Flattering Short Sleeves for IT Shape? - YouLookFab Forum

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Flattering Short Sleeves for IT Shape?

Anonymous

It will be 60+ degrees today, yay, but time for my annual transitional weather sartorial crisis! Whee.....

I rarely wear short sleeves, if it's over 70 I'm in sleeveless, below about 60 in long or 3/4 sleeves. I only own 3 including my work issued shirt, but there's got to be better choices, cause I feel like a big box when I wear them.

I was wondering if there are some that may look less frumpy on me than others- diagonal sleeves, a different neckline? Scrap it and just wear half sleeves instead?
Any ITs out there that have solved this?
Thanks!

General

32 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

April

Veteran

I find that a V-neckline (which I don't wear anymore) on a top where the hip region tapers inward, is a flattering shape for the IT. Basically, anything that follows your shape instead of fighting it.

I used to enjoy a cap sleeve as well. I didn't stop wearing these tops because they were unflattering, but because I now want maximum sun protection.

Joy

Veteran

I a,so rarely wear short sleeves. It when I do, like a diagonal best. You can roll them and put in a couple of stitches to hold the shape. Sometimes I have just cut them out for sleeveless. . I wear a crew neckline most of the time.

Dee

Veteran

Short sleeves are my go to for warm weather. I’d avoid anything tight or straight cut and go with something a little more flowy especially around the shoulder line. V necks and scoop necks would work nicely for ITs as well.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

FWIW, I like my short sleeves a little longer. Hem finishes middle of my top arm or longer. See Finds. That looks the best on my body type, to my eye.

Personally, I don't like to wear a shorter short sleeve, diagonal sleeve, or cap sleeve because they look off on my long arms, narrow shoulders, medium bust, and very long neck.

That probably wasn't helpful....

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Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Perhaps dolman/ batwing styles?

I also find diagonally rolled sleeves to work.

Runcarla

Veteran

Not IT, but broad shouldered. I get what you are saying, and do as you do - long (or 3/4) sleeves, or sleeveless. The sleeve style that works for Angie does not work for me! I don’t fancy cap sleeves, but a T-shirt with a shorter sleeve looks better than one that falls mid arm or at the level of the bust. Like April a V neck is better than crew when it comes to short sleeves.

Lucky you! We are seeing temps above freezing, but it will be another 3-4 months before we can consider winter over.

SarahD8

Veteran

Picking up on what Angie and Runcarla are saying -- I *do* like a cap sleeve on my broad shouldered frame. I feel like it goes against conventional figure flattery advice (my shoulders are already broad...so theoretically I shouldn't wear something that further broadens them). But it works for me. In contrast I do NOT fancy the sleeve lengths that Angie mentions on my body. I think cap sleeves keep the visual width to my shoulder line, whereas short sleeves widen my whole upper torso -- not a good look for someone whose torso is already wide and squat.

But, I am not sure cap sleeves are functionally different from sleeveless from a thermoregulation perspective. My solution is stick to sleeveless and have a 3/4 sleeve cardi to add or subtract as necessary throughout the day. (I think I have more tolerance for layering than you do though.)

Anonymous

Thanks all! Angie, your Finds look the type that are problematic on me!

My shoulders are wide, but so is my bust, which is large too :/ Neck is normal length I guess, but my arms are long. Often long sleeves aren't long enough.

I had some flowy sleeve tops before that worked, but they weren't layerable. And I was less "endowed" then too.

Cap sleeves I haven't tried in a while. The last ones I had felt a bit too young looking.

I could just wear my thin blouses instead, but I was thinking for days I'm just going up to the pool and such.

Our winters are Much less predictable than our summers, Runcarla! Normally it's in the 30s-40s but we've gotten 70 degree days even in February. It can be below 0F too though.

ETA I don't wear short sleeves in summer cause our humidity. Sleeves become a sweaty mess within minutes of going outside.

rachylou

Veteran

Cap sleeves were my first thought…

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Packing my stuff up recently, I noticed that I don’t have classic short sleeves like Angie shows. I have a couple tops with cap sleeves, but not many. Mostly my things have sleeves, all the way down, or they don’t. Are you sure you need short sleeves?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I tend to go sleeveless or 3/4 to longer sleeved as well. I'm not IT, by any means; shoulders are square and a bit wider than hips, but my frame is relatively small and so is my bust. In other words, our flattery priorities probably differ.

FWIW, I like a diagonal (rolled) short sleeve, if wearing. Or I'll do what SarahDB says -- wear sleeveless with a jacket or cardigan. An elbow length sleeve can also work (below the bust line) but those can be more difficult to source. I strongly dislike flutter sleeves on myself (this is just a style preference, not really about figure flattery, and I do like on others), and cap sleeves tend to broaden my shoulder line but are not necessarily bad (to Sarah's point). It all depends on other features, e.g. the neckline.

I do think a v neck would help for your situation. The trouble is, it can be difficult to find work appropriate ones.

Anonymous

I haven't been buying v necks in general, but they would break up the big box look. Normally I've been going for higher necks to keep the strong vertical line. But short sleeves are by nature horizonal causing.

Aside from the IT issue, I think I don't like them for the same reason I don't like shorts- they just break up the line of the body too much.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I think a V would reinforce the vertical line, if it was narrow enough.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

So another solution would be to keep the tone of the top and bottoms as similar as possible. Not necessarily the same colour but the same intensity/ chromatic value, at minimum.

SW prof

I'm definitely an IT, and I wear short sleeves a great deal in summer. Maybe not maximally flattering, but if I wore sleeveless I'd have to have another layer on all the time at work, in stores, because of A/C.

What I do like, which some others have mentioned, is v-necks or "notch necks". Also short-sleeve mock necks (higher than crew but not very). I also feel that longer (just-above-elbow) sleeves are more flattering, but my perceptions may be wrong.

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Anonymous

I wore thin sweaters over my sleeveless tops when I worked in offices, cause short sleeves were way too hot once I got outside. Now I get to work outside in summer

Anonymous

Update- found one I'm happy with! The rest of my BR haul was a fail, but at least one worked. Probably the sleeve length and it being black and fitted was what made it work.

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Carol

(website)

Veteran

I have wide shoulders and a big bust, and I find that I often look better in modest, masculine stuff…a lot like the photos Angie showed.

Anonymous

I'm all for modest, but not masculine on me- I'm IT but also very hourglassy.

CarolS

Veteran

Ooh -- that looks like a very nice tot, suntiger. I'm glad to hear you found at least one that works!!

Anonymous

Was considering duping it in the navy. But we had a lot of transitional weather days this winter, and I wore my olive short sleeve top more than I thought I would. Normally it goes from cold to hot.

I should probably do my wardrobe tracking for more than just this year, to see over time how much I really wear the transitional things!

DonnaF

Veteran

I wore this today. Lace sleeves are cool and sun protective.

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LJP

Veteran

What else did you order from BR that didn't work? Curious as I've been on their site a lot recently.

Sleeves are so tricky - a smidge in the wrong direction and they can be so unflattering . I'm not really sure of my body type anymore - haha - but it's either sleeveless or 3/4 sleeves for me . Regular short sleeves can read very mannish on me. But then, who I am trying to impress ? Lol.

Sal

Veteran

I am not quite an IT but I also struggle with short sleeves.

Dropped shoulder short sleeves are probably the hardest. I agree with Lisa - an inch either way can lead to failure or success. Some work - some don’t -so I am pleased you have found a top you like.

Anonymous

Oh I hate dropped shoulders (on me) so much! Sooo many tops have them now :/

These were the other 2 I tried. The beige one was almost ok, just slightly odd fit under the arms. The sharp shoulder was a big Nope. Thought I'd give the trend a try, but besides the shoulders, it was also odd fitting under the arms. Much more extreme than it appears in the pic. A bit sheer too for my comfort.
Was going to try the heavy weight supima tank and the draped one too.

I like the lace sleeve top! I just wear sleeves for warmth, not sun protection. I got melanin and sunscreen for that Any sleeves, even short sleeves, become a soaking mess in our humid summers. Short sleeves and thin blouses are for 50s- 60s days.

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LJP

Veteran

I tried that sharp shoulder one too . Didn’t work for me either - too sheer and armholes too low .

Anonymous

On me both were a little loose under the arms. I did get better fitting ones at ON though, but Finds link broke.
https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse.....ge-content

https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse.....ge-content

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am with you - short sleeves are the least appealing on me. I do think that there is a huge variety in arms, which accounts for these preferences (shorter, longer, in proportion or not, shoulder width and shape and so on).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I tried -- and sent back -- the sharp shouldered T also. I ordered the light colour (off white) which was probably stupid -- but it was way too sheer and an awful fit on me. Armholes too exposing and just altogether bleah.

When a top is a big fail on three women with different body types and style preferences, I think we can agree it is a terrible design, poorly executed!

Glad you found a top you liked, Suntiger!

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