Convertible garment, method of making convertible garment, kit for making convertible garment, and bands for use therewith

Abstract

A wearable garment includes a tube of material to cover a torso of the wearer, and a band in the shape of a loop. When unshaped, the tube has a substantially uniform diameter along a length thereof. To shape the garment, the band is removably connected to the tube at first and second points, which are spaced apart on same edge of the tube. The first and second points are gathered handfuls of the material along the same edge of the tube, and are directly and releasably connected to each other and secured by the band in the shaped position to define an opening along the edge of the tube. The tube returns to the unshaped position when the band is removed and the first and second points are disconnected from each other.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing a wearable garment to be worn by a wearer, comprising:
 (a) providing a tube of material adapted to cover a torso of the wearer, the tube in an unshaped position having a substantially uniform diameter along a length thereof, the tube having a top edge and a bottom edge opposite to the top edge, the top edge of the tube in the unshaped position is straight;   (b) inserting the torso of the wearer into the tube of material;   (c) at each of first and second points spaced apart from each other along the top edge of the tube, gathering the material in the tube, to form first and second straps at the first and second points, the first and second straps are spaced apart from each other;   (d) removably connecting a band to the tube at the first and second straps of the tube of material, the first and second straps being directly connected to each other and releasably secured to each other by the at least one band, to define an opening along the edge of the tube between the first and second straps, wherein an adjustable connection point is formed by the band where it directly connects the first and second straps to each other, wherein the opening is adapted to accommodate a neck, torso, shoulder, limb, or hip of the wearer; and   (e) moving the band on at least one of the first strap and the second strap so that a location of the adjustable connection point on the first and second straps is moved, and the band remains directly connected to both of the first and second straps while moving the band, to adjust a length of a short portion of the edge of the tube at the at least one opening.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising removing the band from the first and second straps to return the tube to the unshaped position. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the top and bottom edges of the tube are unfinished. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the top and bottom edges of the tube are finished. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the band is formed of silicon material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the band has a flat length of between 2 and 3 inches, and a width of between 0.1 and 0.2 inches. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the garment is a sleeveless top, and the opening forms an armhole or neckhole. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the garment is a sleeveless dress, and the first opening forms an armhole or neckhole. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the garment is a skirt, and the first opening forms a waistband. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising providing, as a kit, the wearable garment and at least one band, and instructions for converting the tube to different wearable garments. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions include a code to download further instructions for converting the wearable garment to additional styles, further comprising providing downloadable instructions responsive to receipt of the code. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising inserting a finger at a location on the tube to form a point of the fabric of the tube, and temporarily knotting the fabric of the tube at the point to form a temporary dart detail in the garment. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising forming a plurality of the temporary dart details in the garment. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising inserting a finger at a location on the tube to form a point of the fabric of the tube, and temporarily wrapping at least one other band around the point of the fabric to form a temporary dart detail in the garment. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising forming a plurality of the temporary dart details in the garment.