Brassiere fastener

A fastener suitable for use in a front fastening brassiere, said fastener comprising first and second fastening members, both formed of a resilient plastic material;

• said first fastening member comprising a frame surrounding an elongated aperture adapted to receivve one strap of said brassiere to be passed around a first side of said frame and a first imperforate stiffening flange integral with said first side of said frame, said first stiffening flange being planar and extending outwardly a substantial distnce in the plane of said frame from said first side of said first frame;
• said second fastening member comprising a second frame surrounding an elongated aperture adapted to receive a second strap of said brassiere to be passed around a first side of said frame and a second imperforate stiffening flange integral with a first side of said second frame, said second stiffening flange being planar and extending outwardly a substantial distance in the plane of said frame from said first side of said second frame and further including a generally U-shaped hook portion having a first arm thereof integral with a second side of said frame, and a second arm shorter than said first arm terminating in a spaced-apart relationship with respect to said second side of said frame to form a gap therebetween, said gap being sized to be of a width substantially equal to the width of a second side of said first member, said second arm being of a length greater than the aperture width between said first and second sides of said first hook member, both of said stiffening flanges being thinner than the frames with which they are integral and being of a thickness which is penetrable by a means for securing a brassiere strap to each of said stiffening members having an area sufficient to provide a surface for gripping said fastening members between the fingers of a person manipulating said fastener to open or close the same.