden portion does not extend beyond the first and second button holes and is located solely therebetween. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, only a single hidden portion  51  is provided. The hidden  51  portion may be located at the mid-point between the first and second buttons  46 , and may consist of a strip of placket material (i.e., the intermediate piece  51 ), preferably cloth, affixed at either longitudinal ends  61  and  62  to the inner surface of the top piece. 
         [0023]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , a three-button polo shirt  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The polo shirt  100  can include either long or short sleeves and can be made of the following materials: 100% cotton, 95% cotton/5% spandex, 96% cotton/4% spandex, 92% polyester/8% spandex, and/or 94% polyester/6% spandex. The polo shirt  100  includes a collar  110  and a collar button  120  located on the front of the shirt  100  just below the left collar opening. The polo shirt  100  further includes a placket, having a bottom piece  125  and top piece  126 , that runs a portion of the length of the shirt  100 , long enough to accommodate a first button  130  below the collar button  120 , and a second button  140  located below the first button  130 . In one embodiment, the second button  140  is located approximately 3.75 inches from the first button  130 , on the bottom placket  125 , measured at the center of each button. Further, the second button  140  is located approximately 1.75 inches above the seam  150  of the placket pieces  125 / 126 , which is located just above the end  160  of the placket  125 / 126 . Each button on the bottom placket  125  may have a corresponding button hole on the top placket  126 . For instance, collar button  120  may have a corresponding button hole located at  122 . The first button  130  has a corresponding button hole  132  located on the top placket  126 . Likewise, the second button  140  has a corresponding button hole  142 , also located on the top placket  126 . 
         [0024]    As with the previous embodiment, there&#39;s also a hidden button  135  for optimal wear, hidden in between the first button  130  and second button  140 . Turning to  FIG. 4 , what is shown is the three-button shirt  100  with the hidden button  135  revealed. The hidden button  135  is located on bottom placket  125 , in between the first button  130  and second button  140  at approximately the midpoint. Further, the hidden button  135  is smaller in size than the first button  130  and second button  140 . On the top placket  126 , there is a hidden placket strip  137 , that forms a button hole  138  for the hidden button  135 . The hidden placket strip  137  has ends that are attached underneath the top placket  126 . Note that the hidden button  135  could be located underneath the top placket  126 , and the hidden placket strip  137  could be attached to the bottom placket  125  in alternative embodiments. This attachment could also be in the form of Velcro, snap button, and other types of fasteners. 
         [0025]    Turning to  FIG. 5 , a four-button polo shirt  200  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The polo shirt  200  can include either long or short sleeves. The polo shirt  100  can include either long or short sleeves and can be made of the following materials: 100% cotton, 95% cotton/5% spandex, 96% cotton/4% spandex, 92% polyester/8% spandex, and/or 94% polyester/6% spandex. The polo shirt  200  includes a collar  210  and a collar button  220  located on the front of the shirt  200  just below the left collar opening. The polo shirt  200  further includes a placket, having a bottom piece  225  and top piece  226 , that runs a portion of the length of the shirt  200 , long enough to accommodate a first button  230  below the collar button  220 , a second button  240  located below the first button  230 , and a third button  270  located below the second button  240 . In one embodiment, the first button  230  is located approximately 60 millimeters from the collar button  220  on the bottom placket  225 , measured at the center of each button. The second button  240  is located approximately 50 millimeters from the first button  230 . Further, the third button  270  is located approximately 50 millimeters from the second button  240  and approximately 33 millimeters above the seam  250  of the placket pieces  225 / 226 , which are located just above the end  260  of the placket  225 / 226 . Each button on the bottom placket  225  may have a corresponding button hole on the top placket  226 . For example, collar button  220  may have a corresponding button hole located at  222 . The first button  230  has a corresponding button hole  232  located on the top placket  226 . Likewise, the second button  240  has a corresponding button hole  242 . Finally, the third button  270  has a corresponding button hole  272 . 
         [0026]    As with the previous embodiment, there&#39;s also a hidden button  235  for optimal wear, hidden in between the first button  230  and second button  240 . Turning to  FIG. 6 , what is shown is the four-button shirt  200  with the hidden button  235  revealed. The hidden button  235  is located on bottom placket  225 , in between the first button  230  and second button  240  at approximately the midpoint. Further, the hidden button  235  is smaller in size than the first button  230  and second button  240 . On the top placket  226 , there is a hidden placket strip  237 , that forms a button hole  238  for the hidden button  235 . The hidden placket strip  237  has ends that are attached underneath the top placket  226 . Note that the hidden button  235  could be located underneath the top placket  226 , and the hidden placket strip  237  could be attached to the bottom placket  225  in alternative embodiments. This attachment could also be in the form of Velcro, snap button, and other types of fasteners. 
         [0027]    The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the invention and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element. 
         [0028]    The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. 
         [0029]    Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas. 
         [0030]    The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the named inventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented.