Upper body garment

Abstract

The disclosed garments are designed to address the need for athletic upper body garments that do not create or highlight bulging in the wearer's body. These garments comprise an advantageous bottom edge that is defined by a fold crease rather than an elastic band. Methods of making the garments are also disclosed herein.

1 . An upper body garment having an inner surface and an outer surface and comprising:
 a front panel comprising a breast supporting region;   a back panel configured to cover at least a portion of a wearer's back and wherein the back panel is coupled to the front panel;   wherein a portion of each of the front and back panels circumferentially folds upward and inward onto the inner surface of the upper body garment, thereby forming upward and inward folded portion;   wherein a bottom edge of the garment is defined by a fold crease; and   wherein each of the front and the back panels extend up to at least a lowest edge of the wearer's thorax; and   wherein the upper body garment is configured to substantially limit movement of the wearer's breast tissue during athletic activity.   
     
     
         2 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel comprises a front inner layer and a front outer layer, and the back panel comprises a back inner layer and a back outer layer;
 wherein the front and the back outer layers comprise a first front material and a first back material, respectively, wherein the first front material and the first back material are the same or different; and   wherein the front inner layer and the back inner layer each comprise one or more materials that are the same or different from the first front material and/or the first back material.   
     
     
         3 . The upper body garment of  claim 2 , wherein the upward and inward folded portion defines at least a portion of the front and back inner layers of the garment such that at least a portion of the front and back inner layers of the garment comprise the first front material and the first back material, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom edge of the garment is substantially free of clastic or stiff bands. 
     
     
         5 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , further comprising an elastic band circumferentially positioned on the inner surface of the garment at a position superior to the bottom edge of the garment. 
     
     
         6 . The upper body garment of  claim 5  any one of  claims 1-5 , wherein the elastic band is configured to substantially align with a lower edge of the wearer's sternum bone, wherein the elastic band is unreleasably affixed to at least a portion of the inner surface front and back inner layers of the garment. 
     
     
         7 . The upper body garment of  claim 5 , wherein the elastic band comprises a first elastic band positioned on a front inner surface of the garment and a second elastic band positioned on a back inner surface of the garment, wherein the first and the second elastic band are coupled together at at least lateral edges of the front and back panels. 
     
     
         8 . The upper body garment of  claim 7 , wherein an edge of the upward and inward folded portion is affixed to the elastic band. 
     
     
         9 . The upper body garment of  claim 8 , wherein the front panel comprises a front inner layer and a front outer layer, and the back panel comprises a back inner layer and a back outer layer;
 wherein the elastic band is unreleasably affixed to at least a portion of the front and back inner layers of the garment; and   wherein the elastic band is not affixed to the front outer layer and/or the back outer layer.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel comprises a first front material and the back panel comprises a first back material;
 wherein at least a portion of the breast supporting region of the front panel comprises a second material that is different from the first front or back material; and   wherein the first front and/or back material and second materials are affixed to each other at least along an upper edge of the garment.   
     
     
         12 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The upper body garment of  claim 11 , wherein the front and/or back material and second materials are not affixed to each other along a main portion of the breast supporting region; and
 wherein the front and/or back material and second materials are configured to independently slide against each other such that the garment is comfortably adjusted against the wearer's body.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The upper body garment of  claim 11 , wherein the front panel comprises a front inner layer and a front outer layer, and the back panel comprises a back inner layer and a back outer layer;
 wherein the front inner layer further comprises a third material; and   wherein the third material is the same or different from the first and/or second material.   
     
     
         18 . The upper body garment of  claim 17 , wherein the third material is disposed between the second material and the elastic band and/or between each lateral edge of the breast supporting region and each lateral edge of the front panel. 
     
     
         19 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The upper body garment of  claim 17 , wherein the back outer layer is the same as the front outer layer. 
     
     
         23 . The upper body garment of  claim 17 , wherein the back inner layer comprises a fourth material; and
 wherein the fourth material is the same or different from the second and/or third material.   
     
     
         24 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The upper body garment of  claim 23 , wherein the fourth material is disposed above and affixed to the elastic band. 
     
     
         27 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the breast supporting region extends into a pair of shoulder straps configured to couple the front panel with the back panel. 
     
     
         28 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The upper body garment of  claim 27 , wherein an upper portion of the back panel is unreleasably or releasably coupled to a distal edge of the shoulder straps. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The upper body garment of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front panel or the back panel comprises a releasable fastener mechanism configured to secure the garment on the wearer's body. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method of making an upper body garment having an inner surface and an outer surface, the method comprising:
 providing a front panel;   providing a back panel;   coupling the front panel with the back panel via shoulder straps;   folding a portion of each of the front and back panels circumferentially upward and inward onto the inner surface of the upper body garment, thereby forming an upward and inward folded portion; and   circumferentially positioning an elastic band on the inner surface of the garment at a position superior to the bottom edge of the garment.