Improvements in or connected with Ladies' Costumes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 31st Dec., 1895-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Ladies' Costumes.
We, JOHN NOBLE LIMITED, of Piccadilly, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Costume Manufacturers, and HALLE PEARSON, High Crook, Bardon
Mill, in the County of Northumberland, Spinster, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed to provide a ladies' costume having an ordinary
appearance but capable of being converted at will into a costume specially adapted
for cycling golfing mountaineering or athletic pursuits and which can instantaneously
be readjusted to the appearance of an ordinary gown.
It consists of knickerbockers bodice and cape or cloak the cape or cloak being
so constructed as to be capable of being instantaneously converted into a skirt
of the ordinary promenade appearance."
In carrying out the invention the convertible cape or cloak is preferably con-
structed of two parts connected together by a waist band fastened round the waist
and further so looped or buttoned together that arm boles are formed through
which the arms are passed to adjust and secure it to the shoulders of the wearer.
Thus the garment whilst being fastened round the waist and falling gracefully
from the shoulders will upon the withdrawal of the arms immediately adjust itself
as an ordinary promenade skirt.
"
The garment may be constructed in two three or more pieces and although two
are considered sufficient as giving the most artistic results it may be made all in
one piece with a central or diagonal opening and with slits or the like at the sides
to form arm holes.
The openings may be made straight diagonal waved vandyked or in other shapes
to answer the same purposes and are connected together as required for the
particular arrangement of wear desired by buttons loops tabs hooks stitches clasps
or other fastening devices.
The knickerbockers and bodice may be made in any suitable shape according to
the fancy of the wearer either detached or attached to the waist band of the cape
or cloak.
Dated this 5th day of April 1895
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
Improvements in or connected with Ladies Costumes.
We, JOHN NOBLE LIMITED, of Piccadilly, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Costume Manufacturers, and HALLE PEARSON, of High Crook, Bardon
Mill, in the County of Northumberland, Spinster, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention is designed to provide a ladies' costume having an ordinary
appearance but capable of being converted at will into a costume specially adapted

page_text: for cycling, golfing, mountaineering or athletic pursuits and which can instan-
taneously be readjusted to the appearance of an ordinary gown.
It consists of knickerbockers, bodice and cape or cloak the cape or cloak being
so constructed as to be capable of being instantaneously converted into a skirt
of the ordinary promenade appearance.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Front view showing the costume worn as a cape looped over the shoulders
leaving the legs free.
Fig. 2. Side view of same.
Fig. 3. Side view showing the cape worn as a skirt.
The convertible cape or cloak is constructed of two parts a front part A and a
back part B attached to and connected together by a waistband D to be fastened
round the waist of the wearer. The back and front parts A and B are connected
together by an adjustable tab C (or by buttons hooks or otherwise) so that arm
holes or apertures a through which the arms can be passed are formed and by
which the garment is secured and adjusted to the shoulders of the wearer. The
shape of the front part A and the back part B are such that the garment as thus
fastened (see Figs. 1 and 2) falls gracefully from the shoulders and upon the with-
drawal of the arms will immediately fall and adjust itself as an ordinary promenade
skirt. (See Fig. 3.)
At present we prefer to construct the garment of the two parts A and B one to
the front and the other to the back both being secured to the single waist band, it
may however be made of three or more parts or pieces attached to waist band
the division between the parts being placed at such places as will give the desired
results or appearances.
Further it may all be made in one piece with or without a vertical or diagonal
opening in the front and be provided at each side with apertures, slits or the like
to form arm holes through which the arms would be passed to raise the garment to
fall from the shoulders.
The parts of the garment when worn as a promenade skirt as in Fig. 3 are
connected together by buttons c or other fastening devices such as loops, tabs,
hooks, stitches, clasps or the like and the edges may be made straight, diagonal,
waved, vandyked or in other shape as desired.
The knickerbockers E and bodice F may be made in any suitable shape according
to the fancy of the wearer either detached or attached to the waist band D of the
cape or cloak.
>
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A costume for ladies' wear with a cape or cloak so constructed so as to be
used either as a cape or cloak or as a promenade skirt and capable of being
converted from the one into the other while in wear at the will of the wearer
substantially as described.
2. A costume comprising in combination the front part A, the back part B
and waist band D forming a cape or cloak-capable of being converted into a skirt
and vice versa, the knickerbockers E and bodice F substantially as described and
shown.
Dated this 19th day of December 1895
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.