Sweater Sleeves Can Yield Embarrassment of Riches
Dear Fashion Police: Can you tell me why sweater manufacturers insist on having a sleeve that’s 4 to 5 inches past the wrist? I am 5 feet 4 and want to look nice, not sloppy with sleeves hanging down, covering my hand. I found the most beautiful cardigan, but the sleeves need to be rolled under several inches. I also found the same problem with a sweatshirt I bought recently. Is there any sense to this, or am I being too picky?
--ARMS TOO SHORT
TO WEAR THESE CLOTHES
Dear Arms: No, you’re not being too picky. You’re being a frustrated consumer whose problem with mass-produced clothing is, unfortunately, not unique.
We, too, are 5 feet 4 and find that most sweaters, tops, etc., have sleeves that are at least a couple of inches too long. While we’ve never thought of our arms as disproportionately short, we do find it somewhat annoying to always have to roll up our sleeves, almost never having a top with a smooth sleeve line. It’s a real problem with tailored jackets.
However, we have friends who are the same height who never have problems with sleeves, and their arms aren’t disproportionately long. So what gives? Mother Nature, in her wisdom, has deemed that we should be like snowflakes, so that no two people are alike. Unless you’re an identical twin, of course. Or a triplet.
Anyway, whatever fit models these companies are using to try on clothes obviously have longer arms than you and I. What can we do about it? Couple of things: Sweater sleeves usually can’t be altered, since they’re knit and can’t be cut and re-hemmed (everything would unravel in the process). If you’re partial to some other of your tops that can be altered, think about having a tailor shorten the sleeves.
Otherwise, when shopping, look for blouses and tops that have three-quarter-length sleeves, which come halfway between elbow and wrist. We think it’s a very flattering look and solves the problem of sleeve pushing or rolling.
You can also try on clothes from the petite department of your favorite store or catalog. They’re scaled down a bit in proportion. While we find petite pants are often too short for us, blouses, sweaters and tops seem to fit better.
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Dear Fashion Police: Would a dressy, off-white silk crepe pantsuit with rhinestone buttons be appropriate for a black-tie affair?
--PARTY BOUND
Dear Party: Maybe yes, maybe no. “Black tie” technically means formal dress, but the level of formality can change with the event.
Despite the fact that men must don a tuxedo or dinner jacket, women have a more challenging task in discerning what to wear to a black-tie function. In some cases a cocktail dress is appropriate; others may call for a long dress or gown.
How do you determine what’s appropriate for your event? If you’re invited to the White House, meeting the queen of England, hosting a foreign dignitary or going to the Oscars, we recommend a long gown. If you’re attending a holiday office party at the local Hilton or a friend’s at-home New Year’s Eve soiree, that pantsuit sounds fine. As we’ve recommended countless times before, when in doubt, ask the host or hostess. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, ask a couple of other women attending the party to see if they know any more about it than you.
If, after all that, you’re still in the dark, it’s always better to err on the side of formality. You’ll feel more comfortable and won’t be chastising yourself all night, thinking, “I knew I should have worn a dress!” Puts a damper on having fun.
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Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or e-mail to socalliving@latimes.com.
