A sleeve is that part of the clothing that covers the arm or
through which the arm slips. The pattern of the sleeve is one of the
characteristics of fashion that add to the design of the garment. It may vary
in length and shape. The basic classification of sleeves could be according to
the length:
Full Sleeve- This sleeve extends from armhole to wrist.
Quarter Sleeve- Also known as 'Three-Quarter Sleeve', it
ends between elbow and wrist. It became popular in the United States in 1950s
and again in 2000s.
Half Sleeve- This sleeve extends from shoulder(armhole) to
biceps/triceps above elbow.
Sleeveless
Apart from this, sleeve types may vary according to their
shapes and patterns. Some popular styles of sleeves in women's clothing are:
All-in-one Sleeve: Sleeve with no armhole, cut in one piece
with front and back of blouse with seams down the inside and outside of the
arms. Resembles the batwing sleeve and kimono sleeve but not cut as full under
the arm. May be combined with a raglan or se-in sleeve with the front cut in
either manner and the back cut all-in-one.
Angel Sleeve: Any type of long flowing sleeve. May fit
smoothly into the armhole or be gathered. Sometimes split up outer arm to
shoulder like and hanging sleeve.
Baby Doll Sleeve: Another name for a tiny Puffed Sleeve.
Balloon Sleeve: Very large puff sleeve extending to elbow
set into a regular armhole and frequently made of crisp fabrics. Popular in
1890s and since for evening and wedding dresses.
Barrel Sleeve: Sleeve that fits at armhole and at wrist but
is full at the elbow.
Batwing Sleeve: Long sleeve cut with deep armhole almost to
waist, made tight at wrist, giving wing-like appearance when arm is extended.
Bell Sleeve: Sleeve made narrow at the top, set into normal armhole,
and flaring at lower edge like a bill. Introduced in the second half of the
19th c.
Bishop Sleeve: Full sleeve set into normal armhole and
gathered in band at wrist. May also be gathered or puffed at shoulders. Often
called "Poet Sleeves" or "Billow Sleeves". Tom Jones
Sleeves are a fuller version of this sleeve sometimes with a drop shoulders.
Bracelet Sleeve: Three-quarter length fitted cuffless sleeve
allowing a bracelet to show.
Butterfly Sleeve: Wide flaring sleeve set in smoothly at
armhole, extending to elbow or wrist, giving a caped effect.
Button Tab Sleeve: A convertible roll-up sleeve made in long
sleeve style with buttonholed tab sewed on above elbow. Sleeve is rolled up and
fastened to tab with button sewn on underside of sleeve.
Cap Sleeves: Small extension cut on the front and back of a
blouse to cover the shoulder. Has a seam at the shoulder fastening front and
back of garment together but no armhole seam. Popular in the 1940s and worn at
intervals since. In the 1980s flat turn-over cuffs were sometimes added to this
type of sleeve.
Cape Sleeve:
Circular, or semi -circular, piece place over each shoulder
and stitched to blouse giving a caped effect over each arm.
Flared piece of fabric cut to extend to neck in raglan
style. Introduced in 1920s and featured in late 1960s for cape coats.
Cold Shoulder Sleeve : A long sleeve that is disconnected
past the stitching on top of the shoulder, but not underneath, where the armpit
is. The top of the bicep is exposed.
Dolman Sleeve: Sleeve that is fitted at wrist but cut with
deep/wide armhole so that it somewhat resembles a cape from the back. So called
because it looks somewhat like sleeve in original Dolman which was worn from
the 1870s through the 1880s.
Epaulet Sleeve: Sleeve with yoke across top of shoulder cut
in one piece with sleeve.
Fitted Sleeve: Full-length, bracelet, or three-quarter
length sleeve set into the normal armhole.
Handkerchief Sleeve: Sleeve made with square piece put over
shoulder in such a manner that it falls in points like a handkerchief.
Hanging Sleeve: A sleeve that opens down the side or front,
or at the elbow, to allow the arm to pass through. It was quite popular from
14th-17th centuries.
Juliet Sleeve: Long sleeve with short puffed top, fitted in
lower arm. Named after heroine of William Shakespeare's drama Romeo and Juliet.
Kimono Sleeve: Wide sleeve cut in one piece with front and
back of the garment and seamed down outer and under arm like a Japanese Kimono.
Also call Kabuki Sleeve and Mandarin Sleeve.
Leg-of-mutton Sleeve: Sleeve with full top gathered or
pleated into armhole and tapered to wrist where it looks like a regular sleeve.
Also spelled Leg O' Mutton or called a French Gigot Sleeve.
Pagoda Sleeve : A wide, bell-shaped sleeve, worn over
engageante or false under-sleeve. It was popular in 1860s.
Paned Sleeve : A sleeve made in panels or panes, allowing
lining or shirt sleeve to show through. It was popular in 16th and 17th
centuries.
Peasant Sleeve: Full sleeve gathered at top and bottom. May
be either short and puffed or long and full.
Petal Sleeve: Short sleeve curved at hem and over-lapping to
give a petal-shaped effect in front.
Poet Sleeve : A long sleeve, fitted from shoulder to elbow
and then flared from elbow to wrist or mid-hand (sometimes dramatically). It
may often feature ruffles on the cuffs.
Puffed Sleeve: Short sleeve gathered, either at the armhole
or at the cuff band or both, producing a rounded shape. Popular in 1920s and
1930s, revived in late 1960s, and still used for babies and children's wear.
Raglan Sleeve: Sleeve that extends to neckline, set in by
seams slanting from underarm front and back. Used since mid - 1850s. A
variation is made with an additional seam down outside of arm called a three-seamed
raglan. A raglan sleeve is an excellent choice when you have a hard time
fitting the shoulders in a blouse.
Roll-Up Sleeve: Sleeve, approximately elbow length, finished
only with a narrow hem, designed to be folded --- or rolled up --- at least
twice in lieu of a cuff. Popular for women's tailored shirts in the 1950s and
1960s, an outgrowth of earlier fad for wearing long sleeves folded up in this
manner.
Set-in Sleeve: Any type of sleeve which is sewed into the
natural armhole.
Saddle Sleeve: Variation of Raglan Sleeve in which shoulder
portion forms a straight band cut in one piece with the sleeve and seamed to
front and back parallel to shoulder, instead of at an angle as in raglan style.
Shirt Sleeve: Tailored wrist-length sleeve with flat-felled
seams set smoothly into the armhole. Sometimes has one of two small unpressed
pleats where it joins the cuffs. Basic sleeve for men's shirts since late 19th
c., may have Barrel or French Cuff --- women's style may have band at cuff.
Suit Sleeve: Sleeve cut in two pieces --- one for under the
arm --- one for top of arm. Cut to allow for the bend in the elbow, it is generally
used in tailored suits for men and women.
Tom Jones Sleeve: A full billow sleeve, gathered into cuff
or ruffle, used on men's shirts, sometimes into a dropped shoulder. Named for
style of shirts worn in 18th c. popularized by costumes worn in 1963 film of
Henry Fielding's 1749 novel Tom Jones.
Trumpet Sleeve: Sleeve fitting into natural armhole, falling
straight to elbow where it flares in the shape of a trumpet.
Tulip Sleeve: Set-in sleeve with bell shape made in several
pieces like petals on a flower.
Two Piece Sleeve: A sleeve cut into two pieces, inner and
outer, to allow the sleeve to take a slight "L" shape to accommodate
the natural bend at the elbow, without wrinkling. It is usually used in
tailored garments.
Virago Sleeve: A full 'paned' or 'pansied' sleeve gathered
into two puffs by a ribbon or a fabric band above the elbow. It was popular in
1620s-1630s.
