Pants with Interchangeable Gusset Inserts

Abstract

A pants garment has a pant leg extending vertically from about a hip region to a bottom hem, a slit extending upward from the hem, the slit vertically dividing the pant leg into a pair of mating slit edges ending at a terminus, a zipper for releasably closing the slit along the pair of mating slit edges, a gusset formed of a vertically pleated fabric material having a peripheral length sized to match the pair of mating slit edges, and snaps, buttons, zippers or hook and loop fasteners for removably attaching the peripheral length of the gusset to an interior region of the pant leg adjacent the pair of mating slit edges of the pant leg.

1 . A pants garment comprising:
 a) a pant leg extending vertically from about a hip region of said pants garment to a bottom hem;   b) a slit extending upward from said hem of said pant leg, said slit vertically dividing said pant leg into a pair of mating slit edges ending at a terminus;   c) means for releasably closing said slit along said pair of mating slit edges;   d) a gusset having a peripheral length sized to match said pair of mating slit edges; and   e) means for removably attaching said peripheral length of said gusset to said pair of mating slit edges of said pant leg.   
   
   
       2 . A pants garment according to  claim 1 , wherein said means for releasably closing said slit along said pair of mating slit edges comprises a zipper. 
   
   
       3 . A pants garment according to  claim 2 , wherein said means for removably attaching said peripheral length of said gusset to said pair of mating slit edges of said pant leg is selected from the group snaps, buttons, zippers and hook and loop fasteners. 
   
   
       4 . A pants garment according to  claim 3 , wherein said peripheral length of said gusset is removably attachable to an interior region of said pant leg adjacent said pair of mating slit edges of said pant leg. 
   
   
       5 . A pants garment according to  claim 4 , wherein said gusset comprises a fabric material. 
   
   
       6 . A pants garment according to  claim 5 , wherein said fabric material further comprises ornamentation. 
   
   
       7 . A pants garment according to  claim 6 , wherein said ornamentation is selected from patterns, textures and adornments. 
   
   
       8 . A pants garment according to  claim 5 , wherein said terminus is between said bottom hem and said hip region of said pants garment. 
   
   
       9 . A pants garment according to  claim 8 , wherein said terminus is near a knee region of said pant leg. 
   
   
       10 . A pants garment according to  claim 8 , wherein said terminus is between a knee region of said pant leg and said hip region of said pants garment. 
   
   
       11 . A pants garment according to  claim 8 , wherein said gusset comprises a plurality of vertical pleats. 
   
   
       12 . A pants garment according to  claim 11 , wherein said fabric material of said gusset flares out from said terminus to said hem. 
   
   
       13 . A pants garment according to  claim 8 , wherein said slit is generally co-linear to a seam in said pant leg. 
   
   
       14 . A pants garment according to  claim 13 , wherein said seam in said pant leg runs vertically up an outside portion of said pant leg. 
   
   
       15 . A pants garment according to  claim 8 , wherein said zipper is adapted to remain in a position selected from open, closed and partially open. 
   
   
       16 . A pants garment according to  claim 8 , further comprising a second pant leg similar to said pant leg. 
   
   
       17 . A method of manufacturing a pants garment comprising the steps:
 a) providing a pants garment having a pant leg extending vertically from about a hip region of said pants garment to a bottom hem;   b) cutting into said pant leg a slit extending upward from said hem of said pant leg, said slit vertically dividing said pant leg into a pair of mating slit edges ending at a terminus;   c) affixing a zipper for releasably closing said slit along said pair of mating slit edges from said hem to said terminus;   d) providing a vertically pleated gusset formed of a fabric material and having a peripheral length sized to match said pair of mating slit edges; and   e) affixing means selected from the group snaps, buttons, zippers and hook and loop fasteners to an interior region of said pant leg adjacent said pair of mating slit edges and said peripheral length of said gusset for removably attaching said peripheral length of said gusset to said pair of mating slit edges of said pant leg.   
   
   
       18 . A method of manufacturing a pants garment according to  claim 17 , wherein said fabric material further comprises ornamentation selected from patterns, textures and adornments. 
   
   
       19 . A method of manufacturing a pants garment according to  claim 17 , wherein said terminus is near a knee region of said pant leg. 
   
   
       20 . A method of manufacturing a pants garment according to  claim 19 , wherein said fabric material of said gusset flares out from said terminus to said hem. 
   
   
       21 . A method of manufacturing a pants garment according to  claim 20 , wherein said slit is cut generally co-linear to a seam in said pant leg. 
   
   
       22 . A method of manufacturing a pants garment according to  claim 21 , wherein said seam in said pant leg runs vertically up an outside portion of said pant leg. 
   
   
       23 . A method of modifying the appearance of a pants garment comprising the steps:
 a) providing a pants garment having a pant leg extending vertically from about a hip region to a bottom hem, a slit extending upward from said hem, said slit vertically dividing said pant leg into a pair of mating slit edges ending at a terminus, a zipper for releasably closing said slit along said pair of mating slit edges, a gusset formed of a vertically pleated fabric material having a peripheral length sized to match said pair of mating slit edges, and means selected from the group snaps, buttons, zippers and hook and loop fasteners for removably attaching said peripheral length of said gusset to an interior region of said pant leg adjacent said pair of mating slit edges of said pant leg; and   b) removably attaching said gusset to said pant leg.   
   
   
       24 . A method of modifying the appearance of a pants garment according to  claim 23 , further comprising the step of manipulating said zipper to a desired position along said pair of mating slit edges, said desired position selected from the group open, closed and partly open. 
   
   
       25 . A method of modifying the appearing of a pants garment according to  claim 23 , wherein said slit is generally co-linear to a seam running vertically up an outside portion of said pant leg. 
   
   
       26 . A method of modifying the appearing of a pants garment according to  claim 23 , further comprising the steps:
 a) removing said gusset from said pant leg; and   b) manipulating said zipper to a desired position selected from the group open, closed and partly open.   
   
   
       27 . A method of modifying the appearing of a pants garment according to  claim 23 , further comprising the steps:
 a) removing said gusset from said pant leg;   b) removably attaching a second gusset to said pant leg; and   c) manipulating said zipper to a desired position selected from the group open, closed and partly open.