Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Where do you like your sleeve to end? Wrist? An inch below? Your first thumb knuckles?

Doctor Strange

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,252
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
No single answer, though I have short arms and don't ride a motorcycle, so there's that.

For wide, open-ended sleeves like on my Wested Raiders, ATF M-41 field jacket, and Schott 654, I like almost to the thumb knuckle. (All these required alterations.)

For ones with knits like my flight jackets, I like close to or right at the wrist. (And on standard-size jackets that I haven't had altered, the knits are always "tunneled".)
 

31 Model A

A-List Customer
Messages
484
Location
Illinois (Metro-St Louis)
Fitting of a military uniform calls for the sleeve to end one (1) inch below the wrist. This is usually halfway between the thumb knuckle and the wrist break. I can only speak for the Army. This is where all my civvie-skivvie sleeves on all my civvie-skivvie jackets and suits/sport coats are today.
 
Messages
11,167
Location
SoCal
IMG_5921.JPG
@HoosierDaddy This jacket is sooo cool!
 

ProteinNerd

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,902
Location
Sydney
I'm with @Carlos840 on this. Sleeves that press down onto my hand drive me insane and I'm always pushing them up trying to speed up the sleeve creasing to shorten them.
 

Shin

Familiar Face
Messages
87
I like my sleeves to finish at the wrist bone, maybe 1/2" lower. I hate having sleeves that are long enough that they reach the palm of my hands, to me this is inconvenient and it looks bad.
I also don't believe in the whole "if you ride a bike your sleeves have to be ape length", i ride a bike and have regular wrist bone sleeves and it has never been a problem. If the jacket is designed properly you shouldn't need extra long sleeves to make up for poor back mobility.

For some reason this seems continent driven, it seems most people in Europe go for the wrist bone, whereas most people in the USA aim for the first knuckle of the thumb.
Personally i find the former too long.

Perfect length for me, i like knowing where my hands are at all time!:

sVKPskS.jpg

Yes I believe going for the first knuckle of your thumb is just way too long and will end up looking sloppy. However, there are certain risks of going for 'just' your wristbone. You rarely stand passively with your arms hanging by your side, so while your sleeves might cover your wrist perfectly in that passive stance, when you stretch your arms out to do things, your wrist will end up exposed. I think the safest compromise is an inch below the wrist. Best of both worlds.
 

Fanch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,490
Location
Texas
Halfway between the proximal and distal metacarpal bone of the thumb, or in layman's terms, about an inch below the wrist, which is also about an inch above the first thumb joint (at the webbing) for @Peacoat. :D
BTW we all appreciate HD's pictures also illustrating the point. There is nothing I hate more than "stork arms" appearance with sleeves that are too short. When I was growing up, the only shirts available for me at the time were 35" sleeves. My current shirt size is 16.5 X 37. Growing up for me really sucked! :( My long legs also requires at least a 34" inseam, preferably 35". HD also alluded to pant legs too short too. Well done HD!
 

breezer

Practically Family
Messages
806
Location
Scotland
My favourite jacket is my RMC N1 - though my enjoyment is slightly hampered by the fact that it is slightly too small for me. The sleeves are definitely too short - but in reality it does not matter at all. Sometimes you guys get too worked up over the details......just enjoy these fine garments.
 

GregGale

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
What about jackets with knit cuffs? I have a G-1 that tunnels quite a bit, less than 1 inch of the cuff is visible. I also have an A-2 that doesn't tunnel, maybe wrinkles a bit, and ends 1 inch past my wristbone. I prefer the latter, even though it rides up a bit when driving as opposed to my G-1. This can be seen in many period photos of pilots too.
 
Last edited:

Lebowski

This guy has numerous complaints from sellers.
Messages
1,137
I usually like when sleeve ends about half an inch (1/2") below the wrist.
If/when riding a bike - an inch (1") below the wrist is O'k.
 

Gamma68

One Too Many
Messages
1,937
Location
Detroit, MI
As stated earlier, everyone has their own personal preference about where the cuff should rest. I think comfort should dictate that for each person. If your cuffs bug you, then they're off.

That's what happened with my Taubers CR. The entire jacket seemed a little small, but the sleeves felt especially short to me. I don't like sleeve cuffs riding up my arms when I reach forward. I was conscious of this all the time and ended up selling the jacket. It was a shame because it was really nice otherwise.

img_9329-jpg.116000
 
Last edited:

Shin

Familiar Face
Messages
87
As stated earlier, everyone has their own personal preference about where the cuff should rest. I think comfort should dictate that for each person. If your cuffs bug you, then they're off.

That's what happened with my Taubers CR. The entire jacket seemed a little small, but the sleeves felt especially short to me. I don't like sleeve cuffs riding up my arms when I reach forward. I was conscious of this all the time and ended up selling the jacket. It was a shame because the it was really nice otherwise.

img_9329-jpg.116000

I have toa gree here. The sleeve seems an inch short.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,298
Messages
3,078,229
Members
54,244
Latest member
seeldoger47
Top