Outer garment with releasable flap

1 . A garment with a releasable flap, comprising:

a garment body having an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein said garment body includes a garment centerline extending along a longitudinal axis of said garment body, wherein said garment body extends from said centerline to a terminal side edge of said garment body to form a gap in said garment body between said terminal side edge of said garment body and said centerline of said garment body, wherein said gap provides access to said inner portion of said garment body;

a flap positioned so as to overlay said gap, wherein said flap extends such that a terminal bottom edge of said flap is coextensive with a terminal bottom edge of said garment body, wherein said flap extends such that a terminal side edge of said flap extends beyond said terminal side edge of said garment body to overlay at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, proximate said terminal side edge of said garment body, wherein at least a portion of said flap proximate said terminal bottom edge of said flap and proximate said terminal side edge of said flap is releasably attached or coupled to at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, via one or more releasable fasteners, proximate said terminal bottom edge of said outer portion and proximate said terminal side edge of said outer portion;

at least one reinforcing element attached or coupled to at least a portion of said inner portion of said garment body within at least a portion of said flap; and

a faux pocket opening defined by a portion of said flap that overlays at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body between at least a portion of said flap and at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, wherein said faux pocket opening provides access to said inner portion of said garment body, wherein said one or more releasable fasteners are between said faux pocket opening and said terminal bottom edge of said outer portion, and wherein said faux pocket opening operates with said flap such that if a portion of said faux pocket opening moves away from said outer portion of said garment body at least a portion of said flap moves away from said outer portion of said garment body.

2 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein said flap is formed of a separate portion of material at least partially attached or coupled to one or more portions of said outer portion of said garment body.

3 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein said flap is an integral extension of at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body.

4 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein one or more releasable fasteners are positioned proximate overlapping portions of said outer portion of said garment body and said flap, proximate said terminal side edge of said outer portion of said flap and said terminal side edge of said flap.

5 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said reinforcing element is comparatively more rigid, less flexible, or more inelastic than at least a portion of said garment body.

6 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said reinforcing element is permanently or releasably attached or coupled to at least a portion of said inner portion of said garment body within at least a portion of said flap.

7 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said reinforcing element comprises a single layer of material.

8 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said reinforcing element comprises multiple layers of similar or dissimilar materials.

9 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said reinforcing element comprises one or more additional layers of a material used to form said garment body.

10 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein a shape of said reinforcing element is substantially similar to a shape of said flap.

11 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein at least one terminating edge of said reinforcing element extends to be coterminal with at least one terminating edge of said flap.

12 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein at least one terminating edge of said reinforcing element extends to be offset a determined distance from at least one terminating edge of said flap.

13 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing element comprises a plurality of reinforcing elements.

14 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing element comprises a plurality of reinforcing elements arranged in a random or repeating pattern within a portion of said flap.

15 . A garment with a releasable flap, comprising:

a garment body having an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein said garment body includes a garment centerline extending along a longitudinal axis of said garment body, wherein said garment body extends from said centerline to a terminal side edge of said garment body to form a gap in said garment body between said terminal side edge of said garment body and said garment centerline, wherein said gap provides access to said inner portion of said garment body;

a flap positioned so as to overlay said gap, wherein said flap extends such that a terminal bottom edge of said flap is coextensive with a terminal bottom edge of said outer portion, wherein said flap extends such that a terminal side edge of said flap extends beyond said terminal side edge of said outer portion to overlay at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, proximate said terminal side edge of said outer portion;

at least one reinforcing element attached or coupled to at least a portion of said inner portion of said garment body within at least a portion of said flap;

at least one element of a mating portion of one or more releasable fasteners attached or coupled to a corresponding portion of said flap proximate said terminal bottom edge of said flap and proximate said terminal side edge of said flap, at least one corresponding element of a mating portion of said one or more releasable fasteners attached or coupled to a corresponding portion of said outer portion of said garment body proximate said terminal bottom edge of said outer portion and proximate said terminal side edge of said outer portion; and

a faux pocket opening defined by a portion of said flap that overlays at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body between at least a portion of said flap and at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, wherein said faux pocket opening provides access to said inner portion of said garment body, wherein said one or more releasable fasteners are between said faux pocket opening and said terminal bottom edge of said outer portion, and wherein said faux pocket opening operates with said flap such that movement of a portion of said faux pocket opening away from said outer portion of said garment body results in movement of at least a portion of said flap away from said outer portion of said garment body.

16 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 15 , wherein said flap is an integral extension of at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body.

17 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of said reinforcing element is comparatively more rigid, less flexible, or more inelastic than at least a portion of said garment body.

18 . A garment with a releasable flap, comprising:

a garment body having an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body extends from a first terminal side edge of said garment body to a second terminal side edge of said garment body to form a gap in said garment body between said first terminal side edge of said garment body and said second terminal side edge of said garment body, wherein said gap provides access to said inner portion of said garment body;

a flap positioned so as to overlay said gap, wherein said flap extends such that a terminal bottom edge of said flap is coextensive with a terminal bottom edge of said outer portion, wherein said flap extends such that a first terminal side edge of said flap extends beyond said first terminal side edge of said outer portion to overlay at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body and wherein said flap extends such that a second terminal side edge of said flap extends beyond said second terminal side edge of said outer portion to overlay at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, wherein at least a portion of said flap, proximate said first terminal side edge of said flap and said terminal bottom edge of said flap is releasably attached or coupled, via mating interaction of one or more releasable fasteners, to said outer portion of said garment body, proximate said terminal bottom edge of said outer portion and said first terminal side edge of said outer portion, and wherein at least a portion of said flap, proximate said second terminal side edge of said flap and said terminal bottom edge of said flap is releasably attached or coupled, via mating interaction of one or more releasable fasteners, to said outer portion of said garment body, proximate said terminal bottom edge of said outer portion and said second terminal side edge of said outer portion;

at least one reinforcing element attached or coupled to at least a portion of said inner portion of said garment body within at least a portion of said flap;

a first faux pocket opening defined by a portion of said flap that overlays at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body between at least a portion of said flap, proximate said first terminal side edge of said flap and at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, wherein said first faux pocket opening provides access to said inner portion of said garment body, wherein at least some of said one or more releasable fasteners are between said first faux pocket opening and said first terminal bottom edge of said outer portion, and wherein said first faux pocket opening operates with said flap such that if a portion of said first faux pocket opening moves away from said outer portion of said garment body at least a portion of said flap moves away from said outer portion of said garment body; and

a second faux pocket opening defined by a portion of said flap that overlays at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body between at least a portion of said flap, proximate said second terminal side edge of said flap and at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body, wherein said second faux pocket opening provides access to said inner portion of said garment body, wherein at least some of said one or more releasable fasteners are between said second faux pocket opening and said second terminal bottom edge of said outer portion, and wherein said second faux pocket opening operates with said flap such that if a portion of said second faux pocket opening moves away from said outer portion of said garment body at least a portion of said flap moves away from said outer portion of said garment body.

19 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 18 , wherein said flap is an integral extension of at least a portion of said outer portion of said garment body.

20 . The garment with a releasable flap of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of said reinforcing element is comparatively more rigid, less flexible, or more inelastic than at least a portion of said garment body.