Shirt

Abstract

A new and improved shirt is disclosed. The shirt of the present invention includes an adjustable neck which can increase or decrease in size as required by the wearer. The top fastener of the shirt is located at the top of the fastening panel, rather than on a neckband, allowing the edges of the shirt at the neck to slide apart when an increase in neck circumference is desired while the fastener remains closed. Additionally, the collar line of the present shirt is cut at an angle with the overlap and underlap aligned with the ends of a neckband (though the presence of a neckband is optional) and collar to present a neater, smoother look to the collar line of the shirt. In one embodiment, the shirt includes a placket front. The shirt can be worn either as a dress shirt or, in one embodiment, is a sport shirt when worn without a tie.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A shirt comprising: 
 an underlap comprising an underlap top edge, an underlap bottom edge, and an underlap exterior edge, said underlap bottom edge being wider than said underlap top edge;    an overlap comprising an overlap top edge, an overlap bottom edge, and an overlap exterior edge, said overlap bottom edge being wider than said overlap top edge;    a top fastener, said top fastener providing a removable attachment between said underlap and said overlap;    a neckband, said neckband comprising a neckband top edge, a neckband bottom edge, and first and second neckband side edges, said neckband bottom edge being attached to said underlap top edge and said overlap top edge, said first neckband side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said overlap exterior edge, said second neckband side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said underlap exterior edge; and    a collar comprising a collar bottom edge and first and second collar side edges, said collar bottom edge being attached to said neckband top edge, said first collar side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said first neckband side edge, said second collar side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said second neckband side edge.    
     
     
         2 . The shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said overlap and said underlap form a placket.  
     
     
         3 . The shirt of  claim 2 , wherein said placket is less than about 14 inches in length.  
     
     
         4 . The shirt of  claim 2 , wherein said placket is less than about 11 inches in length.  
     
     
         5 . The shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said top fastener is attached to said underlap below said top underlap edge and removably attachable to said overlap.  
     
     
         6 . The shirt of  claim 5 , wherein said top fastener is a button.  
     
     
         7 . The shirt of  claim 1 , wherein said top fastener is selected from the group consisting of a button, a snap, a hook, a hook and loop fastener, and a stud.  
     
     
         8 . The shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the width of said overlap bottom edge is between about 1.0 and about 2.0 inches and the width of said underlap bottom edge is between about 1.0 and about 2.0 inches.  
     
     
         9 . The shirt of  claim 1 , wherein the width of said overlap top edge is less than about 75% of the width of said overlap bottom edge and the width of said underlap top edge is less than about 75% of the width of said underlap bottom edge.  
     
     
         10 . The shirt of  claim 1 , wherein any of said overlap, said underlap, said collar, and said neckband further comprise an inner layer.  
     
     
         11 . A shirt comprising: 
 an underlap comprising an underlap top edge, an underlap bottom edge, and an underlap exterior edge, said underlap exterior edge defining a first line, said first line extending from said underlap bottom edge to a first point, said first line changing direction at said first point by a first angle such that the width of said underlap top edge is less than the width of said underlap bottom edge;    an overlap comprising an overlap top edge, an overlap bottom edge, and an overlap exterior edge, said overlap exterior edge defining a second line, said second line extending from said overlap bottom edge to a second point, said second line changing direction at said second point by a second angle such that the width of said overlap top edge is less than the width of said overlap bottom edge;    a top fastener, said top fastener providing a removable attachment between said underlap and said overlap at a point below said overlap and underlap top edges;    a neckband, said neckband comprising a neckband top edge, a neckband bottom edge, and first and second neckband side edges, said neckband bottom edge being attached to said underlap top edge and said overlap top edge, said first neckband side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said first line, said second neckband side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said second line; and    a collar comprising a collar bottom edge attached to said neckband top edge, a first collar side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said first line, and a second collar side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said second line.    
     
     
         12 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein said overlap and said underlap form a placket, said placket being less than about 14 inches in length.  
     
     
         13 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second angle are between about 10° and about 45°.  
     
     
         14 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second angle are between about 15° and about 40°.  
     
     
         15 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein said second line is a mirror image of said first line.  
     
     
         16 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein said top fastener is a button located less than about two inches below said neckband bottom edge.  
     
     
         17 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein said top fastener is selected from the group consisting of a button, a snap, a hook, and a stud.  
     
     
         18 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein the width of said overlap bottom edge is between about 1.0 inches and about 2.0 inches, and the width of said underlap bottom edge is between about 1.0 inches and about 2.0 inches.  
     
     
         19 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein the width of said overlap top edge is less than about 75% of the width of said overlap bottom edge, and the width of said underlap top edge is less than about 75% of the width of said underlap bottom edge.  
     
     
         20 . The shirt of  claim 11 , wherein any of said overlap, said underlap, said collar, and said neckband further comprise an inner layer.  
     
     
         21 . A shirt comprising: 
 an underlap comprising an underlap top edge, an underlap bottom edge, and an underlap exterior edge, said underlap bottom edge being wider than said underlap top edge;    an overlap comprising an overlap top edge, an overlap bottom edge, and an overlap exterior edge, said overlap bottom edge being wider than said overlap top edge;    a top fastener, said top fastener providing a removable attachment between said underlap and said overlap; and    a collar comprising first and second collar side edges, said collar being attached to said underlap top edge and said overlap top edge, said first collar side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said overlap exterior edge, said second collar side edge being aligned with and forming a continuation of said underlap exterior edge.    
     
     
         22 . The shirt of  claim 21 , wherein said overlap and said underlap form a placket.  
     
     
         23 . The shirt of  claim 22 , wherein said placket is less than about 15 inches in length.  
     
     
         24 . The shirt of  claim 21 , wherein said top fastener is attached to said underlap below said top underlap edge and removably attachable to said overlap.  
     
     
         25 . The shirt of  claim 24 , wherein said top fastener is between about 1.5 inches and about 4 inches below said top underlap edge.  
     
     
         26 . The shirt of  claim 21 , wherein said top fastener is located at a point at least about 1.5 inches below the fold line of the collar area.  
     
     
         27 . The shirt of  claim 21 , wherein said top fastener is selected from the group consisting of a button, a snap, a hook, a hook and loop fastener, and a stud.  
     
     
         28 . The shirt of  claim 21 , wherein the width of said overlap bottom edge is between about 1.0 and about 2.0 inches and the width of said underlap bottom edge is between about 1.0 and about 2.0 inches.  
     
     
         29 . The shirt of  claim 21 , wherein the width of said overlap top edge is less than about 75% of the width of said overlap bottom edge and the width of said underlap top edge is less than about 75% of the width of said underlap bottom edge.  
     
     
         30 . The shirt of  claim 21 , wherein any of said overlap, said underlap, and said collar further comprise an inner layer.  
     
     
         31 . A shirt comprising: 
 an underlap comprising an underlap bottom edge having a width of about 1.5 inches, an underlap top edge having a width less than about 1.0 inch, an underlap interior edge, and an underlap exterior edge, said underlap exterior edge defining a first line, said first line being a vertical line from said underlap bottom edge to a first point, said first line changing direction at said first point by a first angle;    an overlap comprising an overlap top edge having a width of less than about 1.0 inches, an overlap bottom edge having a width of about 1.5 inches, an overlap interior edge, and an overlap exterior edge, said overlap exterior edge defining a second line, said second line being a vertical line from said overlap bottom edge at a second point, said second line changing direction at said second point by a second angle, said second line being a mirror image of said first line;    a top button, said top button being attached to either of said underlap or said overlap such that said overlap may be removably attached to said underlap, said removable attachment being located at least about 1.5 inches below said underlap top edge;    a collar comprising a first and second collar edge, said underlap and overlap being attached to said collar such that said first collar edge is aligned with and forms a continuation of said first line, and said second collar edge is aligned with and forms a continuation of said second line;    a shirt body, said shirt body being attached to said underlap interior edge, said overlap interior edge, and said collar; and    first and second sleeves attached to said shirt body.    
     
     
         32 . The shirt of  claim 31 , wherein said overlap and said underlap form a placket.  
     
     
         33 . The shirt of  claim 31 , wherein any of said overlap, said underlap, and said collar further comprise an inner layer.  
     
     
         34 . The shirt of  claim 31 , wherein said first angle is between about 15° and about 45°.