Published: 12:00 AM, 19 September 2016
The complete guide on how to roll up your shirt sleeves
When the mercury is on the rise, so are your shirt sleeves. You can't be going into work in t-shirts or even short-sleeve button-ups, so you're left with rolling the sleeves of your nice dress shirt in order to stay a little bit cooler. How do you do so without looking sloppy, though, or without wrinkling your shirt when the sleeves need to come back down for an important meeting?
Basic sleeve-rolling guidelines
Before we get into the specific styles and methods of rolled sleeves
* You should have several inches of wrist visible, at minimum. You don't want it to look like the shirt is too big for you and you had to roll the sleeves just to keep your hands from being swallowed.
* Your elbows should only be showing if you're going to be working. For casual situations, keep the big, pointy, outer bone of your elbow inside the shirt.
* Suit or sports jackets usually aren't rolled (and when they are, they are more pushed up than rolled) unless there's an immediate and practical need. You can do it for style (if your jacket has working sleeve buttons), but be aware that it's a fashion-forward look.
Regardless of the shirt or the style, these are always good guidelines. If you're going to break one, have a very clear stylistic goal in mind, and double-check the look in the mirror.
3 methods for rolling your shirt sleeves
Rolling method #1: The casual forearm roll
A casual shirt roll that is also, conveniently, the easiest to roll back down without wrinkles, as it involves the least folding:
1. Unbutton the cuff and any "gauntlet" buttons further up the sleeve.
2. Flip the cuff back and inside out.
3. Fold over once, hiding the cuff behind a band of sleeve fabric.
4. Stop there, tucking the corners of the cuff in neatly.
The result should be a single small roll around the middle of your forearm. It doesn't need to be tight because it's already as far down the arm as it's going to slide. This is a particularly good style to use when you have multiple layers involved, such as a dress shirt under a light sweater. It also looks good on men with thin arms.
Rolling method #2: The master sleeve roll
For the most stylish look, this roll gives you a deliberately casual fold that's not quite symmetrical and can be adjusted at will:
1. Unbutton the cuff and gauntlet buttons.
2. Flip the cuff back and inside out.
3. Pull the flipped cuff all the way to just below your elbow without folding, turning the sleeve inside out as it goes.
4. Take the bottom of the inside-out portion and fold it up until it traps the bottom of the cuff.
5. Leave as much or as little of the inside-out cuff showing above the fold as you desire.
This looks particularly striking when the inside of the cuff has a contrasting lining. Let enough of the inner cuff show to clearly display the lining, making it clear that you're deliberately showing off the shirt's accent as well as rolling your sleeves for comfort. It is also very simple to unfold - pull and you're done.
Rolling method #3: The basic roll
This style is the most intuitive way to roll your sleeves. I only recommend this roll if you're going to be working and need your sleeves rolled past your elbow.
1. Unbutton the shirt cuff and any gauntlet buttons.
2. Flip the cuff back inside out.
3. Fold back, using the cuff to set the width.
4. Continue folding until the band of rolled cloth is just below your elbow.
5. Continue past your elbow if you'll be engaged in physical labor.
www.artofmanliness.com
Basic sleeve-rolling guidelines
Before we get into the specific styles and methods of rolled sleeves
* You should have several inches of wrist visible, at minimum. You don't want it to look like the shirt is too big for you and you had to roll the sleeves just to keep your hands from being swallowed.
* Your elbows should only be showing if you're going to be working. For casual situations, keep the big, pointy, outer bone of your elbow inside the shirt.
* Suit or sports jackets usually aren't rolled (and when they are, they are more pushed up than rolled) unless there's an immediate and practical need. You can do it for style (if your jacket has working sleeve buttons), but be aware that it's a fashion-forward look.
Regardless of the shirt or the style, these are always good guidelines. If you're going to break one, have a very clear stylistic goal in mind, and double-check the look in the mirror.
3 methods for rolling your shirt sleeves
Rolling method #1: The casual forearm roll
A casual shirt roll that is also, conveniently, the easiest to roll back down without wrinkles, as it involves the least folding:
1. Unbutton the cuff and any "gauntlet" buttons further up the sleeve.
2. Flip the cuff back and inside out.
3. Fold over once, hiding the cuff behind a band of sleeve fabric.
4. Stop there, tucking the corners of the cuff in neatly.
The result should be a single small roll around the middle of your forearm. It doesn't need to be tight because it's already as far down the arm as it's going to slide. This is a particularly good style to use when you have multiple layers involved, such as a dress shirt under a light sweater. It also looks good on men with thin arms.
Rolling method #2: The master sleeve roll
For the most stylish look, this roll gives you a deliberately casual fold that's not quite symmetrical and can be adjusted at will:
1. Unbutton the cuff and gauntlet buttons.
2. Flip the cuff back and inside out.
3. Pull the flipped cuff all the way to just below your elbow without folding, turning the sleeve inside out as it goes.
4. Take the bottom of the inside-out portion and fold it up until it traps the bottom of the cuff.
5. Leave as much or as little of the inside-out cuff showing above the fold as you desire.
This looks particularly striking when the inside of the cuff has a contrasting lining. Let enough of the inner cuff show to clearly display the lining, making it clear that you're deliberately showing off the shirt's accent as well as rolling your sleeves for comfort. It is also very simple to unfold - pull and you're done.
Rolling method #3: The basic roll
This style is the most intuitive way to roll your sleeves. I only recommend this roll if you're going to be working and need your sleeves rolled past your elbow.
1. Unbutton the shirt cuff and any gauntlet buttons.
2. Flip the cuff back inside out.
3. Fold back, using the cuff to set the width.
4. Continue folding until the band of rolled cloth is just below your elbow.
5. Continue past your elbow if you'll be engaged in physical labor.
www.artofmanliness.com
