Customizable garment apparatus, system, and method

Abstract

A customizable garment apparatus includes a garment body element, a hood element, and flexible fastening strips. The hood element is coupled to the garment body element such that the outer surface of the hood element is substantially contiguous with the exterior surface of the garment body element. A first flexible fastening strip is coupled to the exterior surface of the garment body element and a second flexible fastening strip coupled to the outer surface of the hood element. The flexible fastening strips are configured to removably couple at least one interchangeable accessory element to the garment body element and/or hood element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A customizable garment apparatus, comprising:
 a garment body element extending along a vertical axis, the garment body element comprising an interior surface, an exterior surface, a neckline, a bottom edge, and a length extending between the neckline and the bottom edge;   a hood element defined by a face opening, the hood element comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the hood element extends in an upward direction from the neckline along the vertical axis, wherein the outer surface is substantially contiguous with at least a portion of the exterior surface of the garment body element; and   a first flexible fastening strip coupled to the exterior surface and a second flexible fastening strip coupled to the outer surface, wherein each of the first flexible fastening strip and the second flexible fastening strip comprises a plurality of fastening elements disposed successively along its length, wherein the first flexible fastening strip is configured to removably couple at least one of a plurality of interchangeable accessory elements to the garment body element and wherein the second flexible fastening strip is configured to removably couple at least one of the plurality of interchangeable accessory elements to the hood element.   
     
     
         2 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the garment body element comprises a least one of a coat, a vest, a jacket, a sweatshirt, a hoodie, and a shirt. 
     
     
         3 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hood element includes a connectable edge configured to removably couple the hood element to the garment body element at the neckline. 
     
     
         4 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of interchangeable accessory elements comprises an attachment element configured to couple at least one of the plurality of fastening elements. 
     
     
         5 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of fastening elements comprises a first snap portion and wherein the attachment element comprises a second snap portion. 
     
     
         6 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of interchangeable accessory elements comprises one of a functional accessory element and an ornamental accessory element. 
     
     
         7 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the garment body element extending between the neckline and the bottom edge is selectively extendable. 
     
     
         8 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the bottom edge comprises an extension strip configured to selectively attach to at least a portion of the garment body element to extend the length. 
     
     
         9 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the garment body element comprises a sleeve, and wherein the extension strip is configured to selectively extend a length of the sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The customizable garment apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a flap element configured to selectively cover at least a portion of the plurality of fastening elements. 
     
     
         11 . A customizable garment system, comprising:
 a garment body element extending along a vertical axis, the garment body element comprising an interior surface, an exterior surface, a neckline, a bottom edge, and a length extending between the neckline and the bottom edge;   a hood element defined by a face opening, the hood element comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the hood element extends in an upward direction from the neckline along the vertical axis, wherein the outer surface is substantially contiguous with at least a portion of the exterior surface of the garment body element;   a first flexible fastening strip secured to the exterior surface of the garment body element;   a second flexible fastening strip secured to the outer surface of the hood element, wherein each of the first flexible fastening strip and the second flexible fastening strip comprises a plurality of fastening elements disposed successively along its length; and   a plurality of interchangeable accessory elements configured to selectively couple to at least one of the garment body element and the hood element, wherein each of the plurality of interchangeable accessory elements comprises at least one attachment element configured to removably engage at least one of the fastening elements.   
     
     
         12 . The customizable garment system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of interchangeable accessory elements comprises one of a functional accessory element and an ornamental accessory element. 
     
     
         13 . The customizable garment system of  claim 12 , wherein the functional accessory element is selected from the group consisting of a glove, a mitten, a scarf, a face mask, stockings, socks, undergarments, swimwear, a harness, a dog waste bag, a pocket, a pouch, a tie, a collar, fur trim, a liner, an extension element, and a high-visibility strip. 
     
     
         14 . The customizable garment system of  claim 12 , wherein the ornamental accessory element is selected from the group consisting of a fin, a tail, a wing, a horn, a cape, a tutu, a skirt, a mohawk, a costume mask, a halo, spikes, scales, horns, a mane, animal ears, lights, a badge, a patch, and a streamer. 
     
     
         15 . The customizable garment system of  claim 11 , further comprising a third flexible fastening strip coupled to the exterior surface of the garment body element, wherein the third flexible fastening strip extends in a direction substantially transverse to the first flexible fastening strip. 
     
     
         16 . The customizable garment system of  claim 15 , wherein the third flexible fastening strip extends along a sleeve of the garment body element. 
     
     
         17 . The customizable garment system of  claim 15 , further comprising a fourth flexible fastening strip coupled to the outer surface of the hood element and configured to substantially circumscribe the face opening. 
     
     
         18 . A method for customizing a garment, comprising:
 providing a customizable garment apparatus comprising a hood element extending from a garment body element such that an outer surface of the hood element is substantially contiguous with at least a portion of an exterior surface of the garment body element;   securing at least one of a plurality of flexible fastening strips to the exterior surface of the garment body element, wherein each of the plurality of flexible fastening strips comprises a length having a plurality of fastening elements secured in succession thereto;   securing at least one of the plurality of flexible fastening strips to the outer surface of the hood element; and   coupling an attachment element to at least one of a plurality of interchangeable accessory elements, wherein the attachment element is configured to removably engage the at least one fastening element to secure the at least one of the plurality of interchangeable accessory elements to the customizable garment apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising attaching an extension strip to a bottom edge of the garment body element to selectively extend a length extending between a neckline of the garment body element and the bottom edge. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein attaching the extension strip comprises selectively retaining the extension strip in a folded position along the bottom edge and selectively releasing the folded position to extend the length.