An area we rarely talk about in menswear is how we wear clothes, rather than which ones we choose. Buttoning shirts, wearing collars up, belting trench coats and so on.
I know, it’s classic overthinking. No one needs to be told how to roll their sleeves, just like they don’t need to be told which shoe to put on first.
But I do think some people would benefit from raising the topic. I regularly see guys that are into smarter clothing looking stiff because they’re not thinking about things like this. Or people in offices wearing their normal dress shirts with jeans, and keeping the sleeves buttoned. OK the shirt is the main problem, but it would look so much more relaxed if they folded them back.
It’s also easy to think these things should come naturally, rather than be taught. But I know the reason I roll my sleeves back is my Dad did it, and he could easily have done something different, or nothing at all. It’s worth pointing out the effect.
Just thank your lucky stars we haven’t done a step-by-step video showing how to roll your sleeves, like some websites.
Rolling back your sleeves usually makes you look more relaxed, which with smart clothing can be helpful. It does so because it implies some kind of activity, where you would want your cuffs out of the way.
The standard is folding the cuff back twice, so the sleeve ends mid-forearm. One fold is a little flappy, less practical, sometimes a little foppish, but it can also be more expressive (eg Adret, above).
More folds, above the elbow, suggest the labourer and physical work, and is usually less elegant. Picture Popeye. Fred Astaire used to do it (also above) but then he always looked as if he was about to jump off the walls and twirl round the light fitting. This was very active clothing.
There is a third method where the cuff is folded back and pulled up, and the excess material below folded on itself. But this always looks too fussy to me.
Is rolling sleeves physically flattering? I’m not sure. You’re basically cutting off the sleeve a to a three-quarters length, so the arm is shorter and no bigger. The advantage is really that sense of ease, the lack of constraint.
Of course, you only do it with your jacket or sweater off, and it's less easy with double cuffs. But those are rarer these days.
It does make obvious sense in summer, when there’s an advantage to having air running across the veins of the wrist. And that’s probably why I seem to keep my summer overshirts rolled up in the same way as a shirt (above). Unless they too have a shirt underneath.
Although it’s something I also do with winter overshirts, flannels and the like, unless it's particularly cold.
On the subject of chores - and similarly simple, casual jackets - a single turn-back of the cuff can be nice, especially if you need it because the arms are too long. It’s something I do with my Connolly suede jacket (above): I like the shirt-like effect, but it also helps get the right length. Squarzi, above, also does it well.
One look I have tried in the past, and never seemed to work, is folding back the cuff of a shirt and an overshirt, so the shirt cuff is on the outside. Or doing so with a jacket, so the shirt sleeve comes out of the bottom and is folded back on top.
It always seemed too showy, even if practical (when wearing a shirt and an overshirt in the summer, for example). The image below shows an exaggerated example, and it’s an outfit that has many other things wrong with it, but the shirt sleeve over the jacket is definitely one of them.
What else?
Pushing back the sleeves of knitwear has the same relaxed effect (below), but can stretch a sweater, making the sleeve wider and shorter. Washing or steaming will often fix this, but you don’t want to be doing that every time. Best to either always have that length or keep it for denser knits.
Leaving shirt cuffs undone and letting them hang (with or without jacket) can have a similarly relaxed appeal, but doesn’t work if your sleeves are actually the right length. (I’ve been forced into it recently with old shirts, where the sleeves have become too short.)
Overall I think it's worth raising these kinds of 'how to wear' topics, pointing out why they can appeal, and then leaving people to play with it. Play is how we learn, more than dictat or instruction.
There are other pieces in this area in the ‘Rules’ series, where we discuss various rules or conventions with the aim of understanding rather than following blindly. They include buttoning a jacket or not, and keeping a DB buttoned or not.
Let me know if any other ‘how to wear’ topics would be interesting.
Funnily enough,I’ve long thought button cuffs on chunkier jumpers should be a thing.
Was just thinking this the other day. Even on things like a longsleeve T-shirt, having some sort of button/snap/velcro/etc cuff on the wrist instead of an elastic cuff would make rolling the sleeves up so much easier, and then you wouldn’t be faced with the issue of stretching out the elastic cuffs.
I always tend to roll up long sleeves of sweaters, shirts and sweatshirts when indoors, so stretched out cuffs has always plagued me.
I think on something like a long-sleeved T-shirt that might look a little strange – a bit too smart or fussy, even if it was just a snap. But on knits like those with polo collars I can see the style working better. The issue there is the knitted material isn’t really made to have the structure of a cuff, but that isn’t to say it isn’t possible
Hi Simon,
One point not touched upon is I actually feel that it can convey an element of attentiveness when done with formal wear – really playing off the “roll one’s sleeves up” expression as to get stuck into something.
I always get a “the President in the Situation Room” sense when someone wearing a tie takes off their suit jacket and roll up their sleeves.
But I think rolling up the sleeves on a smart linen shirt in the summer can look quite good. Often much better than wearing a t-shirt or a polo shirt.
Agreed. In the summer, I try to utilize Simon’s one-long one-short style. If shortly, I have long sleeve linen and rolling the sleeves (twice….still below elbow) immediately is a great look. Far more stylish than a simple tshirt.
Hi Simon. Sweatshirts too, and in keeping with this type of piece?
It may be slightly easier with well worn, vintage sweats.
I also think this is a great lesson we can take from the way womenswear is worn
True, and certainly, great with old soft sweatshirts.
Womenswear certainly holds lots of lessons – including things like belting trench coats
On that point, Simon: what is your view? I do often just tie the trench belt quickly in the front to one side with a sloppy-ish knot, which I believe is the preferred method among the menswear afficionados, but when I know I’ll be outside for a longer walk, or if I’m going to the office, or for a special night out, I would actually belt it properly.
I tend to not use the belt at all and just keep it belted in the back, using the buttons on the front. As shown in the piece on the Rider’s coat.
That was also a reason I made the belt kind of easier to use on the English Tweed coat
I’ve recently been paying more attention to the ways women style and wear traditionally male garments – I think we could stand to learn (or re-learn) a lot. Out in the street I see a far greater number of women looking good in coats, jeans, wider or higher-waisted trousers generally, boots, and so on. I’ve also been copying certain principles of proportion when it comes to wearing clothes oversized. They’ve got us pipped fellas.
I think you’ll like this Wednesday’s article….
I have long arms, relative to the rest of my body. Often, where the rest of the a shirt fits well, the sleeves are a bit too short. So for casual shirts, rolled up sleeves is the default – to the point where I now hardly bother to consider the sleeve length when buying a new shirt.
Yes that‘s true too me aswell. I like the more proportioned look of shortend arms with the sleeves rolled up. And the more relaxed look! But I still have an eye on the sleeve length. One does not know, when it will be practical to have the correct lenght. Too short sleeves on a shirt is a big no no for me! Does look rather bad imho…
Me too. regular shirts always break at the elbows. So I either do made to measure or roll them up.
Jason King was the ‘turned back’ cuff sensei !
Your age is showing, and so is mine.
“Is rolling sleeves physically flattering?”
Pretty much everyone I know attracted to men certainly thinks so!
Whilst I understand that more folds, above the elbow, might sometimes be less elegant, usually I actually find it to be more so, because the folds are tighter and result in a look that’s a smarter version of wearing a t-shirt, but still casual, especially when worn with high waisted trousers or shorts.
Hi Ravi,
Personally, I think it’s worth avoiding the urge to be neater with the folds, as this usually undermines the point of it looking relaxed and easy. Tighter and neater looks too deliberate, even mannered. The men we admire for their clothing look easy and relaxed in what they’re wearing, and show no signs of having spent a good length of time perfecting their shirt sleeves.
Ah, I see your point. Thank you.
My father, a Royal Marine, always had perfectly neat sleeves rolled up just above the elbow “to avoid creases in the material”. I agree, it’s not the look I’d go for.
Hi Simon,
Nice article. Good to have some more detail on a topic you’ve mentioned a few times before. If I may, I think rolling the sleeves is flattering because the shortened arms in turn broaden the shoulders.
I always roll my sleeves except when wearing a jacket.
I hate sleeves that are even a bit too long, and I have a brilliant alterations lady who does a proper tailoring job when shortening, so the vent stays th3 same size.
Hi Simon,
Love your blogs and i wish i could write like you.
I also happen to have a keen eye for fashion and find your blogs very insightful.
In this blog you have written about an outfit(man in the grey suit pic) with several things wrong with it.Im really curious to know what you find wrong with it and how could it be improved upon.Infact i would love to see a regular blog from you dissecting an outfit,the rights and the wrongs and how to make the outfit interesting or should i say more stylish by adding or removing certain items.
Thank you
Thank you Hameed, and sure, happy to.
In brief, I’d say the things wrong with the suit are:
– It’s a tight fit
– The trousers are rolled up rather than cuffed
– The trainers don’t work with it (trainers v hard to do with a worsted suit, and these are too chunky anyway)
Points that are a little bit more a case of personal taste:
– The contrast buttons are a little flashy
– The lapels are rather skinny
– The handkerchief is too large and puffed out
Thank you Simon,your observations make perfect sense.
Simon, isn’t it hard to judge fit from a picture?
The subtleties, absolutely. It’s not that hard to tell that something’s tight overall though
Spot on. Everything is wrong with the outfit, a typical “Pitti Peacock” look. Those narcissistic attention-seekers often wear suits that appear to be cheap RTW. This is yet another example, the antithesis of real style.
Just to turn things right round….
Turning cuffs of knitwear back to allow the shirt cuff to show has the effect of formality (and I think pleasing precision) rather than informality. It is closely connected with the showing of the correct amount of shirt cuff when wearing jacket- increasing formality through the use of contrast and showing precision in sleeve length. But of course it can be achieved easily with knitwear and does not require tailoring skill as with a jacket.
In these increasingly informal times it is a way of making sure that once looks properly smart and business-like without a jacket IMHO (and a free upgrade). Of course, depending on context that may be exactly why it is to be avoided.
Nice point, thank you
A lot of the definition here is about functionality or form.
Most things will look perfectly fine if they are appropriate to the situation rather than being an affectation.
Rolling cuffs up are for three main reasons, temperature control, avoidance of dirtying / wetting whilst doing an activity or for the impression.
The first two are not about sartorial elegance, they are about physical issues, Rolling up for activities are simply about not damaging wetting your shirt, it should be secure and not hinder mobility.
Temperature would imply being loose and so multiple folds above elbow stop flow of air rather than aid it.
As a sartorial website, we are probably more concerned with the impression we are making.
The “we are about to get on with some hard work,” as Carl said, “the President in the Situation Room.” An expression of determination etc.
Another impression is that of relaxed, at ease, e.g. nearly the total opposite. And implies we are totally at ease and your companion is invited to do the same.
A further impression is that of being purely stylistic, being florid, romantic, etc. This is an area which can be much more difficult to achieve and is very personal to the person you are trying to impress, and for many would look like you are trying too hard.
As pedestrian as it sounds, it’s my thinking that rolled sleeves are a key part of the American Ivy style look (at least in spring and summer). It helps that oxford shirts were traditionally cut loose, allowing the sleeves to be rolled back twice with ease and plenty of slack. An oxford shirt with rolled sleeves, jeans/chinos and a penny loafers is relaxed elegance at its very best. There’s a particular picture of Paul Newman that captures this well.
Thanks Eric, nice point on the looser cuts. Do add the picture if you find it
Certainly!
Thank you!
Not entirely sure the Newman outfit wouldn’t look a little dull if it wasn’t him (I always like hiding the face) but he certainly has that relaxed feel
Looking good does certainly help a lot. But I think he got some details very right and this makes the outfit quite nice! I think it will look good on not as good looking guys like him. You did a similar outfti one time with the doek canvas shoes and I think it looks quite good on you aswell!
Thanks Amon. Yeah I just want to tweak what he’s wearing – a better belt, one more button undone on the shirt perhaps
Which just goes to show that HOW you wear things are just as important as what you wear.
I think these kind of articles will keep becoming more relevant as the strict dress codes are becoming increasingly rare. Something like a OCBD wears very differently if it’s buttoned, or unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up.
True, and yes I agree Sam. Votes for future ones any time, just let me know
A white OCBD is ideal for spring and autumn but a bit heavy for rolled up sleeves. In summer, poplin or end-on-end shirts are often my choice. The alternative is usually Madras cotton which is even cooler, colourful and very Ivy.
It’s something I’ve always done. It just seems the natural thing to do if I’ve taken my jacket off or I’m not wearing one.
One look I don’t like is when men wear long sleeved shirts untucked but the sleeves down and buttoned. It’s usually on a weekend evening. Usually a floral or fancy pattern. I don’t mind untucked shirts but if you’re going for a casual look, go the whole hog and roll the sleeves as well.
True. Nice how reader comments are fleshing this out. At the very least, if the shirt was untucked I’d turn back the cuffs once.
Also, more likely to be untucked in hot weather, when again it would make sense to fold back the cuffs.
Maybe it’s having grown up on a farm, but my default is sleeves rolled up – even when sitting at a desk in the city, wearing a shirt with double cuffs.
Incidentally, in Rotterdam which prides itself on being a city where ‘real’ work gets done, they boast of shirts being sold with the sleeves already rolled up.
You’re kidding, really?
I’m pretty sure no-one sells them that way, but it’s certainly the boast. Quote from the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/08/travel/what-s-doing-in-rotterdam.html
Phew
It’s part of a well known Dutch saying:
In Rotterdam the money is earned, in The Hague the money is distributed and in Amsterdam they spend the money.
They had a similar one in Israel when I worked there.
In Haifa they work, in Jerusalem they pray and in Tel Aviv they party.
In John Lewis, Gant’s merchandiser rolls up the brand’s shirt sleeves and other local High Street retailers do it too. If you want to try on a shirt, it’s a real pain to roll down the sleeves to check the length. I refuse to buy such creased shirts and always insist on a fresh one that is still in its packet.
I always role mine up, I think it comes from school, where if we had our jumper off we would have to.
back in the day when I wore double cuffs and cuff links to work I would have to roll them up otherwise the cuff links would bash on the keyboard, which was very anoying.
Ah yes, always a frustration with cuff links. Not so much of a problem if the jacket was on of course, but it rarely is all the time
A related topic worthy of discussion could be “how to tie your tie”: it is so seldomly done right that I always notice when someone does hit the mark.
One that has been covered more extensively, but yes happy to add
Hi ,
I love seeing a well tied tie.
I think the news reader , Clive Myrie ties his ties perfectly, likewise Michael Browne
Who wears slim ties with his signature wide lapels and it looks very good. Something I wouldn’t have thought of myself, but I have been doing it lately.
I look forward , hopefully, to. when the wearing of ties becomes popular again.
I think I’ll have a long wait
Regards
Stephen Dolman
Happiness is waking up to a totally whimsical PS topic and a cup of coffee on an off-duty day!
I fold my shirt cuff UNDER one time and leave the sleeve plaquet button buttoned . This gets the shirt cuff out of the way when I am working at my desk but still looks neat.
Thanks RTK. That feels like it might look a little awkward?
Simon, folding the cuffs in has roots among air force mechanics and factory workers in the U.S.–both careers where there was a risk of a folded-out cuff being caught on machinery.
I can see it in that situation Chuck. Presumably it was done before that though as well?
I always fold the cuff back twice if I’m wearing a shirt by itself, unless I’m actually doing something active in which case I use the method that seems fussy to you, aka the military fold. I find it much faster to fold the sleeve that way, while keeping it secured, and it’s also faster to undo once the activity that required it is over.
And yes, women find it attractive.
We are getting pretty meta here, but two questions. First, the photos all appear to show the entire width of the cuff folded up. What about folding the cuff itself in half? Then turning up 3-4 times, so similar level on the arm as the two fold you mention but with a narrower fold. I feel this looks better with more casual shirts and for those of us with shorter arms.
Also, is there any situation, other than maybe actually changing a flat tire, where folding up double cuff shirts would be acceptable?
I think I’d stick with a full fold, but interested to see an example of how it would be better on short arms.
I’m not sure about acceptable, but folding double cuffs never looks as good as with a single
Note watch hand has smaller, tighter fold, which I feel looks better.
Thanks Mark. I’d probably stick with my view that there isn’t much to be gained by it being tighter and neater, and I’d be afraid it could almost look like a sleeve that is just designed to be that length, but thanks for the illustration
Because I have long arms, I roll the sleeves on my dress shirts because having them rolled up to my elbows looks far better than having them buttoned but not going past my wrist bone. Looks like I did something on purpose instead of looking like I don’t know how to pick the right size of shirt.
“Just thank your lucky stars we haven’t done a step-by-step video showing how to roll your sleeves”.. this made me chuckle.
Very timely. I was just thinking the other day, “I never wear a shirt with the cuffs buttoned unless under something. Otherwise, I always roll the sleeves either once to the wrist or twice to the forearm.
Thank you for this article. Would you mind giving advice on tiding a knot for a bandana or a scarf?
Sure
Thank you.
I second this.
“One look I have tried in the past, and never seemed to work, is folding back the cuff of a shirt and an overshirt, so the shirt cuff is on the outside. Or doing so with a jacket, so the shirt sleeve comes out of the bottom and is folded back on top.”
This reminds me of Blackbird Spyplane’s essay, including wacky/catchy acronym: https://www.blackbirdspyplane.com/p/stack-your-cuffs-king
And as a few others have mentioned, when you’re blessed with disproportionately long arms, rolling makes sleeve length seem intentional.
What a link! Never heard of that, thanks Mwanji. Maybe a bit too deliberate/mannered for me… but love the way they talk about it.
Hi Simon
I must to admit to finding turning back the cuff of my shirt over my jumper cuff rather nice and also practical.
Interested in your point on older shirt sleeves getting shorter. Thought it was only me! Why does this happen if the cotton had already been pre-shrunk?
Ah well, with me it’s because I’ve got a little bigger in the back (yoga, a bit of weights) and this pulls the sleeves up.
I type in “per”,and Permanent Style comes up; the lead article is “Rolling Shirt Sleeves”. I’m wearing a pink OCBD. Two rolls.
Great article on an important daily modification to one’s wardrobe!
Personally I like the third method you mention above, “where the cuff is folded back and pulled up, and the excess material below folded on itself.” To my eye, this feels like the right way to roll up a sleeve and doesn’t feel fussy or overly mannered. In fact, I think it looks nicely insouciant, since the button hole tends to remain just barely visible at the top of the roll. I especially like that the way it keeps the roll relatively flat and finishes just a touch below the elbow.
I also tend to roll the sleeves of my overshirts (just to mid-forearm) in summer, even when I’m wearing a shirt beneath them, and find the above-mentioned method of sleeve rolling tends not to display any excess bulge at the arm. For this combination, I use the standard double-cuff as depicted in the images above. Long live the rolled sleeve!
Rolling up your shirt sleeves also has the (intended or unintended) effect of showing off your wristwatch, which makes it sort of inadvisable in major European cities.
I thought you were going to end that with saying it was advisable, as you were a watch nerd. But I think the point of exposing it depends a lot on what kind of watch you have. Thefts even in Mayfair are still rare, and it’s always the same kind of showy watches that are targeted
I definitely am a watch nerd, which is why I sometimes worry about having my watch stolen when I walk through larger cities. It’s a shame, because certain tops really only work with rolled up sleeves (vintage military jackets, for example), and the right watch would elevate them even further, but I don’t want to attract the wrong kind of attention.
As for showy watches being targeted, I often wonder about the average watch robber’s expertise; do they really only know and go after the usual suspects (Rolex sports models, Nautilus, Aquanaut, Royal Oak), or do they know and recognise most luxury watches? Seems to me that a guy wearing a non-hype luxury watch would be a better target, because there’s less of a chance that the watch is a fake.
From what I’ve heard, they basically go after people that look rich and are wearing something that looks expensive. So bigger watches, more gold, more diamonds if it’s a woman. They’re not looking for particular models – they just know that the most expensive thing that person has on them is likely they’re watch, and they’re easy to resell
Having a second bite at this: Simon, thanks so much for sparing us a video of how to accomplish the perfect rolled-up sleeves but who knows, you might have glossed over a lucrative business opportunity. Whoever thought ‘untucked’ shirts could be a whole category of menswear stocked in big malls across the world. Yes, untucked shirts!!!
Yeah exactly… And most modern shirts are short anyway, easy to untuck.
I recall an article comment of yours where (I think) you made mention to the way your dad rolled up his sleeves, but from what i remember you said you did a normal double roll and then an additional half roll. Is this right?
Been thinking about this alot as I have been on a kick of wearing long sleeve button ups in lieu of knits, Polos, t shirts. Especially relevant when I wear the PS lighter denim shirt, as the higher second button placement on the sleeve means you can’t leave it buttoned when rolling it up, but also means it’s a tad loose with only a double roll (but maybe too tight with a triple roll).
I have mentioned it before, yes. I wouldn’t say I do an additional half roll, but if the double roll is a bit loose I might roll part of it again. That element is almost deliberately inconsistent/random, just depending on what’s needed.
And yes, the placket button on the sleeve is relevant, and something we didn’t mention. Keeping that button closed is the only way to do a single fold, but generally you need to undo it to do a double fold, otherwise it’s too tight
I actually strongly prefer my shirts without a placket button, and if rarely wearing a shirt that has it, i never actually button it.
It makes for much quicker rolling and unrolling (I tend to adjust a lot as I’m very sensitive of changing temperature between rooms or even me changing activity), but also it just makes for a bit more air flow which i almost always want around the arm, even in somewhat cold temperatures.
I never gave rolling shirt sleeves that much thought. It has been and still is a necessity to stop ruining the shirt cuffs when I have to physically write either on paper or white/blackboards. I once had a mock serious disagreement about rolling them twice to the mid forearm (me) and all the way over the elbow (colleague) until we realised it was merely a matter of taste and comfort.
Either way you do it, it at least avoids ¾ length sleeves which bemuse me. Why bother with them? Just roll the sleeves up to the length you want.
Simon,
Do I recall reading somewhere that you prefer English made shirts for business purposes? If so, may I ask who your preferred maker is?
It’s entirely possible I may have imagined this…but I do feel I read that comment somewhere
It’s the only category I would use an English shirtmaker for, but I do also use Italian ones for business shirts. Probably slightly more actually.
I like Budd, but I wouldn’t say there’s a big difference between the ones I’ve tried
Thanks Simon, what changes do you make for business shirts? I am guessing spread collar, poplin fabric, and possibly me double cuffs? The rest remains the same?
It would be a spread or a point, yes, and a smarter fabric like a poplin or twill. But not double cuffs, they’re too smart for me really (I have a couple, but they’re only for a shirt and tie mostly)
This past year, I had finally got annoyed enough to donate shirts that the sleeves were too long for me. My dress shirts are all exact sleeve lengths. I have four long sleeved linen shirts that are not. However, I am keeping them. I can easily roll those linen shirts up if necessary. Necessary is the word. Not for fancy or for some stylish reason. My mind has been toying with the idea of just having long sleeved shirts. Oh, I can keep my t-shirts and pique polo shirts short sleeved but do I really need six short sleeved linen shirts when I can simply roll up the sleeves on my four long sleeved linen shirts?; The mystery is real.
You probably don’t William. Rolled-up linen shirt sleeves even look better, often, and easier to wear with shorts
Hi simon curious do you ever roll your jacket sleeve up? I like wearing t shirts and wide chinos with a db jacket and i find undoing one button on the jacket sleeve cuff and pushing it back once quite louche and praxtical (washing hands etc). I wouldn have considered that faux paus pre covid but i find iy comfortable and praxtical now
I don’t to be honest Shem, that’s one step too far for me
In terms of rolling sleeves up being flattering, I think it’s not about the dimensions but more about showing the forearms. If you have muscular, tanned forearms, for example, you’re showing them off and others are likely to find that attractive. The easy, not-caring-too-much look also helps.
I appreciate the article because I think being very stylish is often about these sorts of details. If you have a navy jumper that is in a nice fabric, a decent make, and fits you well, that is the basic building block and it probably won’t matter a lot who made it or how much money you spent. But do you roll the sleeves up? Do you tuck it in? Does it have a collar and if so has it curled, or can it stay down under a jacket? How many buttons on the collar have you done up? Have you rolled the cuff over, and where does that sit by your wrist? What are its weight and proportions compared to your trousers, the size of your watch, and the rest of what you are wearing? They’re all details that are not about the product itself, but how you wear it.
So a chore with a shirt underneath is unfoldable?
I wouldn’t fold the shirt cuff over the top of the chore, but it is a bit personal. It just feels a little too showy for me – just think about whether it is for you too
Can see that would be showy. But then it would look odd folding the chore cuff and still having a long sleeve shirt underneath as well wouldn’t it?
If it’s just a half turn it’s fine, but yes if it’s more than that I would have the shirt underneath turned back as well. I usually don’t though – I keep the sleeves down if there’s a long-sleeved shirt underneath
The weather can vary here so much during the course of a day that it’s pretty common for me to roll up sleeves of dress shirts. Whether I go for the quick and easy “two fold” or full-on USMC 2″ above the elbow depends on the weather, what I’m doing, and if I physically can. I’ve got thick enough arms that some of my trimmer shirts can’t get more than the 2 folds. And some professions (engineers, in particular) often need the professionalism of proper office wear but are still expected to get their hands dirty from time to time.
Anecdotally, rolled up dress shirt sleeves seem to look WAY better if the bared forearms are thick and manly with a worthwhile tan. At least, that’s what my wife tells me (and a few others…).
A month ago, I visited a photographic exhibition at the Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias (on the North Coast of Spain).
It showed portraits of Pablo Picasso, taken in 1966 in the South of France.
In a few photographs, Picasso is with one of his friends, the famous bullfighter (and Ava Gardner’s lover) Luis Miguel Dominguín.
It was shocking to see how contemporary was his look, in an efortless elegant casual way.
His shirt cuffs were folded, of course, as you can see in this photo (I have another pair of interesting photos of the serie, but don’t know if postíng múltiples imáges is possible)
Thank you Fran, I hadn’t seen that.
No unfortunately with this widget you need to post one image per comment. Sorry
A little late to the party on this but your bracelet in the last two pics shows up quite often in your posts. Can you share where it’s from? Many thanks.
The blue? That’s two friendship bracelets made by my daughters
Funny timing, rolling my sleeves was literally the last thing I did prior to opening PS this afternoon.
Good discussion, even though at first I had my doubts. I think the best way to roll sleeves is to just not to overthink it. Just do it and don’t fiddle with them.
It’s a relaxed devil-may-care style signifying that you’re comfortable with who you are and not giving a crap what anyone else thinks.
I once read a succinct description of tue social etiquette of sleeve rolling: ‘blokes roll their sleeves to above the elbow, chaps roll their sleeves to below the elbow’.
Apparently several women’s surveys say the sexiest part of a man is his wrists. So we should show them, but best to get pumping a few curls with the weights first.
I have a lemont st michel jacket that I have buttoned, and then folded back just once. What do we think of this? It feels a little more relaxed but stays structured while giving me a little air on the wrists. The jacket is lovely but doesn’t seem right with the sleeves unfolded.
I like it – same idea as my Connolly suede above
I tend to wear linen shirts in all seasons and fold back the cuffs a few times but really I am happy for them to crunch/crumple and not worry about clean folds.
Also only short sleeve polo’s look correct never short sleeve shirts, better roll up long sleeves in summer, slight change of topic trousers can be just the right length never concertina arround ankles..
I rejected a heavy linen sweater this summer because the sleeves were too short. Considering I’d likely stretch them out constantly rolling, this article has made me reconsider the 3/4, roll length sleeve.
I’m not sure I’d reach the same conclusion – the 3/4 sleeve is still going to look unusual. Unless you mean the sleeves on that knit would be pushed back anyway?
And just to be clear, the rolling I find shortens the sleeve rather than lengthening it. It stretches outwards, not downwards
I worked in San Antonio, Texas for two years. I wore professionally laundered and starched dress shirts every day. But not once did I ever button a cuff. I simply rolled them back as I got dressed in the morning, because I was going to be wet from sweat by the time I got to work and I would have just died from the heat and humidity if my wrists were covered. I am a Northern latitude guy. Not a matter of fashion or style, just survival.
I personally roll the cuff thrice which then helps it to sit mid forearm comfortably, but then after reading your arrticle i have come to realize people genrally fold it back twice.
Would a ‘three or maybe two and a half cuff roll’ look elegant or will it look better if I roll it twice?
As long as it doesn’t look fussy, so natural, and isn’t above the elbow, then yes absolutely it would be fine
Hmm
As a hospital consultant, my sleeves are rolled above my elbows for infection control.
Great article.
I, however, love the Kennedy fold (turn it back and then roll up the excess material) because the rolled up shirt material can be casually scrunchy without crushing the cuff itself. Plus a simple tug on the cuff undoes it when it’s time to put your jacket back on. For me it’s only fussy when it’s too far up the arm, the folds are too neat, or when the amount of cuff that pokes out from the roll is exaggeratedly foppish.
Also I find rolling to the thickest part of your forearm is the most flattering, suggesting muscular arms. Exposing the thin sinewy elbow tends to imply the biceps are equally scrawny. Once again, look at Popeye.
Is rolling the sleeves physically flattering? Well, if the numerous posts on Reddit asking ladies about what makes men look flattering in women’s point of view are any indication, then the answer is a resounding yes hahaha.
Thanks – yes that doesn’t surprise me, though I’d bet it’s mostly because the wearer looks more relaxed, at ease, even confident, rather than actually physically different. In our experience of doing pieces on women’s views, that relaxed point is always the most important
You doubt if rolling or pushing back the sleeves looks flattering, but I disagree. I believe most things with long sleeves that is not a jacket or a coat doesn’t look good without sleeves pushed back. Whenever I take off a jacket or a coat, I IMMEDIATELY push back the sleeves. I don’t know why I do it, it’s either an instinctive drive towards that easy look or some innate sense of proportion. On the other hand, I wouldn’t push back sleeves for those very heavy winter sweaters – the would just look ridiculous. So, if I were to make a rule about that, I’d say the lighter the fabric is, it will more likely look better pushed back.