Skirt Convertible Into A Tote Bag

Abstract

A skirt adapted to be converted into a tote bag, having laterally and longitudinally united front and back panels, means attached to the waist of the skirt to serve as manually engageable carrying devices and closable means attached to the lower edge of the skirt for closing the lower opening thereof thus converting the skirt into a bag.

Description

This invention relates to a convertible article which may be used as a skirt or a tote bag.

Articles of the aforenoted type may be distributed by stores as an advertising item to customers for carrying the articles purchased. After having served as a tote bag, the article is converted into a skirt by a simple operation and thereafter may be worn as such. It is to be understood that such a conversion is also possible in the reverse sense; thus, if the convertible skirt is worn over another apparel such as a short or a bathing suit, it may be removed and transformed, for example, into a beach bag.

Articles of the aforenoted type may be made of any kind of material, such as textile, non-woven fabric, plastic material, etc. Preferably, the skirts are of the relatively short type having certain design features. They also may carry an advertising text.

Briefly stated, according to the invention, there is provided a convertible skirt formed by a front panel and a back panel united along lateral edges by a seam, lacing or the like between the waist and the lower edge and is characterized in that, on the one hand, the upper opening or waist is provided with means transformable into carrying straps or the like and, on the other hand, the lower edge of the skirt is provided with means to temporarily close off the lower opening of the skirt.

The invention will be better understood as well as objects and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing detailed specification of several exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front elevational view of a first embodiment of the invention for use as a skirt;

FIG. 2 is a perspective front elevational view of the same embodiment for use as a tote bag;

FIG. 3 is a perspective front elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention for use as a skirt and

FIG. 4 is a perspective front elevational view of the second embodiment for use as a tote bag.

Turning now to FIG. 1, the skirt shown therein is formed of a front panel 1 and a back panel 2 united along their lateral edges between the waist and the lower end by lacings 3a, 3b.

Each panel 1, 2 is provided at its upper edge with a hollow seam 4, 5 through which pass, respectively, slidable ribbons 6 and 7. These ribbons permit, by gathering or smoothing the material, as the case may be, an adjustment to the waist of the wearer.

On their lower edge both panels carry complemental elements 8a of a closing means, such as a zipper 8.

It is apparent that by closing the zipper 8 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the article which previously was a skirt, now has been converted into a bag. If now the ends of the ribbons 6 and 7 are tied together at either side of the article, two convenient carrying straps 9a and 9b of the tote bag are obtained.

Another embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The rear and back panels 11 and 12, respectively, form a skirt and are sewn together along their lateral longitudinal edges.

At the waist the skirt is provided on each panel with a hollow seam receiving slidable cords 16, 17 permitting, as in the previously discussed embodiment, an adjustment of the skirt to the waist of the wearer.

The lateral seams do not extend all the way to the lower edge of the panels 11, 12; thus, two small slits 13a, 13b are formed defining, between themselves, two free flaps 13c and 13d of the panels 11 and 12, respectively.

In order to convert the skirt as shown in FIG. 3 into a tote bag as shown in FIG. 4, the flap 13c of the panel 11 is folded inwardly into the skirt and then the free flap 13d of the panel 12 is folded about the lower edge of the skirt onto the external face of the panel 11. The components are then fixed in this position by any convenient means, such as, for example, snap fasteners, the male and female components 14 and 15 of which are attached, respectively, to the external face of the panel 11 and the internal face of the free flap 13d of the panel 12. The sliding cords 16 and 17 are then tied together, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4, to form a strap to carry the tote bag.

As set forth hereinbefore, any other type of closing means may be utilized to close off the lower opening of the skirt. Thus, for example, the lower edge of the panels may be provided with hollow hems carrying cords which, when the article is to be used as a bag, may be pulled together entirely as in a purse with a string closure. Similarly, the carrying means for the tote bag are not necessarily limited to slidable ribbons or cords; such carrying means may be attached to the upper portion of the panels and may constitute merely decorating means when the article is utilized as a skirt.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a garment capable of convertibility into a tote bag and vice versa, the combination comprising, a pair of panels of substantially equal size, each panel having top and bottom edge portions and uninterrupted side walls of substantially equal length, means serving to secure a predetermined portion of the side walls of said panels in positive relation to form a closure, each of said panels further including adjacent to the top wall thereof seam areas arranged to receive a draw string for securing the panels about the waist of a wearer as well as to provide a constrictable mouth portion for a tote bag and further means arranged adjacent to the bottom of said panels to secure them in face-to-face relation to form a closure therefor when the garment is converted into the tote bag.

2. In a garment capable of convertibility into a tote bag and vice versa as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom edge of each of said panels is provided with means forming complemental slide fastener means adapted to be secured in locking relation to form a tote bag as well as disengaged to permit the panels to be used as a skirt.

3. In a garment capable of convertibility into a tote bag and vice versa as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of panels includes complementally formed snap fastener means and the side portions of the garment include a disassociated area of limited extent serving to provide for folding an area of one panel over an adjacent area to permit the formation of a closure at the bottom of the garment to achieve a tote bag.