Self-shaping garment hanger shoulder guard

A flat form for a shoulder guard used to provide a form shape over a thin hanger having a hook and a body, the shoulder guard comprising:

• a pair of wings formed of substantially flat web material, each of the wings substantially symmetrical about centerlines on each of the wings and joined along a pair of fold lines, the wings substantially identical except for portions used for joining the pair of wings;
• the fold lines aligned at angles to the centerlines of each wing such that the fold lines form angles to lines normal to the centerlines of each wing which are greater than zero, the fold lines angled such that the fold lines each extend outwardly at said angle from the centerline toward an edge of the wing, said angle directed outwardly toward an outer end, of the wing, and the angles formed between the fold lines and lines normal to the center of each wing substantially the same, thereby establishing symmetry between the fold lines on each wing and further establishing symmetry across the fold lines;
• the angles of the fold lines permitting the shoulder guard to remain flat when the shoulder guard remains in a folded state, and causing the wings to arch when the wings unfold;
• a center opening between the fold lines;
• a pair of cuts extending a predetermined distance outwardly along the centerlines sufficiently to permit moving the shoulder guard over the hook of the hanger by forcing the hook through at least one of the cuts, the cuts further permitting positioning the wings over a raised portion of the hanger below the hook if the hanger has such a raised portion;
• and
• cutouts near outer ends on each wing forming strap retainers, the strap retainers each having two linear cuts terminating in a connecting cut toward the center of the shoulder guard joining the linear cuts.