Active wear garment attachment mechanisms, garments including same and methods for flattening skin

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided to smooth the skin of the wearer of a garment that otherwise presents as excess skin. Generally, an item of clothing interfaces with a resistive structure, such that when the skin has been pulled taut, the restorative force of the skin is at least counterbalanced by force in the opposite direction. The interfacing structure provides sufficient adherence, adhesion and/or friction to the user's skin such that the interface structure remains in place. The formerly loose skin is then held taut. In one preferred embodiment, the first resistive member comprises left directed chevron shaped resistive member and the second resistive member is a right directed chevron shaped resistive member.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A clothing garment for providing tensioning skin from a first state comprising excess skin to a second state comprising tensioned taut skin, where the tensioned taut skin generates a force of restoration (Frestoration) back to the first state, the garment including at least a first attachment region and a second attachment region, comprising:
 a first resistive member attached to the first attachment region of the garment, the first resistive member being attached to the first attachment region with a strength greater than Frestoration, the first resistive member including one or more left directed chevron shaped resistive members,   a second resistive member attached to the second attachment region of the garment, the second resistive member being attached to the second attachment region with a strength greater than Frestoration, the second resistive member including one or more right directed chevron shaped resistive members,   wherein when the excess skin is tensioned from the first state into the second state of taut skin, the resistive force of the garment, first resistive member and second resistive member is greater than or equal to the force of restoration.   
     
     
         2 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the first resistive member further includes a dot shaped resistive member. 
     
     
         3 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the second resistive member further includes a dot shaped resistive member. 
     
     
         4 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the first resistive member further includes a linear resistive member. 
     
     
         5 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the second resistive member further includes a linear shaped resistive member. 
     
     
         6 . The clothing garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is a bra. 
     
     
         7 . The clothing garment of  claim 6  wherein the bra is a sports bra. 
     
     
         8 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the garment is a pair of shorts. 
     
     
         9 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the garment is a pair of pants. 
     
     
         10 . A clothing garment for providing tensioning skin from a first state comprising excess skin to a second state comprising tensioned taut skin, where the tensioned taut skin generates a force of restoration (Frestoration) back to the first state, the garment including at least a first attachment region and a second attachment region, comprising:
 a first resistive member attached to the first attachment region of the garment, the first resistive member being attached to the first attachment region with a strength greater than Frestoration,   a second resistive member attached to the second attachment region of the garment, the second resistive member being attached to the second attachment region with a strength greater than Frestoration,   wherein when the excess skin is tensioned from the first state into the second state of taut skin, the resistive force of the garment, first resistive member and second resistive member is greater than or equal to the force of restoration.   
     
     
         11 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the first resistive member is a chevron shaped resistive member. 
     
     
         12 . The clothing garment of  claim 2  wherein the second resistive member is a chevron shaped resistive member. 
     
     
         13 . The clothing garment of  claim 3  wherein the first resistive member is a left directed chevron shaped resistive member and the second resistive member is a right directed chevron shaped resistive member. 
     
     
         14 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the first resistive member is a dot shaped resistive member. 
     
     
         15 . The clothing garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is a bra. 
     
     
         16 . The clothing garment of  claim 6  wherein the bra is a sports bra. 
     
     
         17 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the garment is a pair of shorts. 
     
     
         18 . The clothing garment of  claim 1  wherein the garment is a pair of pants.