Sleeves? Puh-LEASE! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Sleeves? Puh-LEASE!

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

Okay, so I posted before about this pintucked button-down shirt (see pic). I find that, even though I like it, I have not taken the tags off. Here's the thing. What I REALLY want is a button-down, pintucked sleeveless shirt. Trouble is, I can't find one in my (hard to find) size. I've been looking for about 3 months now!

So tell me if I'm nuts...but I'm thinking my tailor could easily remove the sleeves, roll the hems, and give me my dream shirt. AM I NUTS??!

(In case you're wondering, the reason I want a sleeveless button-down is for layering purposes. I never wear button downs without a sweater or blazer, and I find long sleeves very constricting when stuffed under my fitted--all my sweaters are fairly fitted--sweaters. The reason I want pintucks is because I love pintucks!)

ETA, in case it matters, you can't tell in the picture but there are little pockets on the shirt too. They're under my hair.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Dressing

16 replies

Latest reply was from shoppingisfun

Anonymous

I'm sure a tailor could do that! Angie was mentioning today that soon all we will be able to find will be sleeveless shirts. (but you said you had a hard to find size) Forum members have also been successful doing "sleeve-ectomies" at home.

I know what you mean about layering. I am sitting here typing with long sleeves stuffed under a L/S T-shirt, a very fitted one, and I hear you! Sleeveless would be ideal. I'm just trying to remix my stuff, lol!

Jem

Veteran

You can definitely remove the sleeves. Do you have any friends that sew? I wouldn't usually recommend asking, but this is an easy fix. They could probably show you how to do it... Well, maybe not the stitching, but the ripping. haha

ManidipaM

Veteran

Um, I think the feasibility actually depends on (a) whether there is enough sleeve fabric to use for facing/binding the new sleeveless armhole, which is a bit tricky because you can't cut straight strips; you need curved shapes; OR (b) whether you are happy to have a different fabric there on the inside and the base fabric won't let it show through.

I don't sew myself, but this is what I recall from watching my folks. Perhaps the ladies who sew regularly -- like MrsE (Steph) -- can help with technical advice.

DonnaF

Veteran

If not sleeveless, I would think you will find cap sleeve or short sleeve pintucks within the next few months. I assume the three months you've been looking have been the late fall/winter months? Making a long sleeve shirt into a short sleeve one is much easier because you do not have to alter the shoulder line and the armholes won't be too big. If you simply remove the sleeves, you will be able to look through one armhole and out the other and may have to add darts which IMHO look a bit weird.

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

Just for fun I chopped the sleeves off an (old) button down tonight to see how it would look. If I hadn't cut a hole in the shirt while trying to cut my thread (yes, I actually did this), the end result would have looked cool, lol! There is a reason I go to a tailor instead of sewing for myself.

Mandipa, I think there would be enough fabric, because the sleeves are long? I am not very good at visualizing this kind of thing though.

The closest top I've found to what I'm looking for in something close to my size was at Ann Taylor a few months ago. It was actually pretty ugly and was soooo baggy in the torso that I would have needed to take it to the tailor anyway (and it was a size 0P!).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

The armholes might be a bit deep if you remove the sleeves off an intentionally sleeved garment.

That long sleeved shirt is KILLER! Removing the sleeves would be a huge pity

Deborah

Veteran

This is a lovely shirt, it would be a shame to alter it. Shame you are not in Ausrlia as there has been an abundance of sleeveless shirts like this. Depending on how urgent the needs is maybe keep on looking, they have to be out there.

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for your responses. My problem is that the only places I've found button-downs that sort of fit me are Banana Republic (where this shirt is from), BR Factory Store and LOFT, but they were a) plain (except for this one) and b) long sleeved.

I am not sure whether to keep this shirt. I like it, but it's going to be too warm to wear long sleeves with jackets/blazers here very soon, plus I find layering with long sleeves to be pretty annoying, since the vast majority of my sweaters are fitted. BUT it's so hard for me to find button-downs that I'm tempted to keep it. Plus it's super soft and comfy, unlike most button-downs. Maybe I'll try it on with all my stuff and see. I don't want to keep it if I can only wear it with a couple of things. I already have a long-sleeved button down that fits (it's pintucked AND ruffled), but it's too short to tuck in, plus it's kind of old and really "crisp" so not that comfy.

Meredith1953

Veteran

It is a beautiful shirt! I know what you mean about wanting sleeveless. I usually wear a cardi or jacket or something and I find sleeves bunching and constricting underneath that layer. There should be lots of sleeveless blouses coming out soon. I actually thrift inexpensive shirts and "chop" the sleeves off if I know I have no intention of wearing them without a cardi or jacket over the top.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Have you tried the ON ones that are just in for spring?
http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/.....=898379012

Anna

I don't like to wear sleeves under sweaters, either. I recently took a white button-down and just cut the sleeves off very close to the shoulder seam. I can sew and I could have left enough fabric for a hem, but I figured I'm going to wear that shirt under sweaters so it doesn't matter. It has worked out fine, even after laundering.

Lisa

Veteran

This is a lovely shirt. I prefer sleeves myself when I layer, this saves me from washing the top layer, as I only have to wash my sweat out of the layer against my skin. If you prefer sleeveless I would pass on this one since it does not meet your need. Everytime I've compromised in the past with something I was looking for I've ended up purchasing many more items because each one wasn't "just right."

I'm not sure what size you need but Eddie Bauer has some sleevless/short sleeve tops with pin tucks going down the front here and a short sleeve one here. Maybe one of these would work?

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

Lisa, thanks for the links. Those tops are adorable, but I would probably be swimming in them (I take an XXSP...misses XS--which usually corresponds to a 2 or 4--are huge on me).

For those of you who perform sleevectomies, do you hem afterward? I need a sewing machine.

I will try on the shirt with some stuff this weekend and see how it goes. The sleeves on it are kind of baggy-ish, so I'm not sure it will work for layering if I leave them on.

I can't even really remember how long I've been looking for a sleeveless button-down. I remember buying the one that didn't work out from Ann Taylor back in October or something (on clearance from their summer stuff). It is really not at all easy for me to find clothes that fit (I can shop in juniors, but the clothes usually don't last and are often too trendy for my taste). I get tired of shopping at BR and LOFT all the time, but that's where the clothes fit with minimal alterations!

Anonymous

SIF, I'm not as small as you, but even I've had a hard time finding sleeveless button-front shirts whose arm-holes are not cut so deep as to be indecent. Or they are cut to high and dig into my armpits. It's a fine line really. Good luck! I'll be on this bandwagon too.

DonnaF

Veteran

What about H&M? Do their tops fit you?

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

Donna: Sometimes the tops at H&M fit, but their quality is mostly...lacking (it does vary from garment to garment though). I do have a couple of blazers and a jacket from there. I found a cute cap-sleeved button down of reasonable quality there a few months ago, but a 2 was slightly small and a 4 was way too big (it didn't have any cute detailing--like pintucks or ruffles--on it, but it was white-on-white stripe, so was still very cute).

Clearlyclaire: Button-downs are hard. It seems like even if they fit, there's always something wrong with them (buttons that pull weirdly when I sit, too short for the tails to show under sweaters, so long that it HAS to be tucked, cheapo buttons....and on and on). I actually recently got rid of a purple short-sleeved button-down...it totally fit when I stood up, moved my arms, etc, but after I wore it a few times I realized that a button right under the bust (not across the bust, but actually at a narrow part of my torso) gapped weirdly whenever I sat down.

Oh well, if I can't find a white sleeveless button down, there is a cream-colored sleeveless faux wrap on Bananarepublic.com that I might write about soon. ;-P