Women's sleepwear, loungewear and activewear garments with integral breast support

Abstract

A garment for sleepwear, loungewear, activewear, etc. is disclosed. It includes a fabric shell and a support structure. The support structure includes a pair of cups configured for receipt of a wearer's breasts and a back portion configured to accommodate the wearer's back and includes a first layer, a second layer, a pair of elastic shoulder straps and an elastic band. The first layer is formed of a soft fabric. The second layer is formed of a soft foam material and is located between the first layer and the fabric shell. The first and second layers are secured together by plural stitch lines. The elastic band is secured to the bottom of the support structure to extend about the wearer's torso to provide support for the wearer's breasts. The fabric shell is secured to the support structure and has a portion extending downward to form a skirt section of the garment.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A garment comprising a shell and a support structure, said shell being formed of a soft fabric, said support structure having front portion including a pair of cups configured for receipt of a wearer's breasts and a back portion configured to accommodate the wearer's back, said support structure comprising a first layer, a second layer, a pair of shoulder straps and an elastic band, said first layer being formed of a soft fabric, said second layer being formed of a soft foam material, said second layer being located between said first layer and said fabric shell, said first layer and said second layer being secured together by plural stitch lines, said elastic band being secured to said first and second layers below said cups and configured to extend about the wearer's torso to provide support for the wearer's breasts, said shoulder straps being connected between said front portion of said support structure and said back portion of said support structure, said fabric shell being secured to said support structure and having a portion extending downward below said support structure to form a skirt section of said garment. 
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein said shell is disposed over said support structure to form an outer layer of said garment and wherein said first layer of said support structure comprises an inner layer of said garment. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein said support structure includes at least one of a front center stitch line located in said front portion between said cups, a top stitch line across a top portion of each of said cups, a bottom stitch line across a bottom portion of each of said cups, and a pair of side stitch lines located between respective ones of said cups and respective sides of said back portion of said bra section. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein said support structure includes at least one of a front center stitch line located in said front portion between said cups, a top stitch line across a top portion of each of said cups, a bottom stitch line across a bottom portion of each of said cups, and a pair of side stitch lines located between respective ones of said cups and respective sides of said back portion of said bra section. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein said soft fabric shell is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein said soft fabric first layer of said support structure is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 5  wherein said soft fabric first layer of said support structure is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 7  wherein said shell is disposed over said support structure to form an outer layer of said garment and wherein said first layer of said support structure comprises an inner layer of said garment. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein said shoulder straps are elastic. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 4  wherein said soft fabric shell is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 4  wherein said soft fabric first layer of said support structure is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 10  wherein said soft fabric first layer of said support structure is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12  wherein said shell is disposed over said support structure to form an outer layer of said garment and wherein said first layer of said support structure comprises an inner layer of said garment. 
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein said shoulder straps are elastic. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein said shoulder straps comprise adjustment rings located for adjusting the length of said shoulder straps. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 14  wherein said shoulder straps comprise adjustment rings located for adjusting the length of said shoulder straps. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein said support structure is secured within said shell by a stitch line. 
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 17  wherein said plural stitch lines of said support structure comprise a front center stitch line located in said front portion of said support structure between said cups, a top stitch line across a top portion of each of said cups, a bottom stitch line across a bottom portion of each of said cups, and a pair of side stitch lines located on respective sides of said support structure adjacent respective ones of said cups. 
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 18  wherein said soft fabric shell is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 18  wherein said soft fabric first layer of said support structure is selected from the group consisting of cotton, Lycra, polyester, silk, rayon and combinations thereof.