How much cuff should be shown?

[lsquare]

I've read that a quarter inch of cuffs should be shown, but according to Get Smart, that is just not enough. What do you guys think? How much should be shown?

 

[epa]

Maybe there are rules (I am sure there are...), but I believe that it is also a matter of taste. Now, I think that the important issue is to show at least some cuff. I am really fed up with all these very long jacket sleeves that I see around me all day. No way to see any cuff there. Now, I think that a quarter of an inch can look nice, and so can half an inch.
Actually, I have a jacket that has too short sleeves so sometimes, when sitting down, I show the entire cuff, but I actually like that look as well, although I would not ask my tailor to do the suit like that on purpose.

 

[BrianVarick]

Depending on the situation, I wear from 1" to none at all. I'm in highschool, so I'm pretty much the only person showing cuff. When I'm wearing jeans, I like to wear longer sleeves.

 

[life_interrupts]

I've read 1/4" to 1/2". 1/2 seems reasonable to me and is what I'd recommend.

 

[Get Smart]

Originally Posted by Sgt_Strider

I've read that a quarter inch of cuffs should be shown, but according to Get Smart, that is just not enough.


no, that's not what I said.

what I did say was that you see in magazines, forums etc that "1/4 of shirt cuff should be shown" and I said that you shouldnt take that verbatim to where you bring out a ruler and measure to see if you have .25", but rather it's a conceptual notion that a sliver of shirt should show past your sleeves. Some will like less, some will like more, but arbitrarily putting an exact number is silly. I go by how it looks to me, and for the record, I prefer what ends up being anywhere from .5" to 1" of cuff

 

[Leaveitothexperts]

I like it to be near zero with arms at my side. I like it this way because, the cuff seems to show way too much for my taste when you sit at a desk and/or bend your arms slightly . . . . I guess I could live with 1/4 inch, not a preference though . . .

 

[Master Shake]

It looks better when a bit of the shirt cuff is shown.

I find that there are two kinds of tailors -- those who insist on cuff showing, and those who don't care. The latter will sometimes fight off requests to shorten the sleeves to show some cuff. These are the type to avoid.

Of the former, the ones that I have encountered prefer 1/4" to show as opposed to 1/2". I started liking 1/2" of cuff showing, but now prefer the more subtle 1/4". Either one is good -- it's all personal preference, once you've traversed the resistance of some tailors to the showing of any cuff.

 

[gdl203]

I agree that there is no universal answer. It depends on one's taste, level of conservativeness and above all, arm length. Someone with 37 or 38" sleeves showing 1" of cuff looks very different than someone with 30" sleeves showing the same amount. Basic sense of proportions should apply. I personally prefer to show a fair amount of cuff (3/4" to 1&quot

 

[DocHolliday]

Yeah, I like a good bit ... Usually half an inch, or even a bit more. I don't like the shirt sleeve constantly disappearing into my jacket sleeve. I also like taller collars, and the extra cuff keeps it proportionate.

 

[epa]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

Yeah, I like a good bit ... Usually half an inch, or even a bit more. I don't like the shirt sleeve constantly disappearing into my jacket sleeve.
I have that problem with my most recent suit jacket. I already asked the tailor to shorten the sleeves, and he did so, and actually the cuffs showed quite nicely (I thought) when I was trying it on at his premises. However, when wearing it, especially the right cuff tends to disappear into the jacket sleeve. It also seems to depend a bit on the shirt. I will try the jacket on a few more times with different shirts, and then I may take it back for a further shortening of the sleeves. I guess that shortening a sleeve by lets say 1cm or so can always be done (as long as there is enough space between the sleeve end and the buttonholes), right? I guess making it longer is more difficult, as once you have worn it for a while there will be some kind of mark where the cloth was folded in.

 

[Get Smart]

not all of my shirts are of the exact sleeve length, so if I'm wearing a shirt I haven't bothered to tailor (or that shrunk slightly in the wash) that also affect how much cuff gets shown while wearing the same jacket

 

[lakewolf]

It also depends on how the armpit holes are cut.

I have a bespoke jacket that I insisted to my tailor showed 1 cm (1/2 ") of cuff.. and it has high armpitholes... it ended showing the full cuff as epa says when extending the arms.... that is something I don't particularly like... Also I can't wear french cuff with this jacket as it shows the cuff past the fold...

 

[Leaveitothexperts]

Originally Posted by lakewolf

It also depends on how the armpit holes are cut.

I have a bespoke jacket that I insisted to my tailor showed 1 cm (1/2 ") of cuff.. and it has high armpitholes... it ended showing the full cuff as epa says when extending the arms.... that is something I don't particularly like... Also I can't wear french cuff with this jacket as it shows the cuff past the fold...

I think epa was referring to quite the opposite . . .

 

[lakewolf]

^

Originally Posted by epa

Actually, I have a jacket that has too short sleeves so sometimes, when sitting down, I show the entire cuff, but I actually like that look as well, although I would not ask my tailor to do the suit like that on purpose.

I have the same effect and I am not so fond of it...

 

[lsquare]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

no, that's not what I said.

what I did say was that you see in magazines, forums etc that "1/4 of shirt cuff should be shown" and I said that you shouldnt take that verbatim to where you bring out a ruler and measure to see if you have .25", but rather it's a conceptual notion that a sliver of shirt should show past your sleeves. Some will like less, some will like more, but arbitrarily putting an exact number is silly. I go by how it looks to me, and for the record, I prefer what ends up being anywhere from .5" to 1" of cuff

Sorry if I misinterpreted what you said earlier.

When we're talking about quarter inch to half an inch of cuffs being shown, we're assuming that our arms are down and on the sides of our bodies right?