Abstract:
The present invention relates to a dress shirt adapted with buttonholes and brackets for use with decorative fasteners, such as cufflinks, to keep the collar in place.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is a Continuation-in-Part application claiming benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/013,067 filed Feb. 2, 2016, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/191,753 filed Jul. 13, 2015. The subject matter of that application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a dress shirt with a collar that allows for use of decorative fasteners or cuff-links for use to keep the collar in place. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Collared dress shirts have been a wardrobe staple for decades but with wear the ends of the collars often roll up or under or turn unevenly. Men&#39;s dress shirts often come with a small button that attaches through a buttonhole on the corner of the collar to hold the collar down. However, these buttons are often lost quickly, are not interchangeable and often do not complement formal or semi-formal attire. Collar stays, also called collar tabs or collar stiffeners, are flat, rigid pieces of metal or plastic that are inserted into special pockets on the underside of a collared dress shirt. They may either be sewn in or removable. These collar stays are often difficult to insert and can be damaged or lost when the shirt is washed. Collar stays can also cause impressions on the collar when the shirt is ironed. 
         [0004]    Cufflinks are used to secure shirt cuffs and are designed to be used with cuffs that have buttonholes but no buttons. They are an acceptable decorative fashion accessory. However, due to placement on the cuffs of a shirt, they are rarely seen or appreciated. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, the object of this invention is to provide a shirt with a novel collar system wherein decorative fasteners, such as cufflinks, can be used to keep the collar in place. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides for a dress shirt wherein the collar has been adapted to provide a method of keeping the collar in place with decorative fasteners, such as cufflinks. A dress shirt typically comprises a collar leaf, which is the part of the collar that folds over, a collar band that is attached to the shirt at the front panels and the yolk by a seam. The shirt of the present invention further comprises a set of buttonholes and brackets to receive the fastening device used to keep the collar in place. 
         [0007]    In a preferred embodiment, the shirt comprises two sets of two buttonholes, one set on each side of the collar. In this embodiment, within each set of buttonholes, one buttonhole, the “upper”, is located on the collar leaf and the other, the “lower”, is located on the shirt front right below the seam below the shirt front. The buttonholes may be horizontal or vertical to the seam. 
         [0008]    The shirt further comprises two sets of brackets corresponding to each set of buttonholes. Each set of brackets comprises two brackets wherein the lower buttonhole is located in between the two brackets. The brackets may be fabric, elastic, metallic, or plastic and are affixed directly to the shirt. The brackets may be affixed by sewing, gluing, or any other method to affix the bracket to the shirt. In a preferred embodiment, both sets of brackets are secured to the outside of the shirt. However, in alternative embodiments, both sets of brackets may be secured to the inside of the shirt or there may be four sets of brackets wherein two sets are secured to the inside of the shirt and two sets are secured to the outside the shirt. 
         [0009]    In a further embodiment, the lower buttonhole is located on the front panel and is parallel to the seam and one bracket is located below the buttonhole and the other bracket is located above the buttonhole on the collar band. It is understood that the buttonholes and brackets may be located vertically or horizontally depending upon the size and shape of the shirt collar. 
         [0010]    In a preferred embodiment, the fastening device used to keep the collar in place is a decorative cufflink. The decorative cufflink may be a “double-panel” cufflink, wherein a short post or chain connects two decorative disc-shaped parts, a “swivel-bar” cufflink, wherein a decorative face is connected by a chain or post to a swivel bar, or any other type of cufflink. The cufflink is placed through the upper buttonhole such that the decorative face of the cufflink is located on the outside of the collar leaf. In one embodiment, wherein a swivel-bar cufflink is used the swivel bar may be secured to the shirt by the brackets or through the lower buttonhole. In another embodiment, wherein a double-panel cufflink is used, the second panel may be secured to the shirt by the brackets or through the lower buttonhole. It is understood that any similar fastening device may be used. 
         [0011]    Other aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and accompanying drawings, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic of the present invention showing the embodiment wherein the brackets are attached to the inside of the shirt and the alternative embodiment wherein the brackets are attached to the outside of the shirt. In this schematic representation, the fastening devices to keep the collar in place have not been attached to the collar. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic of the present invention wherein a swivel bar cufflink has been used to keep the collar in place. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of the present invention wherein a double panel cufflink has been used to keep the collar in place. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention wherein shirt  5  comprises right front panel  22 , left front panel  15 , collar band  4 , collar leaf  1  and a seam  14  affixing collar band  4  to right front panel  22  and left front panel  5 . The collar leaf  1  comprises right collar leaf buttonhole  6  on the right side  2  of collar leaf  1  and left collar leaf buttonhole  7  on the left side  3  of collar leaf  1 . Left front panel buttonhole  9  is located on left front panel  15  just below seam  14 . Right front panel buttonhole  8  is located on right front panel  22  just below seam  14 . First left side bracket  10  is located above seam  14  on collar band  4  and above left front panel buttonhole  9  and second left side bracket  11  is located on left shirt panel  15  below left front panel buttonhole  9  representing an embodiment wherein the first and second left side brackets ( 10  and  11 ) are affixed to the outside  23  of shirt  5 . Left front panel buttonhole  9  is in between first left side bracket  10  and second left side bracket  11 . Right front panel buttonhole  8  is located on right shirt front  22  just below seam  14 . First right side bracket  12  is located above seam  14  on collar band  4  and above right front panel buttonhole  8  and second right side bracket  13  is located on right front panel  22  below right front panel buttonhole  8  representing an alternative embodiment wherein the first and second right side brackets ( 12  and  13 ) are on the inside  24  of shirt  5 . Right front panel buttonhole  8  is in between first right side bracket  12  and second right side bracket  13 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention wherein swivel bar cufflink  16  has been placed through left collar leaf buttonhole  7  (not visible) such that the decorative top  19  of swivel bar cufflink  16  lays on the left side  3  of collar leaf  1 . The swivel bar  18  of swivel bar cufflink  16  is secured to collar band  4  by first left side bracket  10  and to left front panel  15  by second left bracket  11 . Not shown in  FIG. 2  is right side collar leaf  2  would be held in place in a similar fashion using first right side bracket  12  and second right side bracket  13 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention wherein double panel cufflink  17  has been placed through left collar leaf buttonhole  7  (not visible) such that the decorative top  20  of double panel cufflink  17  lays on the left side  3  of collar leaf  1 . The bottom  21  of double panel cufflink  17  is placed through left front panel buttonhole  9 . Not shown in  FIG. 3  is right side collar leaf  2  would be held in place in a similar fashion using right front panel buttonhole  8 .