Get some tricks up your sleeve when searching for the right sleeve
When it comes to wool overcoats, the fit proof is in the sleeve pudding
What coat sleeve style does the weather dictate for your layering needs?
We’ve all tried stuffing a thick wool sweater into what feels like a tube of a coat sleeve, and been met with the consequential limited range of motion through the arms. It’s not only uncomfortable but it’s funny-looking, and tends to leave semi-permanent creases at the elbow pits. What if I told you there was a way to not only better understand this phenomenon, but avoid it altogether? By learning the basics of the most typical sleeve styles, and their impact on overall fit, you can plan your layering decisions around your outerwear collection.
There are many design and function-related parts to a sleeve but for today’s exercise, I’m honing in on armhole shape and using sleeve style names interchangeably with armhole shapes. This is because you can, for example, have a set-in armhole sleeve, that is also bell-shaped through the actual sleeve. But since most common overcoats are straight-shaped through the sleeve, it is in the armhole where you run into the biggest fit differences.
Below are the main sleeve styles you’ll encounter for wool overcoats.
SETTLE IN TO HEAR ABOUT SET-IN SLEEVES.
The basic western sleeve (armhole) style, and therefore the first sleeve installment you learn about in design school—since it’s the building block for all other sleeve styles—is the set-in sleeve. This armhole shape is simple and circular, although still difficult to sew properly underneath a machine along such a small curve. This fussy area of a garment is yet another instance where hand-tailoring wins. For most set-in sleeve outerwear, shoulder pads are often included, and rightfully so as an armhole seam that sits right at your shoulder deserves a little oomph. Given the armhole of a classic set-in sleeve is snug and flush with the body, the sleeve itself also tends to be narrow. That’s why this style sleeve executives best is thinner-to-medium weight fabrics, and is not the best choice for extreme warmth winter layers. So, save your chunky sweater or doubled-up jacket to wear under a different coat over top.
IT’S GOOD TO BE ON THE RAGLAN.
I mentioned this as part of my London feature in regard to my own vintage Woolrich coat, but let’s revisit the raglan sleeve in more detail. Here’s a lil fashion history for you that I myself just learned, via Pom Pom online knitting mag: “The raglan sleeve style was first developed by the tailor of FitzRoy James Henry Somerset, also known as the first Baron Raglan. Lord Raglan lost his right arm in the Crimean War and his tailor designed the diagonal armhole seam to afford him greater movement and ease of dressing [around 1855].” You may know the raglan most popularly by the classic color-contrast 3/4 sleeve baseball t-shirt.
Raglan sleeves fall under the sleeve+body combination category in patternmaking terms, because the raglan “armhole” diagonal seams overlap fit areas normally reserved for the “bodice”—or chest and shoulders, front and back. The elongated, curved sleeve on a raglan allows for a roomy sleeve and armhole. Enter your thick sweaters, blazers underneath, etc. However if you’re searching for raglan sleeve overcoats vintage, there have been some historically nonsensical design choices made with them—like with my own 1980s Woolrich coat having come with shoulder pads…??? It really doesn’t make sense to include a shoulder pad in a position without an armhole seam in which to add structure. BUT, removing these is a straightforward alteration, so don’t be alarmed when you see a shoulder-padded coat you potentially like sans shoulder pads—it’s a feasible fix.
DOLMAN SLEEVES AIN’T DULL.
Dolman/kimono sleeves are another layering favorite of mine, and also under the sleeve+body combination sleeve style. Dolmans are similar to raglans, only without the curved armhole seam. They can sometimes be constructed by using just a front and back “body” piece, without any armhole seams; just one seam along top shoulder to sleeve opening, and one along the underarm. You may notice this coat sleeve style often in 1950s movies, during a time where a verrry soft shoulder shape was the “look”, which seems to coincide with dolman-sleeved coats as a womenswear-exclusive (I haven’t come across many/any western menswear coats with a dolman sleeve). Some dolman sleeve styles may contain a yoke seam, or an underarm gusset for range of motion; or, instead of a full seam across the top shoulder to the sleeve opening, merely a dart at the shoulder. Similar to raglan, a dolman sleeve coat is a roomy choice for layering. Keep in mind this style creates the most oversized fit of all the coat styles.
DROP WHAT YOU’RE DOING & READ ABOUT DROPPED SHOULDERS (unless you’re reading this in order; then please continue…)
Dropped shoulder: this one is not to be confused with a standard set-in sleeve although *technically* it is a set-in-sleeve shape, only with a lowered armhole. This sleeve style only dips a toe in sleeve+body combination sleeve category, with some fit through the chest being impacted by the armhole placement lowered from the standard set-in-sleeve position. Dropped shoulders are easy to spot: all you have to look for is an armhole seam that’s lower than the usual, at-the-shoulder placement. Dropped shoulders execute well with and without shoulder pads—it really just depends on the look you’re going for. The name “dropped shoulder” can be a bit deceiving, though, because the main “tube” of the sleeve, especially in a wool coat, may still be fitted despite the lowered armhole. The true underarm point & it’s position in relation to your actual armpit determines much of the sleeve and body fit. While less roomy due to having a true circular armhole, a dropped shoulder is still a classic silhouette and great for your medium-weight layers like fitted knits, silk blouses or sweatshirts.
P.O.M.s
As I’ve mentioned before from my post on lightweight jackets, when taking points of measurement to determine fit, always measure garments completely flattened and fastened, i.e. zipped or buttoned up all the way. You can apply all the points-of-measure I provided from my post on jackets (image also pasted below) to a set-in sleeve, and a dropped shoulder coat. A dropped shoulder “across shoulder” measurement will of course be longer than a standard set-in sleeve; and the sleeve length will be shorter.
For raglans & dolmans, sleeve length gets a little more tricky and you will need to measure a 3-point total: starting from center back neck→high shoulder point→sleeve opening. When you’re shopping online, make sure this is how the retailer or seller has taken the garment measurement for a raglan, dolman, or any bodice+sleeve combination style. Across shoulder, armhole & chest become somewhat unimportant because everything gets more oversized in these sleeve styles for an overcoat, so you can disregard.
SHOPPING FOR THE RIGHT SLEEVE.
Second hand via The Real Real seemingly vintage Saks Fifth Avenue set-in sleeve coat sz L $69
Drake’s 100% wool herringbone made in Italy men’s raglan coat $2,095
RAEY 100% wool herringbone made in Italy dolman body seams coat $1,270
Vintage Woolrich dropped shoulder same as mine but size larger sz L $150
Now you can wear your sleeve-knowledge on your sleeve, instead of your heart…lol I tried! See you next time. xHannah
I learned so much! No more bulky wadded up sweaters stuck at the armholes under winter coats for me. Thanks again for your seasoned advice.