As we head into the warmer weather, it is nice to consider being free of jackets and sweaters and long sleeves. However, there are short sleeves and there are short sleeves, and some short sleeves are of Satan and should be resisted with all one’s mighty power.
WHY, GOD? WHY?
Why would any woman wear a shirt with a big flopping tent of fabric at the widest point of her arm? WHY? This is to say nothing of the fact that this garment is extremely weird in general. Grown Up Lady Romper In Quilted Sapphire! OOOoookay!
And yet, this is just exactly how many Tshirts and casual shirts are designed. They are HIIIIIIIIIIIIIDEOUS.
Here’s a sleeve length that isn’t long and hot, but is far more streamlined and attractive. Most short-sleeved shirts aren’t terribly professionally appropriate.
But if you’re a big fan of short sleeves for personal climate control, please pay attention to the fit. See how much better this one looks than El Flappo up above?
Look at the model here all contorted, leaning way over to the side like her hair is weighing her down. You know why she’s doing that? Because if she stands up straight you’re going to notice how frumpy those sleeves are:
Sleeves can make or break a top. Learn to get handy with a needle and thread to eliminate frumpy sleeve flappage. I regularly remove sleeves from tops altogether so I can wear them with jackets and no bulk.
P.S. Many clericals designed for women have very frumpy short sleeves. Fix ’em!
I agree with you about all the other sleeves in the post, but to me, the top one looks like an intentional play with proportion. If we lose the shorts and turn the top into a no-button blazer, I’d totally wear it over a kelly green pencil dress….
[I think you’re right, but I couldn’t find online images to correspond to the horridly ugly Tshirts and cotton tops with bad wide short sleeves I had seen in a catalogue. You’d certainly possibly redeem it as a jacket, but you get the idea why the sleeves are unflattering– PB]
What’s PB’s view on 3/4 length sleeves? I personally loathe them, as they are neither cooling nor warming – my fore arms get cold. Maybe it’s also because as a long armed gal so many standard “long sleeves” are 4/5 length on me.
For me, as a person with abundance in the upper arm department, I’d much rather pull something off the rack with flappy sleeves I can take in (if I need to) than a garment that fits everywhere else with impossibly tight sleeves. It’s a lot easier to fix sleeves that are too big than sleeves that are too skinny, especially if there’s no stretch to the fabric.
I find I prefer 3/4 (below the elbow) and just-above-the-elbow sleeves over shorter short sleeves – can’t STAND cap sleeves, what’s the point? I’m scared to go look at the spring stuff this year – the blues and greens are nice and there’s a bright yellow out that I love and wish I didn’t look bilious in, but what are they doing in the sleeves department?
Hey there. Victoria. [Name] here, and thank you for your words of encouragement after I left a church that had a clump of hateful people at the helm. It’s looking like I have a new church interim position on the horizon in [City]. Open minded. Open hearted. And lots of things that make me think this will be a better fit. I love your comments and read them multiple times. I watch your makeup tutorials when I’m stressed. :). So a particular question… Where is that nice brown 3/4 sleeve shirt? And another particular…I just love when you go through catalogs and give your opinion so please!!!! Indulge us yet again! And a few ideas for robes and other vestment ideas. Professional and attractive questions. For example I love the idea of a white robe as it alludes to the garment of baptism and speaks of resurrection. Yet as I’m aware from multiple photographs of myself I am a marshmallow when I wear it. Then there’s academic black better for my face and a bit more slenderizing – should I care about that ? – the enormous sleeves !!! I found a two piece preaching Suit online at a website for African American women preachers that I liked a lot but it could look a bit Oompa Loompa too.
Love to hear your great ideas about these. I’ve been practicing talking on camera and my hands go up and are huge on the video yikes! Thanks for standing up for the gowns.
And I could use more about sweating and makeup. What’s the deodorant thing that you put on the night before? I don’t get it. and shoes without hose for summer. Close toed? Any ideas? I’d like to see you show us your look top to bottom. Our shape is your shape and you are our role model. :). Much appreciation. Emory. Also could you talk about linen? The flax look that calls to us like sirens of old and yet…hmmm. Pretty darn limp and frumpy in real life? I’d love your thoughts about the Flax collection for 2016 and talbots Oprah collection. Great looks with s pencil skirt? Thank you!!! Kiss of peace !!!
[Kiss of peace to you, darling! I will definitely save this for my next few blogs. THANK you for the questions and for writing. I’m thrilled for your new adventure. Kiss of peace right back atcha – PB]