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Summer: a season of warm evenings, al fresco drinks, beach holidays… and paranoia about our upper arms. Unless you are blessed with the enviably toned biceps and triceps of Jennifer Aniston, it’s very likely that assembling your summer wardrobe isn’t quite the easy, breezy affair that you’d wish it to be. Must every dress on the high street be sleeveless? For while most things look better in the sunshine, alas, your upper arms aren’t one of them.
While most women’s arms aren’t nearly as much cause for self-consciousness as they imagine, we all deserve to feel confident during the warmer months. How, then, to stylishly camouflage your flesh when the mercury rises, making it feel incumbent – or at least more comfortable – to bare more?
Happily, there are a slew of options this season, none of which involve a shrug (dated) or a pashmina (even more dated). By choosing the right sleeve shape in the right fabric, or the right cover-up in the right colour, you can ensure you’ll be armed and ready for any occasion.
Butterfly sleeves
So-called because they resemble butterfly wings, these short, flared sleeves extend from the shoulder and ripple outwards, covering the upper arm in a way that’s soft, cooling and flattering.
Some of summer’s prettiest dresses come with butterfly sleeves, and while a few have slits, these are best avoided, as coverage falls away as soon as you move your arms. Look for chiffon, lace, silk or any fabric fluid enough to enhance the butterfly effect.
Puff sleeves
Banish all notions of a child’s party dress: this season, puff sleeves have grown up. Aim for volume, but nothing too extreme, safe in the knowledge that the surfeit of fabric will disguise your upper arms in a way that looks pretty and modern. Provided you avoid any fabric that looks too stiff, your puff sleeves should sit beautifully.
Look for dresses or tops in soft linen, cotton or semi-sheer fabric, and aim for sleeves that fall just above or below the elbow for a subtler, softer ‘puff’. A white or cream iteration will lend a summery look to jeans.
The hole-y grail
It’s hard to disguise your upper arms during a heatwave, when the impulse is to bare as much flesh as you can in a bid not to melt. One of the cleverest, coolest ways to do this is by choosing a fabric with built-in ventilation, such as broderie anglaise or crochet.
With boho being a summer trend, both options are in plentiful supply. Broderie anglaise tends to give more coverage than crochet, but each will show the outline of your arm while disguising its skin tone and shape.
Classic shirts
Granted, a long-sleeved shirt doesn’t exactly scream ‘summer’, but with a bit of clever styling, it can be seasonally adjusted to look that way. Thanks to the TV hit Love Story, classic white shirts are having a moment this season. Channel the simple, minimalist style of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy by wearing yours tied at the waist, its sleeves rolled up to the elbows.
Alternatively, wear it unbuttoned with a vest top underneath. If white isn’t your colour, try a summer pastel (sherbet pink, pale blue, butter yellow) or a bold primary hue such as cobalt or red.
The skirt solution
While there will always be a place for summer dresses, this is definitely a season of separates – specifically, skirts and tops. Working out which top works with which skirt is tricky enough without also factoring in upper arm coverage. Your saviour? A polo top.
The collar ensures it’s smart enough for work, the buttons can be worn open for an airy touch, and the sleeves fall mercifully low, grazing the upper elbow. These tops work with most skirts, from slimmer shapes to more voluminous midis.
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