US2324371A - Maternity dress - Google Patents

Description

July 3- c. B. bEICHERT 2,324,371

MATERNITY DRESS Filed Dec. 13, 1940 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 L L 62150 BY INVENTOR. 5. flf/CHERT y 1943. c. a. DEICHERT 71 MATERNITY DRESS Filed Dec. 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I /7 INVENTOR,

C250 5. OE/CA [RT Patented July 1 3, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE Application December 3.1940, Serial No. 389,934

3 Claims.

My invention relates to dresses for general use, although it has particular reference to dresses for maternity use, in that it can be readily and conveniently expanded or enlarged to compensate for the development of the wearer.

While it is recognized that maternity dresses heretofore have been designed with plaits and panels permitting circumferential enlargement of the bodice and skirt, and adjusting means at the waist for holding the plaits in the required positions of adjustment, they have all failed in one manner or another to attain the requisite circumferential enlargement of the dress without elevating or lowering the skirt at one point or another so that it hangs unevenly andthereby accentuates the abnormal condition of the wearer. Also, with maternity dresses as heretofore proposed, they are undesirable for the rea son that an enlargement thereof cannot be secured without an excessive bodice enlargement at the bust covering area thereof in comparison to the skirt enlargement necessary to compensate for the increase in size of the abdomen of the wearer.

In consequence, the bodice is rendered ill-fitting and what slenderizing effect the dress may have had, is destroyed.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a maternity dress which is characterized by having a plurality of panels preferably in the front of the dress, and intervening plaits all of which ex tend the entire length of the dress and decrease in width from the bottom of the skirt to the top of the bodice, with suitable adjusting means for the plaits, whereby expanding adjustments of the dress may be effected and maintained without elevating or lowering the skirt at any point circumferentially thereof, while maintaining the panel form of the dress front so as to preserve the slenderizing effect produced by such panels.

A further purpose of my invention is the provision of a maternity dress which, while securing the advantages above set forth, achieves the additional advantage by reason of the particular taper of the plaits from end to end of the dress, of securing an enlarging adjustment of the bodice and dress in such ratio as to compensate for variation in development of the bust and abdomen of the wearer.

Another purpose of my invention is the provision of a maternity dress having a plurality of panels, and wherein the adjusting means for the intervening plaits is in the form of separable fasteners, parts of which are secured to the dress adjacent the edges of the panels, to coact with the other parts of the fasteners in maintaining the dress in multiple panel form in any adjustment of the plaits, thus at all timespreserving the slenderizing eflect produced by the multiple panels. a

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a maternity dress. having multiple panels and plaits as above described wherein the adjusting means for the plaits comprises a belt permanently secured to but movable inthe dress to adjust the plaits and adapted to be tied to maintain such adjustment.

I will describe only two forms of maternity dresses each embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in front elevation one form of maternity dress embodying my invention and wherein the dress is in its smallest position of circumferential adjustment. v

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the same dress in the largest position of circumferential adjustment.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the second form of maternity dress embodying my invention and in its smallest position of circumferentialadjustment.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the dress of Fig. 5 in its largest position of circumferential adjustment.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line i| of Fig. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

My invention in the embodiment shown in Figs.

,1 to 4, comprises a skirt S extending downwardly from a bodice or waist B, with the two made preferably in one piece. At the front of the dress the material is folded and stitched along its length to form a plurality of panels with intervening plaits, both of which extend from the bottom of the skirt to the top-of the bodice.

In the present form of dress there is a center panel P and two side panels Pf, P. In the present'instance, all panels are co-extended in length or top or the bodice.

with the front of the dress and gradually decrease in width from the bottom of the skirt to the neck As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the center panel P is disposed equidistantly on opposite sides of a median upright line or the dress front, with the panels P, P at opposite sides of the panel P. Thus, the several panels taper in form from the bottom of the skirt; 8 to the top of the bodice B.

By lines L, L of stitching, the panel P is from end to end made permanent as to width, while lines L, L' of stitching coact with the line stitching L, L to form the panels P, P.

The dress of Figs. 1 to 4 is also provided with plaits T and T which are coextensive in length with the panels P and P, there being two plaits T for the center panel P and on plait T' for each of the side panels P. These plaits T and T' are indicated in dash lines in Figs. 1 and 2 to distinguish them from the lines L and L' of stitching shown in dotted lines in the same figures.

By referring to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that the plaits T and T' are arranged between confronting sides of the panels P and P' and the adjacent parts of the dress.

The plaits T and T are provided primarily for the purpose of permitting enlargement of the dress throughout it entire length, but in such manner as to properly compensate for the diflerences in development of the abdomen and bust of the wearer. In other words, the plaits may be adjusted as to width of fold to cause the greater expansion or enlargement at the abdomen-covering portion thereof than at the bust-covering portion thereof. Such mode of adjustment of the dress is necessary to cause it to accommodate and properly fit the body of the wearer at all stages of the development of the wearer, and it will be understood that proportional increase in size of bust is less than that of the abdomen.

I accomplish this adjustment of the dress by making the plaits T and T tapered or graduated in width from end to end, they decreasing in width from the bottom edge of the skirt S to the neck of the bodice B, as shown by the dash lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, the plaits may be said to increase in width from the waist portion of the dress downwardly to the bottom edge of the skirt, and to decrease in width from the waist portion upwardly to the neck of the bodice.

By widening the plaits T and T as they proceed to the bottom of the skirt, reduction adjustments of the dress can be accomplished without elevating or lowering any part of the skirt, and thus the bottom edge of the skirt remains at the same level throughout while the wearer is standing or sitting. Reduction in width of the plaits from the waistline upwardly to the neckline permits maximum enlargement of the bodies at the bust area without producing any excessive fullness at the neckline. In this manner, a substantially uniform graduated taper of the panels P and P is maintained from bottom to top of the dress, thereby preserving that slenderizing eil'ect produced by the several panels.

The plaits T and T may be secured in two positions of adjustment as to width of fold, and the size of the dress varied accordingly. The present means for so securing the plaits are separable fasteners F secured to a band i5 of tape in the manner illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. This band i5 is secured to the inner side of the dress at the waistline thereof, with the separable fasteners projecting to the outer side of the dress. In the present instance, the fasteners employed are of the head and socket type, with th heads and sockets spaced along the band a illustrated. It will be noted that'the socket elements or the tasteners are secured to the panels P and P' adjacent to the lines or stitching L and L so that at either position of adjustment the dress will be held by the fasteners along the edges oi the pan els to maintain the tapered form of the latter. Thus, in no adjustment or the plaits i the to.- pered form or the panels lost, and in consequence, is maintained the slenderizing effect of the graduated multiple panels.

Referring now to Figs. 5-to 8, I have here shown another form of maternity dress embodying my invention, which, insofar as panels and plaits are concerned, is identical to the dress shown in the preceding figures. The plaits and panels bear the same reference characters, and manifestly provide identical advantages as to adjustability of the dress to compensate for maternal development 01' the wearer in the same manner as described in connection with the first form of dress. The only difference in the two forms of dress is the means for maintaining or holding the dress plaits in adjusted positions 0! fold.

In this second form of adjusting means I employ a belt A which, at its medial portion, is secured to the inner side of the dress at the waistline thereof by two longitudinal lines L of stitching. From opposite edges of the panel P the belt extends to the outer side of the dress through slits I6, [6, and at points beyond the latter the belt extends to the inner side of the dress through slits l1, l1, and then again to the outer side through slits I8, It, in the outer edges of the panels P adjacent the lines L of stitching.

The belt A, although permanentlyv connected to the panel P is free to slide through the slits l1 and I8, thereby permitting the panels-P' to be moved longitudinally on the belt. In consequence, the plaits T and T' may be adjusted as to width of fold to enlarge the dress circumferentially in the attainment of the required size to compensate for development of the wearer. To maintain this enlarged adjustment, the ends of the belt may be knotted at the back of the garment as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Although the belt A provides the means by which the plaits of the dress are maintained in various widths of fold, it is by virtue of the location of the slits l6, l1 and I8 in respect to the stitched panel edges that the panel form of the dress is maintained in all positions of adjustment to in turn preserve the slenderizing eflect produced in the dress by reason of such panels.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of maternity dresses embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A maternity dress, comprising a bodice, a skirt connected to the bodice, a center panel at the front of the dress, side panels at the front of dress on opposite sides of said center panel, all of said panels narrowing from the bottom of the skirt upwardly, plaits arranged between opposite sides of said front panel and the adjacent parts of the dress, and other plaits arranged between opposite sides of said side panels and the adjacent parts of the dress, all of said plaits decreasing in width upwardly from the bottom of the skirt, and means at the waist part of the dress for holding said plaits in various positions of adjustment, said means comprising slits in the dress certain of which are adjacent the outer edges of said side panels, and a belt having its medial portion extending transversely of the inner side of said center panel and secured thereto at its edges, and slidable through said slits.

2. A maternity dress comprising a bodice, a skirt connected to the bodice, a center panel at the front of the bodice and skirt coextensive in length therewith, side panels at the front of the bodice and skirt at opposite sides of said center panel, plaits arranged between opposite sides of said front panel and the adjacent parts of the dress, and other plaits arranged between opposite sides of said side panels, and the adjatom, and all of said panels and plaits decreasing in width from the bottom of the bodice to the neck thereof, whereby enlarging adjustments of the bust area of the bodice can be made in 'a reduced ratio to enlarging adjustments of the skirt, and means for securing said plaits in various positions of adjustment while maintaining the panels in the dress.

3. A maternity dress, comprising a bodice, a skirt connected to the bodice, a center panel at the front of the dress, side panels at the front of dress on opposite sides of said center panel, all of said panels decreasing in width from the bottom of the skirt upwardly to the neck of the bodice, plaits arranged between opposite sides of said front panel and the adjacent parts of the dress, and other plaits arranged between opposite sides of said side panels and the adjacent parts of the dress, all of said plaits decreasing in width upwardly from the bottom of the skirt to the neck of the bodice, and means at the waist part of the dress for holding said plaits in various positions of adjustment.

CLEO B. DEICHERT.

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