Sleeve length advice

[sam Browne]

I got a killer deal on an Orvis herringbone tweed shooting jacket. Problem is, the sleeves are really short for a 40R. Turns out they were altered by some bozo who didnt leave enough material to undo the alteration by more than a half inch or so. My tailor is working on it, but thinks the sleeves will still be too short.

My tailor frowns and looks disapprovingly at the sleeve length when I have the jacket on, but I really love the jacket and its vintage style and details. Can you get away with wearing a jacket with the sleeves showing too much shirt sleeve cuff (I wont be wearing it to a job interview, or anything like that), or would wearing a jacket with the sleeves too short just look ridiculous? I expect the sleeves to be just above or at the wristbone when they have been let out by my tailor.

 

[MisterCairo]

I'd like to see a photo of you wearing the jacket to get an idea of how good (or bad) it looks.

My first thought is that if it's okay while your arms are down, any extension may pull the sleeve back to more obviously poor appearance. A shame in any event, the tailoring probably worked for the owner's physique, but the tailor dropped the ball in taking away too much material.

 

[Shangas]

It's almost impossible to say without actually seeing what it'll look like.

Shirt-sleeves are supposed to reach down no further than the first knuckle of your thumb when your arms are down. And they're meant to slide back to your wristbone when your arms are up. Surely jacket-sleeves are supposed to be even shorter (by a fraction of an inch), so that they expose the shirtsleeve underneath?

If it looks like what I think you're trying to describe, I don't think it'll be a problem.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Doesn't sound much too short but pics would help. Don't wear a bright white shirt but something muted maybe striped or tattersal. This will go with the tweed and avoid to draw the attention to the sleeves.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I agree that pics are required. Everyone has a different opinion about how long jacket sleeves should be.

"The first knuckle of the thumb"!! That's an awfully long shirt sleeve surely?

It's almost impossible to say without actually seeing what it'll look like.

Shirt-sleeves are supposed to reach down no further than the first knuckle of your thumb when your arms are down. And they're meant to slide back to your wristbone when your arms are up. Surely jacket-sleeves are supposed to be even shorter (by a fraction of an inch), so that they expose the shirtsleeve underneath?

If it looks like what I think you're trying to describe, I don't think it'll be a problem.

 

[Shangas]

I mean the knuckle closest to the hand. It was something a tailor told me once.

 

[Guttersnipe]

In the past, I've had tailors shorten sleeves with functional buttonholes from the shoulder/armhole, although, usually they can only remove 1/4 - 1/2" using this technique. Maybe ask your tailor to open up the lining and see if there's any usable fabric in the shoulder/armhole.

 

[Feraud]

Doesn't sound much too short but pics would help. Don't wear a bright white shirt but something muted maybe striped or tattersal. This will go with the tweed and avoid to draw the attention to the sleeves.

Good point about avoiding bright colors.