Knowing When to Hold ‘Em--and How to Fold ‘Em
On a Roll: A freshly pressed long-sleeved dress shirt makes a classic impression at the office. However, when deadlines loom and the work environment gets a little hectic, guys will often pop their cuffs and roll up their sleeves.
There’s nothing wrong with rolling up your sleeves. In fact, it’s necessary if you’re laboring over a table where your forearm is going to rub against paper and misplaced pens, creating a dangerous combination of ink and fabric.
How you roll your sleeves up is the issue.
To do it right, first get rid of the notion of “rolling.” Actually, rolling the sleeve may keep it up and protect your shirt, but when it’s time to bring it down, you’re likely to have a mass of wrinkles on your arms.
Think “fold.”
“Unbutton the cuff and the little button below it if you have one,” says Charles Lee of Alex Sebastian in Costa Mesa. “Then begin folding it up with each cuff width, stopping just below the elbow. You’re still going to have some wrinkling, but it won’t be as much as when you roll it up.”
Only in extreme cases should you pull it up past the elbow, and when you do be ready for jokes about carrying around a pack of cigarettes inside.
Shoe Business: Stirrup pants come in all colors and patterns. They’re versatile and a nice pair can be inexpensive. But unfortunately, many women are starting to wear them a little too much, like when they’re wearing high heels.
“Stirrup pants are really made for flat-heeled shoes,” says personal shopper Deborah Davis of Corona del Mar. “With a heel too high and a stirrup that’s just a little too tight, during a long evening the stirrup will begin to slide back under the heel, ruining the line of the pants.”
Slight heels of about an inch are fine for stirrups, and flats are generally the most common shoe to go with them. If, after hours of wearing them you find the soles of your feet a little sore, check to make sure the leg length is correct and use some talcum powder before putting on your sock to help prevent irritation.
Which Way to the Tour de France?: Bike riding is healthy, fun and economical when used to replace driving a car to get somewhere. But some bike riders, both men and women, have also been wearing their bicycle attire, tight nylon padded pants and jerseys, even when they take the sedan.
“It’s understandable when you ride your bike to the store, but I’ve seen lots of people in bike wear drive up to relatively nice restaurants in cars and walk in,” says fashion consultant Brian Mayne of Mission Viejo. “It’s a jarring look, like walking in somewhere wearing a football uniform. Bike wear can be made more acceptable by bringing along a lightweight jacket or sweat shirt to wear over your jersey.
“And make sure you lose the helmet.”