Abstract: Shaping garments including one or more slimming elastic bands are disclosed. In some embodiments, shaping garments include a first horizontal elastic band and a second diagonal elastic band positioned to reshape the inner and outer upper legs creating a slimmer appearance, while also lifting the buttocks.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a garment is provided having specific supportive panels for providing adequate back and belly support; in a preferred embodiment the garment is an exercise garment. The supportive panels of the garment are made of composites of expandable materials giving structural support to the garment such that the wearer's back is stabilized and the belly is supported to prevent drastic pitch, roll or yaw movements during exercise. The expandable materials are designed to yield such that excessive pressure against the belly is not caused as such pressure, found in garments of the prior art, can inflict pain to the musculature and skin surface of the wearer. The expandable materials provide support and allow for the natural growth of the body during pregnancy, providing a desirable combination of a supportive exercise garment that can be used throughout the gestation period.

Abstract: According to the present girdle 1, when a wearer walks and a leg is moved backward, a forward load is applied to gluteus maximus muscle by a first tightening portion. Then, a reflective action of a muscle (muscle stimulation) to resist this load acts on the gluteus maximus muscle, and then the leg is moved further backward, resulting in a wearer's waist being twisted backward greatly. Further, a forward load is applied to elevated gluteus medius muscle by this backward waist twisting by a second tightening portion, resulting in the waist being twisted forward this time. Then, such a waist twisting motion is enhanced, which necessarily trains the wearer's groups of abdominal muscles, and a shape-up effect of the periphery of abdominal region may be obtained without the wearer performing intentional exercises.

Abstract: A garment with a seat area, a waist area and a crotch area, has a rear portion for defining the seat area and part of the waist and crotch areas, a front portion connected to the rear portion and defining part of the waist and crotch areas and an elastic panel assembly connected to the rear portion at least at the waist area and the crotch area. The panel assembly covers an inner surface of the rear portion over the seat area and comprises two sets of plural substantially vertical seams spaced symmetrically on opposite sides of a vertical center axis of the rear portion for defining at least two vertical elastic panels on each side of the center axis that are connected to the waist area, and an elastic lower panel such as a crotch panel or horizontal lower panel, connected to the crotch.

Abstract: A reinforced undergarment at least including underpants and, in certain embodiments, a pair of hose or stockings permanently or removably secured to the underpants so as to define a pair of pantyhose, wherein the undergarment, and particularly the underpants are formed from a flexible material including a plurality of interconnected portions disposed and configured to overly predetermined areas of the wearer's body so as to exert a supporting and/or retaining force thereon and thereby shape the wearer's body, or at least certain portions thereof, into a desired configuration. The interconnected portions of the undergarment are at least partially formed from an elastic material of varying densities such that different support and/or retaining force are exerted on predetermined portions of the wearer's body.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a lumbago treating girdle comprising: a girdle main body including an inverse-triangular press portion provided with a zipper extending in a vertical direction to a crotch portion from a belt disposed on an upper part of a front surface of the girdle main body, a portion sewn in the vertical direction on a back surface, a right femoral part, a left femoral part, a left engaging member on the left side of the press portion and a right engaging member on the right side of the press portion; a left stretch band which is attached to a middle of a left end portion of the girdle main body, and to a tip end of which a left engaging member with an engaging piece attached to one surface thereof is attached; and a right stretch band which is attached to a middle of a right end portion of the girdle main body, and to a tip end of which a right engaging member with an engaging piece attached to one surface thereof is attached, the left stretch band being attached to t

Abstract: A garment accessory is provided by this invention which is typically built into the torso or waist area of an outer garment worn by a person. The accessory has a back panel attached at each side to a side panel. The side panel provides vertical stability and integrity for the accessory and garment. Attached to each side panel is at least one front panel. The two front panels cross each other and are removeably attached near the opposite side panel to provide uplifting and constraining forces for the torso of the wearer. The front panels comprise at least one band of elastic material removeably secured to the side panels at particular locations to provide the desired lift and constraining configuration.

Abstract: A post-pregnancy compression garment that provides abdominal support to facilitate a faster return to the individual's pre-pregnancy figure. The garment consists of a tubular body encompassing an anatomical region from the thighs to beneath the chest. Compression material or strips are constructed from an elastic memory fabric positioned so as to cause compression to the abdomen area. Maximum compression may be provided to the waist section with the remaining portion of the garment providing support with minimum compression.

Abstract: A body shaping undergarment is disclosed. A plurality of fabric panels are fixed together to form the undergarment and define a first leg opening, a second leg opening and a waist opening. An elastic waist band is disposed around at least a portion of the circumference of the waist opening, and a first and a second elastic leg band are respectively disposed around at least a portion of a circumference of the first leg opening and the second leg opening. A pair of elastic buttock support panels are fixed to the undergarment and disposed so that each elastic buttock support panel elastically supports a respective buttock of a wearer. The pair of elastic buttock support panels is integrally fixed to a same fabric panel of the plurality of fabric panels, and each one of the pair of elastic buttock support panels is integrally fixed to a respective same fabric panel of the plurality of fabric panels as a the first elastic leg band and the second elastic leg band.

Abstract: A fabric laminate (10) comprises first and second stretch fabrics (11 and 12) having an intermediate adhesive securement layer (13) between them. The adhesive securement layer (13) is in the form of a regularly repeated pattern which comprises an array of aligned adhesive elements (14) arranged in successive generally horizontally and vertically extending rows. The array of adhesive elements (14) is capable of offering resistance to elongation as the laminate (10) is subjected to distortion, with the pattern having a differential elongation characterized as offering different magnitudes of resistance to elongation when the fabric laminate (10) is subjected to distortion in selected different directions.

Abstract: A post-pregnancy compression garment that provides abdominal support to facilitate a faster return to the individual's pre-pregnancy figure. The garment consists of a tubular body encompassing an anatomical region from the thighs to beneath the chest. Compression material or strips are constructed from an elastic memory fabric positioned so as to cause compression to the abdomen area. Maximum compression may be provided to the waist section with the remaining portion of the garment providing support with minimum compression.

Abstract: A garment having provided with an inner lining for adjusting body shape of the buttocks and the abdomen. The garment is formed by combining woven fabrics together, each of which has a modulus of expansibility depending on a stretch direction from the weaving direction of the fabric. The buttocks regulating piece is oriented in a direction that the direction of the high modulus of expansibility of the fabric is selected to gather and push up the buttocks and is sewed between the front body and the back body, while an abdominal regulating piece is formed of at least two sheets, each oriented so that the direction of the low modulus of expansibility of the fabric is in the lateral direction to the abdomen. The sheets are sewed onto the front body so as to at leastartially overlap each other within the abdominal region including the lower abdominal region.

Abstract: A garment accessory is provided by this invention which is typically built into the torso or waist area of an outer garment worn by a person. The accessory has a back panel attached at each side to a side panel. The side panel provides vertical stability and integrity for the accessory and garment. Attached to each side panel is at least one front panel. The two front panels cross each other and are removeably attached near the opposite side panel to provide uplifting and constraining forces for the torso of the wearer. The front panels comprise at least one band of elastic material removeably secured to the side panels at particular locations to provide the desired lift and constraining configuration.

Abstract: A shapesuit comprises a body formed by sewing together a front body and a back body; and at least a pair of stretchable straps extended diagonally and substantially in an X-shape on and sewn to either the front body or the back body so that the middle portions thereof intersect each other. When the front body is provided with the stretchable straps in an X-shaped arrangement, the stretchable straps lift superfluous flesh on the waist toward the middle of the wearer's body, and flattens the stomach and the waist by their elasticities. When the back body is provided with the stretchable straps in an X-shaped arrangement, the stretchable back straps lift superfluous flesh on opposite sides of the buttocks toward the middle of the wearer's body so that the width across the hips is reduced and the middle between the hips bulges out backward, pull the shoulders backward so that the spine is straightened to correct the posture. Thus, the shapesuit shapes up the body form.

Abstract: This invention pertains to an abdominal support for the extended abdomen of a person who is pregnant or has a large abdomen due to obesity.

Abstract: A torso-shape controlling, lower back supporting garment comprising a garment having control fabric panel portions adapted to extend in waist shape controlling relation to torso front, back and sides; the control fabric panel portions include zones positioned to provide rigidity at the torso front and back and to yieldably resiliently stretch generally horizontally at the torso sides, whereby support is provided at the lower back, and an hourglass torso shape at the waist is produced. Convexly curved stays are located to transfer tensioning loading to at least two of the generally rigid zones of the panel portions.

Abstract: A fabric laminate is disclosed which is formed of stretch fabrics laminated together by an integrally formed adhesive web having differential stretch characteristics. One or both of the stretch fabrics may include elastomeric yarn. The adhesive web is placed within the laminate with its primary elongation direction being in a predetermined direction, in conjunction with the orientation of the primary elongation directions of the fabrics, such that the resultant elongation characteristics of the laminate is combinedly determined by the fabrics and the web as well as the predetermined orientation of their primary elongation directions. The laminate may be used for forming the control panel of women's undergarments, such as the stomach, thigh or rear control support of a panty, or the undercup or side support of a brassiere. The adhesive web which unites the two fabrics forming the laminate is a open net-like film of heat sensitive adhesive which may be formed of a polyamide material.

Abstract: Athletic pants comprising in combination a plurality of basic panels extending from an upper edge at the front of the wearer's waistline, downwardly around the wearer's crotch, then upwardly to the back of the wearer's waistline and stitched together from the front waistline to the rear waistline, the basic panels being fabricated of a knit fabrication from extensible yarn; an elastic waistband coupled to the upper edge of the basic panels; a pair of support panels located interior of the basic panels and stitched thereto, the base panels being constructed of a knit fabric from extensible yarn and with the support panels also being constructed of a knit fabric from an extensible yarn with the mesh of the support panels being of a greater elasticity than that of the basic panels; and a pair of pocket panels stitched over the sides of the base panels in an inverted U-shape configuration and with an extensible lower edge having an elastomeric hem at its lower edge thereof.

Abstract: A garment for supporting the abdomen of a wearer is disclosed. The garment comprises a panty and two support straps which attach to the center front edge of the panty, over the shoulders, across the lower back in a criss-cross fashion, over the hips and under the abdomen. The garment may also include lateral straps to direct the support straps outward from the neck of the wearer, and a reinforcing strap to add extra support to the adbomen. The garment lifts the abdomen, transferring weight of the abdomen to the shoulders by way of the wearer's back. The garment decreses lordosis and improves posture.