Article of clothing

Abstract

The present invention comprises an article of clothing that is easier to put on or remove. In one form of the invention, the article of clothing is a shirt having arm holes and a neck hole. A seam along one side of the torso and extending along an arm hole at that same side is separable to make it easier for the wearer to put the shirt on or take it off. In other examples of the invention an additional seam along the shoulder and extending to the end of the arm hole is also separable so that one entire side of the shirt may be opened for easier removal. In other forms of the invention, a similar seam and closure means is provided on other articles of clothing such as pants, coats, socks, or others.

1 . An article of clothing for covering a portion of a person's upper body, comprising:
 a body portion having a front side and a back side, the body portion defining a neck hole, a first arm hole, a second arm hole, a torso opening, and a vertical midline bisecting the body portion from the neck hole to the torso opening substantially at midpoint between the first arm hole and the second arm hole;   a first side extending below the first arm hole and joining the front side of the body portion to the back side of the body portion;   a second side extending below the second arm hole and joining the front side of the body portion to the back side of the body portion;   a releasable seam extending from the torso opening to the second arm hole, the releasable seam being relatively more adjacent the second side than the midline of the body portion; and   a fastener provided at the releasable seam for releasably securing the releasable seam.   
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second side further comprises a front edge extending along the front side of the body portion and a back edge extending along the back side of the body portion, and further wherein the releasable seam joins the front edge to the back edge. 
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 2 , further comprising a sleeve adjacent the second side and wherein the second arm hole is defined as an opening in the sleeve, the sleeve having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion having a lower front sleeve edge, a lower back sleeve edge, and a sleeve fastener for releasably securing the lower front sleeve edge to the lower back sleeve edge. 
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the seam extends continuously from the torso opening to the second arm hole. 
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the upper portion further comprises an upper front sleeve edge, an upper back sleeve edge, and a sleeve fastener for releasably securing the upper front sleeve edge to the upper back sleeve edge. 
   
   
       6 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the upper back sleeve edge is permanently secured to the upper front sleeve edge at a location adjacent to the neck hole. 
   
   
       7 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising a shoulder portion adjacent the neck hole, the front side and the backside being permanently joined at the shoulder portion. 
   
   
       8 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising a shoulder portion adjacent the neck hole, the front side and the backside being releasably secured at the shoulder portion. 
   
   
       9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises mating hook and loop fasteners. 
   
   
       10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises a plurality of snaps. 
   
   
       11 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the front side is permanently secured to the backside along the first side of the body portion. 
   
   
       12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the front side of the body portion is releasably secured to the backside of the body portion along the first edge. 
   
   
       13 . An article of clothing for covering a portion of a person's body, comprising:
 a body portion defining a waistband;   a first leg portion extending below the body portion, the first leg portion having a first leg opening and a first length extending from the waistband to the first leg opening, the first leg portion further having no releasably securable seams over the majority of the first length of the first leg portion;   a second leg portion extending below the body portion, the second leg portion having a second leg opening and a second length extending from the waistband to the second leg opening, the second leg portion further having a front edge extending along a front side of second leg portion and a back edge extending along a back side of the second leg portion, the front edge and back edge being selectively separable or joinable to form a seam; and   a fastener for releasably securing the front edge to the back edge.   
   
   
       14 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the seam extends continuously from the waistband to the second leg opening. 
   
   
       15 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the seam extends continuously from the second leg opening to a position adjacent the waistband but not through the waistband. 
   
   
       16 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the fastener comprises mating hook and loop fasteners. 
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the fastener comprises a plurality of snaps. 
   
   
       18 . An article of clothing for covering a portion of a person's body, comprising:
 a swatch of material configured to encapsulate a foot, the swatch of material forming a foot portion having a footbed with a toe portion and a heel portion, and a leg portion having a leg opening, the leg portion having a forward edge proximate the toe portion and a rearward edge proximate the heel portion; and   a seam along the rearward edge, the seam having a fastener for releasably enclosing the leg portion along the rearward edge.   
   
   
       19 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the fastener comprises mating hook and loop fasteners. 
   
   
       20 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the seam extends from the leg opening to the footbed.