Novel articles and associated methods

Abstract

The present invention provides articles such as garments and accessories that incorporate one or more neck ties, and methods for making these articles. The articles may include, but are not limited to, shirts, skirts, pants. outerwear (e.g., jackets, coats, and blazers), accessories (e.g., jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pins, belts, sashes, and wallets), and bags (e.g., handbags, shoulder bags, and clutches). The articles can be made almost entirely from neck ties or from a base material that has one or more neck ties attached. The neck ties may be attached together or onto the base material using a suitable fastening means, e.g., sewing, thread, pins, buttons, snaps, hooks, adhesives, zippers, Velcro®, or the like. The neck ties may be “deconstructed” to facilitate their attachment, for example, by removing portions of thread from the tie, and unfolding or removing pieces of fabric from the tie.

1 . An article comprising a base material and at least one neck tie that is attached to the base material, wherein the at least one neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.  
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear, accessories, and bags.  
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, silk, satin, leather, suede, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one neck tie is attached to the base material by sewing.  
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one neck tie is oriented in a position with respect to the base material that is selected from the group consisting of generally vertically, generally horizontally, and generally diagonally.  
   
   
       6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one neck tie comprises a strap of the article.  
   
   
       7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one neck tie comprises a belt of the article.  
   
   
       8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of tank tops, halter tops, and tube tops.  
   
   
       9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one neck tie is deconstructed.  
   
   
       10 . An article comprising a plurality of neck ties that are attached together, wherein each neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.  
   
   
       11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear, accessories, and bags.  
   
   
       12 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the neck ties are attached together by sewing.  
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein at least one neck tie is oriented in a position with respect to the article that is selected from the group consisting of generally vertically, generally horizontally, and generally diagonally.  
   
   
       14 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein at least one neck tie is deconstructed.  
   
   
       15 . An article comprising a neck tie having two ends, and a fastening device for detachably connecting the ends together, wherein the neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.  
   
   
       16 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the fastening device is selected from the group consisting of snaps, pins, buttons, clasps, hooks, and zippers.  
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of necklaces, bracelets, and belts.  
   
   
       18 . A method of making an article, the method comprising attaching at least one neck tie to a base material, wherein the at least one neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear, accessories, and bags.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, silk, satin, leather, suede, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one neck tie is attached to the base material by sewing.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one neck tie is oriented in a position with respect to the base material that is selected from the group consisting of generally vertically, generally horizontally, and generally diagonally.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one neck tie comprises a strap of the article.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one neck tie comprises a belt of the article.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of tank tops, halter tops, and tube tops.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one neck tie is deconstructed.  
   
   
       27 . A method of making an article, the method comprising attaching a plurality of neck ties together to form the article, wherein each neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of shirts, skirts, pants, outerwear, accessories, and bags.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the neck ties are attached together by sewing.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein at least one neck tie is oriented in a position with respect to the article that is selected from the group consisting of generally vertically, generally horizontally, and generally diagonally.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein at least one neck tie is deconstructed.  
   
   
       33 . A method of making an article, the method comprising attaching a fastening device to a neck tie, wherein the neck tie has two ends, the fastening device detachably connects the two ends together, and the neck tie is not a separate article that is tied underneath a shirt collar in a conventional manner.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the fastening device is selected from the group consisting of snaps, pins, buttons, clasps, hooks, and zippers.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of necklaces, bracelets, and belts.