US2722011A - Maternity slip - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 1, 1955 C. D. MAINES MATERNITY SLIP Filed March 2, 1953 INVENTOR Cai'lzarzkze D. Mainar ATTORNEYS United States Patent 'MATERNITYSL'IP IIatharinesD. Maines,l=Knoxville, Tenn.

ApplicationMarh.2,.1953, .SeriailNo. 339,7 85

31]la'ims. .(Cl."Q--76) .This invention .relates .to .maternity garments, and is particularlyzdirected toashadowproof slipfor wear duringpregnancy.

The principal object of :the present invention is .to provide .a novel form of maternity slip which not only can be .worn with comfort, but also will present a neat appearance, .throughout -.the ,period of pregnancy.

Other :objects include 'the .provision of an improved garment .of -the :characterdescribed -which-is of simple, attractive design and economical .to .manufacture, and which automatically adjusts itself to the changing size and shapewlof the body of the wearer'as pregnancy increases.

The maternity slip of the present invention is characterized by the-incorporationof a 'fioating inner panel of novel construction which will remain in a frontal position, with --a substantially-even hemline, regardless of the extent to which -the-outer portion of the slip may ride up or otherwise become distorted as the figure-of thewearer ehanges-during pregnancy. The central portion of the panel below the waistline is cut out to avoid uncomfortable restriction of the abdomen, but the remainder of the panel is of suflicient area to provide security against unbecoming shadows when the slip is worn beneath a sheer dress.

These and other advantages features of the improved garment of the present invention will appear more fully upon consideration of the detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention which follows. Although only one specific form of slip is described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it is to be expressly understood that this drawing is exemplary only and is not intended to represent the full scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a maternity slip embodying the present invention as it would appear when worn during early pregnancy;

Figs. 2 and 3 are front and side views, respectively, of the garment of Fig. l as it would appear when worn during late pregnancy;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the skirt portion of the slip of Figs. 1-3 with the slip turned inside out so as to better illustrate the construction of the inner panel and its method of attachment to the outer body of the slip;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the skirt portion of the slip corresponding to Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the shadow panel of the slip of Figs. 1-5 as it. would appear prior to attachment to the outer body of the slip; and

Fig. 7 is an enlargement of the upper left-hand portion of Fig. 4 showing in greater detail the connections between the inner panel and the outer body of the slip.

As shown in the drawing, the maternity slip of the present invention comprises an outer body 10 having a top portion 11 and a skirt portion 12 which are united ICC at the waistline 13, and an .innerpanel 14 which extends downwardly behind [the frontal area of skirt-portion .12 .so as .to .guard .against (the .creation :of unbecoming shadows when the slip .-is wornunderneath a thin .dress. .Since the characteristics of .the .outer body .10 .of .the .slip, .other than .the connections .between it .and .inner .panel 14, .formmo part .of the .present .iinvention, .said outerbodyma y beoftanydesiredcut, pattern or design, and may he .made .of any .suitable .material. The mate- .rial from which .inner ,panel 14 'is made and the relative size .and shape .of :said ,panel :are likewise .matters of choice, although the ,panel .should .be :long enough .to extend downwardly to about the :lower .edge of :skirt portion .12 .of .outer body .10 when :the wearer .is -.in the early stages .of pregnancy, and .should be wide .enough to substantially span .the hips.

The upper .central portion .of ,panel .14 .is .cut out .to .providea U-shaped opening .15.of SllfllClEIlt-ISlZC .to .ac- .commodate the abdomen of -.the wearer, particularly that portion .thereof which becomes enlarged and proitrudes :during ,pregnancy. The :upper edge portions .16 of .panel 14 on :oppositesides :of opening 15 .are .sewn to outer body '10 by :stitching .17 :at or closely-adjacent waistline 13, these sewn .connections constituting .the only direct attachment of thepanel to the outer body of the slip. .In.order thatthe'slip maybe worn with comfort "throughoutithe period of pregnancy and automaticallyadjus't itself to the 'changing'waistline of the wearer, the sewntogether portions of panel "14 "and outer "body --1'0 are gathered into pleats "as indicated "at *18 and elastic members were sewn to the pleated areas, preferably at the'inner face *o'f the panel. If=de'sired, the waistline areas at: outer body 10 =immediately =adjaeent *upper edge portions 1 6: of panel 1'4 may also be :gathered into pleats by extensions of elastic members 19, as shown.

The side edges 20 and lower edge 21 of panel 14 depend freely from the upper edge portions 16 which are sewn to outer body 10, but means are provided for maintaining the panel in its proper frontal position, with a substantially even lower hemline, regardless of the position of outer body 10. To this end, each side edge 20 of panel 14 is connected at vertically spaced points therealong to the overlying portion of outer body 10 by a plurality of flexible tape-like elements 22, each of said tapes being sewn or otherwise attached at one end to the side edge of the panel and at its other end to the inner face of the outer body, the portion of each tape intermediate its ends being unattached to either the panel or the outer body.

As shown best in Figs. 4 and 6, tapes 22 are graduated in length between the upper and lower edges of panel 14, the upper pair of tapes being relatively short, on the order of about one inch in length, while the lowermost pair may be three or more inches long. The tapes 22 not only maintain the panel 14 in laterally spread position at all times, but also permit it to hang straight even when the outer body 10 rides up. In order to present an attractive appearance when the outer body of the slip pulls up in front and forms an uneven hemline, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, the lower edge 21 of panel 14 is preferably provided with a suitable decorative finish or trimming 23.

With a maternity slip of this construction, it will be evident that the floating character of inner panel 14, including the tape-like connecting elements 22, will enable the panel to maintain a properly centered, evenly hanging position throughout the period of pregnancy, the U-shaped opening 15 permitting the abdomen of the wearer to increase in size and protrude without affecting the position of the panel, even though the outer body of the slip becomes distorted in shape. The pleated, elastic-backed connections between the upper edge portions of the panel and outer body 10 also assist in maintaining a neat appearance of the slip and provide a comfortable, automatic adjustment of the waistline area as the size and shape of the body of the wearer change.

While only one specific form of maternity slip embodying the invention has been described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it will be obvious that the inventive concept is not limited to the particular garment shown, but is capable of embodiment in a variety of specifically diflerent patterns and designs. Various changes, which will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A maternity slip comprising an outer body having top and skirt portion united at the waistline adapted to cover the body of the wearer to substantially the same extent as a conventional slip, an inner panel extending downwardly behind the frontal area only of the skirt portion of said outer body to a point adjacent the lower edge of said skirt portion and having an upper edge sewn to said outer body at the waistline and side and lower edges depending freely from said upper edge and said body portion, said panel having an opening in the central portion thereof of sufiicient size to accommodate the abdomen of the wearer, expansible means for adjusting the waistline portion of said outer body and the attached upper edge of said panel to the changing size and shape of the body of the wearer, and a plurality of vertically spaced flexible elements connecting each side edge of said panel to said outer body, each of said elements being secured at one end to one side edge of said panel and at the other end of said outer body, and having an intermediate portion between its ends which is 4 free of connection to either said panel or said outer body.

2. A maternity slip as defined in claim 1 wherein the lengths of said flexible elements increase progressively between the upper and lower edges of said panel.

3. A maternity slip comprising an outer body having top and skirt portions united at the waistline adapted to cover the body of the wearer to substantially the same extent as a conventional slip, an inner panel extending downwardly behind the frontal area only of the skirt portion of said outer body, said panel having a U- shaped opening in the upper central portion thereof of sufiicient size to accommodate the abdomen of the wearer, said panel having upper edge portions on opposite sides of said opening sewn to said outer body at the waistline and side and lower edges depending freely from said upper edge portions and said body portion, elastic members connected to the sewn together portions of said panel and outer body at the waistline for gathering said portions into pleats, and a plurality of vertically spaced flexible elements connecting each side edge of said panel to said outer body, each of said elements being secured at one end to one side edge of said panel and at the other end to said outer body, and having an intermediate portion between its ends which is free of connection to either said panel or said outer body, the lengths of said flexible elements increasing progressively between the upper and lower edges of said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,372,977 Prokesch Mar. 29, 1921 1,432,249 Hoyme Oct. 17, 1922 2,014,620 Hunley Sept. 17, 1935 2,255,697 Cohn Sept. 9, 1941 2,472,154 Fiorito June 7, 1949 2,642,575 Prescott June 23, 1953

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