Foldover Lower Abdominal Shaping Garment

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/641,217, filed May 1, 2024, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/641,237, filed May 1, 2024, which are each incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

This application relates to the field of shapewear, and specifically to a garment with lower abdominal shaping. Consumers are demanding shapewear which mitigates the prominence or appearance of the lower abdomen and lower back. Outer shapewear garments such as shorts, pants, or skirts with shaping components are fashionable and desirable for the convenience of lower abdominal and lower back shaping without needing to wear a separate shaping undergarment. Such garments are often tightly form-fitting to give the wearer the desired shaping effect.

Existing shapewear garments, however, present problems due to the tightness and construction of the garment. Shapewear has to be stiff and tight enough that it can constrict the wearer's lower abdomen to provide a shaping effect. At the same time, it must be more durable and flexible than most garments, particularly around the waist, since it will be significantly stretched when the wearer puts on and takes off the garment. The waistband of the garment can dig into the wearer's waist, causing discomfort and sometimes creating a pinched shape at the wearer's waist.

A need therefore exists for shapewear with improved shaping components. Accordingly, a solution that addresses the above-mentioned shortcomings is desired and provided herein.

Disclosed herein is a lower body garment with a foldover lower abdominal shaping region. A part of the garment is folded inwardly at the waist to create a folded two-layer region covering the wearer's abdomen. The two-layer region will be stiffer than the rest of the garment, providing a shaping effect across the two-layer region while maintaining the flexibility of the remainder of the garment. Advantageously, the folded two-layer region creates a smooth shaping effect all the way up to the waistline of the garment while removing ridges, seams, and separate elastic bands that can dig into the wearer's abdomen.

In an aspect, provided is a lower body garment for shaping an abdominal area of a wearer, including an anterior portion including an abdominal region and an anterior leg region, and a posterior portion including a buttocks region and a posterior leg region. The abdominal region can include a front folded edge defined at least partially by a front continuous portion folded over at a waistline of the wearer to create a front two-layer portion. Both layers of the front two-layer portion can be seamlessly coupled together.

In some aspects, the anterior portion and the posterior can be formed continuously from a same piece of fabric.

In some aspects, both layers of the front two-layer portion can be bonded together. In some such aspects, both layers of the front two-layer portion can be bonded together across an entire area of the front two-layer portion.

In some aspects, the front two-layer portion can extend across the abdominal region between a left side seam and a right side seam.

In some aspects, the front two-layer portion can cover the abdominal area of the wearer from the front folded edge to below a navel of the wearer.

In some aspects, the anterior leg region and the posterior leg region can be formed together as a skirt. In some such aspects, the front continuous portion can be a front upper portion of the skirt, and the front continuous portion can be seamlessly coupled to a front inner surface of a short disposed underneath the skirt, thereby securing the short to the skirt.

In other aspects, the anterior leg region and the posterior leg region can be formed together as pants or shorts. In some such aspects, the front continuous portion can be an upper portion of the anterior portion, and the front continuous portion can be seamlessly coupled to a front inner surface of the abdominal region.

In some aspects, the lower body garment can further include a crotch area disposed between the anterior portion and the posterior portion, a left leg portion, and a right leg portion. The left leg portion and the right leg portion can extend inferiorly from the crotch area.

In some aspects, each of the left leg portion and the right leg portion can further include an inseam. A proximal end of each inseam can begin at the crotch area. A distal end of each inseam can extend laterally towards a shin of the wearer and can end at a bottom edge of each of the left leg portion and the right leg portion. The distal end of each inseam can be at least partially split from the bottom edge of each of the left leg portion and the right leg portion.

In some aspects, the front two-layer portion can cover the abdominal area of the wearer from the front folded edge to the crotch area.

In some aspects, the lower body garment can further include a skirt disposed over and coupled to the lower body garment.

In some aspects, the buttocks region can include a rear folded edge defined at least partially by a rear continuous portion folded over at a waistline of the wearer to create a rear two-layer portion.

In some aspects, both layers of the rear two-layer portion can be bonded together. In some such aspects, both layers of the rear two-layer portion can be bonded together across an entire area of the rear two-layer portion.

In some aspects, the rear two-layer portion can extend across the buttocks region between a left side seam and a right side seam.

In some aspects, the rear two-layer portion can cover a lower back area of the wearer from the rear folded edge to above a buttocks of the wearer. In other aspects, the lower body garment can further include a crotch area disposed between the anterior portion and the posterior portion, and the rear two-layer portion can cover a lower back and buttocks area of the wearer from the rear folded edge to the crotch area.

In some aspects, the anterior leg region and the posterior leg region and formed together as a skirt, the rear continuous portion can be a rear upper portion of the skirt, and the rear continuous portion can be seamlessly coupled to a rear inner surface of a short disposed underneath the skirt, thereby securing the short to the skirt.

In some aspects, the front two-layer portion and the rear two-layer portion can be formed continuously from a same piece of fabric.

In another aspect, provided is a lower body garment for shaping an abdominal area of a wearer, including an anterior portion including an abdominal region and an anterior leg region, a posterior portion including a buttocks region and a posterior leg region, and a crotch area disposed between the anterior portion and the posterior portion. The abdominal region can include a front folded edge defined at least partially by a front continuous portion folded over at a waistline of the wearer to create a front two-layer portion. The front two-layer portion can extend from the front folded edge to the crotch area.

In some aspects, the anterior portion and the posterior portion can be formed continuously from a same piece of fabric.

In some aspects, both layers of the front two-layer portion can be seamlessly coupled together. In some such aspects, both layers of the front two-layer portion can be bonded together. In some aspects, both layers of the front two-layer portion can be bonded together across an entire area of the front two-layer portion.

In some aspects, the front two-layer portion can extend across the abdominal region between a left side seam and a right side seam.

In some aspects, the anterior leg region and the posterior leg region can be formed together as a skirt, the front continuous portion can be a front upper portion of the skirt, and the front continuous portion can be seamlessly coupled to a front inner surface of a short disposed underneath the skirt, thereby securing the short to the skirt. The front two-layer portion can extend from the front folded edge to a crotch area of the short.

In other aspects, the anterior leg region and the posterior leg region can be formed together as pants or shorts. In some such aspects, the front continuous portion can be an upper portion of the anterior portion, and the front continuous portion can be seamlessly coupled to a front inner surface of the abdominal region.

In some aspects, the lower body garment can further include a left leg portion and a right leg portion. The left leg portion and the right leg portion can extend inferiorly from the crotch area.

Each of the left leg portion and the right leg portion can further include an inseam. A proximal end of each inseam can begin at the crotch area. A distal end of each inseam can extend laterally towards a shin of the wearer and end at a bottom edge of each of the left leg portion and the right leg portion. The distal end of each inseam can be at least partially split from the bottom edge of each of the left leg portion and the right leg portion.

In some aspects, the lower body garment can further include a skirt disposed over and coupled to the lower body garment.

In some aspects, the buttocks region can include a rear folded edge defined at least partially by a rear continuous portion folded over at a waistline of the wearer to create a rear two-layer portion.

In some aspects, both layers of the rear two-layer portion can be seamlessly coupled together. In some such aspects, both layers of the rear two-layer portion can be bonded together. In some such aspects, both layers of the rear two-layer portion can be bonded together across an entire area of the rear two-layer portion.

In some aspects, the rear two-layer portion can extend across the buttocks region between a left side seam and a right side seam.

In some aspects, the rear two-layer portion can cover a lower back area of the wearer from the rear folded edge to above a buttocks of the wearer. In other aspects, the rear two-layer portion can cover a lower back and buttocks area of the wearer from the rear folded edge to the crotch area.

In some aspects, the anterior leg region and the posterior leg region can be formed together as a skirt, and the posterior portion can be folded inward at the waistline of the wearer and coupled to a rear inner surface of a short disposed underneath the skirt, thereby securing the short to the skirt and forming the rear two-layer portion having the front folded edge. In some such aspects, the rear two-layer portion can extend from the rear folded edge to a crotch area of the short.

In some aspects, the front two-layer portion and the rear two-layer portion can be formed continuously from a same piece of fabric.

In yet another aspect, provided is a method of making a lower body garment, including joining one or more pieces of fabric together to form an anterior portion and a posterior portion, wherein the anterior portion and the posterior portion can be laterally interconnected to form an encircling garment; folding down the anterior portion inwardly, thereby forming a front folded portion; and seamlessly coupling the front folded portion to a front inner surface of the anterior portion.

In some aspects, the encircling garment can be formed as a skirt, the rear continuous portion can be a rear upper portion of the skirt, and the rear continuous portion can be coupled to a rear inner surface of a short disposed underneath the skirt, thereby securing the short to the skirt.

In some aspects, the method can further include folding down the posterior portion inwardly, thereby forming a rear folded portion; and seamlessly coupling the rear folded portion to a rear inner surface of the posterior portion.

In some aspects, the encircling garment can be formed as a skirt, and the posterior portion of the skirt can be folded down inwardly and seamlessly coupled to a rear inner surface of a short disposed underneath the skirt, thereby securing the short to the skirt.

This description below refers to certain aspects of the garment relative to other aspects of the garment or to the body of a wearer. As used herein, superior indicates a direction that is closer to the wearer's head. Inferior indicates a direction that is closer to the wearer's feet. Upward, upper, or uppermost indicates a superior direction, or toward a wearer's head. Downward, lower, or lowermost indicates an inferior direction, or toward a wearer's feet. The longitudinal direction refers to an axis extending between the superior and inferior edges of the garment, or between the wearer's head and feet. Lateral indicates a positioning that is closer to the sides of the wearer. Medial indicates a positioning that is farther from the sides of the wearer. Anterior indicates a positioning closer to the front of a wearer. Posterior indicates a positioning closer to the back of a wearer. The terms right and left are in reference to the wearer's body. Some of the figures may include the letters R and L as right and left directional indicators.

The following description of certain examples of the inventive concepts should not be used to limit the scope of the claims. Other examples, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description. As will be realized, the device and/or methods are capable of other different and obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit of the inventive concepts. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

For purposes of this description, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the aspects of this disclosure are described herein. The described methods, systems, and apparatus should not be construed as limiting in any way. Instead, the present disclosure is directed toward all novel and nonobvious features and aspects of the various disclosed embodiments, alone and in various combinations and sub-combinations with one another. The disclosed methods, systems, and apparatus are not limited to any specific aspect, feature, or combination thereof, nor do the disclosed methods, systems, and apparatus require that any one or more specific advantages be present or problems be solved.

Although the operations of exemplary aspects of the disclosed method may be described in a particular, sequential order for convenient presentation, it should be understood that disclosed aspects can encompass an order of operations other than the particular, sequential order disclosed. For example, operations described sequentially may in some cases be rearranged or performed concurrently. Further, descriptions and disclosures provided in association with one particular aspect or implementation are not limited to that aspect or implementation, and may be applied to any aspect or implementation disclosed. It will understood that various changes and additional variations may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention or the inventive concept thereof. Certain aspects and features of any given aspect may be translated to other aspects described herein. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or device to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular implementations disclosed herein, but that the invention will include all implementations falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, chemical moieties, or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing aspects. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

It should be appreciated that any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. The terms “about” and “approximately” are defined as being “close to” as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In one non-limiting aspect the terms are defined to be within 10%. In another non-limiting aspect, the terms are defined to be within 5%. In still another non-limiting aspect, the terms are defined to be within 1%.

“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.