Article of apparel with areas of increased tension

Abstract

An article of apparel having improved body conformity including a body of material formed of a stretchable fabric. A stretchable piece of material is secured to the body of material and has a size and shape configured to at least partially cover an area of a user's body between anatomical high points of the user's body.

1 . An article of apparel having improved body conformity comprising, in combination: 
 a body of material formed of a stretchable fabric; and    a stretchable piece of material secured to the body of material and having a size and shape configured to at least partially cover an area of a user's body between anatomical high points of the user's body.    
   
   
       2 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is secured to an interior surface of the body of material.  
   
   
       3 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material and the body of material are formed of the same material.  
   
   
       4 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is secured to the body of material with an adhesive element.  
   
   
       5 . The article of apparel of  claim 4 , wherein the adhesive element is formed of a thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       6 . The article of apparel of  claim 4 , wherein the adhesive element is one of polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, polyolefin, vinyl, and silicone.  
   
   
       7 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned in a lumbar region of the user's back.  
   
   
       8 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned between breasts of the user.  
   
   
       9 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned between pectoral muscles of the user.  
   
   
       10 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned between two muscle groups of the user.  
   
   
       11 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional stretchable piece of material secured to the body of material, the additional piece of material being configured to be positioned between high points of the user's anatomy different from the high points where the piece of material is positioned.  
   
   
       12 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the body of material is formed of a blend of polyester and spandex.  
   
   
       13 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is formed of silicone.  
   
   
       14 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material is formed of a blend of polyester and spandex.  
   
   
       15 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material has a substantially diamond shaped form, with its sides curved slightly inwardly.  
   
   
       16 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material has a substantially flattened diamond shaped form, having a width substantially larger than its height.  
   
   
       17 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material includes three elongate elements connected to one another at first ends thereof, a first of the elongate elements positioned to extend upwardly from a sternum of a user between pectoral muscles of a user, the second and third elongate elements spaced approximately 120° from one another and the first elongate element.  
   
   
       18 . The article of apparel of  claim 1 , wherein the piece of material includes three elongate elements connected to one another at first ends thereof, a first of the elongate elements positioned to extend upwardly from a sternum of a user between pectoral muscles of a user, the second and third elongate elements positioned to extend outwardly in opposed directions from the first elongate element and having a slightly cupped shape with a mouth of the cupped shape opening upwardly.  
   
   
       19 . A swimsuit having improved body conformity comprising, in combination: 
 a swimsuit body formed of a stretchable fabric; and    a stretchable piece of material secured to the swimsuit body and having a size and shape configured to at least partially cover an area of a user's body between anatomical high points of the user's body.    
   
   
       20 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is secured to an interior surface of the body of material.  
   
   
       21 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material and the body of material are formed of the same material.  
   
   
       22 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is secured to the body of material with an adhesive element.  
   
   
       23 . The swimsuit of  claim 22 , wherein the adhesive element is formed of a thermoplastic polymer.  
   
   
       24 . The swimsuit of  claim 22 , wherein the adhesive element is one of polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, polyolefin, vinyl, and silicone.  
   
   
       25 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned in a lumbar region of the user's back.  
   
   
       26 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned between breasts of the user.  
   
   
       27 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned between pectoral muscles of the user.  
   
   
       28 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is configured to be positioned between two muscle groups of the user.  
   
   
       29 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , further comprising an additional stretchable piece of material secured to the body of material with an adhesive element, the additional piece of material being configured to be positioned between high points of the user's anatomy different from the high points where the piece of material is positioned.  
   
   
       30 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the body of material is formed of a blend of polyester and spandex.  
   
   
       31 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is formed of silicone.  
   
   
       32 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is formed of a blend of polyester and spandex.  
   
   
       33 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is positioned in a lumbar region of a back of the body of material and has a substantially diamond shaped form, with its sides curved slightly inwardly.  
   
   
       34 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material is positioned in a lumbar region of a back of the body of material and has a substantially flattened diamond shaped form, having a width substantially larger than its height.  
   
   
       35 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material includes three elongate elements connected to one another at first ends thereof and is positioned on a front of the body of material, a first of the elongate elements positioned to extend upwardly from a sternum of a user between pectoral muscles of a user, the second and third elongate elements spaced approximately 120° from one another and the first elongate element.  
   
   
       36 . The swimsuit of  claim 19 , wherein the piece of material includes three elongate elements connected to one another at first ends thereof and is positioned on a front of the body of material, a first of the elongate elements positioned to extend upwardly from a sternum of a user between pectoral muscles of a user, the second and third elongate elements positioned to extend outwardly in opposed directions from the first elongate element and having a slightly cupped shape with a mouth of the cupped shape opening upwardly.