Tees 101: Sleeve Lengths

Have you ever noticed how different t-shirt sleeve lengths can either make your arms look great or look... well... large?

Growing up during the world's "baby tee" craze, I wore tiny, tight short sleeve shirts without a second thought, like everyone else. But as I got older and my arms filled out and were no longer preteen spaghetti arms (those were the days), I started to realize that the length of my tee sleeves mattered.

Lauren Conrad only confirmed this for me in her book, Lauren Conrad Style:

When I read this a few years ago, it finally all made sense. I had found that t-shirt sleeves that hit me just above the bicep were the most flattering, but didn't know there was an actual "style science" behind it. My arms aren't big, but tight, cropped sleeves that hit me at the shoulder made them look bigger than they were. This is not to say I shouldn't/can't ever wear other sleeve lengths (above the elbow sleeves work for me too, for example, and I can wear some cap-sleeved pieces, if the sleeves are loose), but it's always good to know your most flattering lengths, sizes, and cuts -- it makes shopping easier.

Do some experimenting yourself! Put on a short sleeve tee with slightly longer sleeves and, in front of a mirror, roll or pull the sleeves up and down until you find the length you think works best for you. It makes a difference!