Fit flexible side insert for upper body garments

Abstract

The disclosed upper body garments are designed to address the need for knit shapewear that stays in place, is not visible through outerwear, and is still able to provide excellent shaping. Particularly, the upper body garments disclosed herein include left and right side inserts that extend upward from the lower edge of the garment. The side inserts help the lower portion of the garment to adapt to the individual shape of the wearer. In some embodiments, the left and right side inserts are not visible on the exterior surface of the garment. Methods of making the upper body garments including the side inserts are also disclosed herein.

1 . An upper body garment comprising:
 a main body portion comprising a lower edge,   left and right side inserts attached to the main body portion,   wherein the left and right side inserts at least partially define left and right portions of the lower edge of the upper body garment and extend upward from the left and right portions of the lower edge, and   wherein the left and right side inserts are configured to facilitate conformation of the lower edge of the main body portion to a wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right side inserts widen as they extend toward the lower edge of the upper body garment. 
     
     
         3 . The upper body garment of  claim 2 , wherein the left and right side inserts are triangular in shape. 
     
     
         4 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right side inserts are attached to the main body portion by one or more seams. 
     
     
         5 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , further comprising left and right lateral side seams extending from left and right arm holes of the main body portion to a superior edge of the left and right side inserts. 
     
     
         6 . The upper body garment of  claim 5 , wherein the left lateral side seam is continuous with either a front left insert seam or a back left insert seam, and the right lateral side seam is continuous with either a front right insert seam or a back right insert seam. 
     
     
         7 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the main body portion comprises a knit material. 
     
     
         8 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein a fabric of the left and right side inserts comprise spandex. 
     
     
         9 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric of the left and right side inserts is a hosiery or hosiery-like material. 
     
     
         10 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , further comprising a high friction coating positioned on an inner surface of the left and right side inserts, wherein the coating has a higher coefficient of friction than the material immediately surrounding the coating. 
     
     
         11 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein an interior surface of the left and right side regions comprise a region with exposed elastic threads configured to directly contact the body of the wearer. 
     
     
         12 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right side inserts are less compressive than the main body portion. 
     
     
         13 . The upper body garment of  claim 12 , wherein the left and right side inserts have a higher elongation than the main body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right side inserts are not visible on the exterior surface of the upper body garment. 
     
     
         15 . The upper body garment of  claim 14 , further comprising an exterior layer of fabric, wherein the exterior layer of fabric conceals the left and right side inserts. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making an upper body garment, the method comprising:
 providing a main body portion comprising a lower edge,   providing left and right side inserts, each of the left and right side inserts being less compressive than the main body portion,   attaching the left side insert to the main body portion such that the left side insert defines a left portion of the lower edge of the upper body garment and extends upward from the left portion of the lower edge, and   attaching the right side insert to the main body portion such that the right side insert defines a right portion of the lower edge of the upper body garment and extends upward from the right portion of the lower edge,   wherein the left and right side inserts are configured to facilitate conformation of a lower edge of the main body portion to a wearer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing left and right side inserts comprises cutting triangular panels from a fabric comprising spandex. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing a main body portion comprises providing a main body portion with left and right triangular shaped gaps. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein attaching the left and right side inserts comprises stitching a left triangular panel to the left side of the main body portion such that the lower edge of the left side of the main body portion is formed by the left triangular panel, and stitching a right triangular panel to the right side of the main body portion such that the lower edge of the right side of the main body portion is formed by the right triangular panel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising applying a high friction coating to an interior surface of the left and right side insert. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising attaching one or more panels of an exterior layer of fabric that conceals the left and right side inserts.