The Three-Quarter Length Sleeve

[BvBPL]

So I'm watching the series and the Boston pitchers tonight have three-quarter length sleeves on.

Most men do not wear three-quarter length sleeves. In fact, it is uncommon for any men's shirts to have this length sleeve. In general, men have the choice between above the elbow and to the wrist, with little in-between.

Why do you think this is the case? Would you want a three-quarter length sleeve? Would you wear it? If so, under what circumstances?

Of course, three-quarter length sleeves are not uncommon for women.

 

[Zelig]

I've got a form-fitting athletic shirt with 3/4 length sleeves. It's nice on turf fields to avoid turfburn on elbows.

I've also got a pair of stand-alone sleeves so I can add sleeves to any sleeveless shirt or vest.

 

[bhsup]

I frequently put two rolls of the cuff on my wrist length shirts which effectively makes them 3/4 length. I used to have some actual 3/4 length ones, but that was years and years ago.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Most of my tops have 3/4-length sleeves. It's the time of year now where short sleeves are too cold, but it's not yet cold enough for full-length sleeves.

 

[warpus]

Can we see some photos? I want to compare sleeves, I feel left out.

 

[JollyRoger]

I frequently put two rolls of the cuff on my wrist length shirts which effectively makes them 3/4 length.

This is the only appropriate way to get to 3/4 length.

 

[BvBPL]

The problem is that rolled up sleeves don't necessarily stay rolled up and they are bulky.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Can we see some photos? I want to compare sleeves, I feel left out.

The heck if I know. Some of the sleeves seem to be a bit longer than normal...

Spoiler :

But some of them don't:

Spoiler :

And none of them seem to cover the elbow.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

 

[Defiant47]

Damn you O'Brien! Now a thing that I would have easily regarded as "uncool" is all of a sudden cool.

 

[BvBPL]

And none of them seem to cover the elbow.

The red undershirt, not the jersey.

Damn you O'Brien! Now a thing that I would have easily regarded as "uncool" is all of a sudden cool.

That character may be many things, but cool is not one of them.

 

[Defiant47]

But Star Trek is cool. Is he actually the only character with that?

 

[warpus]

Having seen the photos (thanks Forma) it appears to me that the sleeves they put in place were a gimmick, so that they have a slightly different jersey to sell to the public. That, or a couple players complained about being too cold, and the new design is meant to keep them warmer? Maybe there's a Costanza behind the scenes making stupid decisions?

 

[BvBPL]

Ball players wear their under jerseys long when it is cold out. It was wicked cold in Boston last night.

 

[Traitorfish]

I have a couple of baseball tees with 3/4 length sleeves. It's uncommon here, but we tend to think of it as an "American thing", presumably because of the baseball connection, so I'm actually a little surprised to find out it's rare over there as well.

 

[TrafficJam]

I'm gonna guess it was just a comfort/annoyance thing. I'm a soccer ref, and sometimes when I wear my long sleeves, the cuff runs into or gets caught in my watch and or/gloves. They're in each other's way just enough to be annoying. That said, I would not be excited at all if FIFA went to 3/4 length uniforms.

I would guess the same thing's going on here - it could be just uncomfortable enough with the sleeve running into the gloves that some of the guys choose the 3/4 length to eliminate the annoyance but still have some of the warmth.

 

[sophie]

The problem is that rolled up sleeves don't necessarily stay rolled up and they are bulky.

A lot of long-sleeved men's wear nowadays comes with buttons/straps to enable the wearer to fix the sleeve length at 3/4 length. I'm wearing one such shirt right now.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

On warmer days, I will often roll my full-length sleeves up to around 3/4 length, but I would never buy a shirt whose sleeves only came down 3/4 of the way.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

But Star Trek is cool. Is he actually the only character with that?

I believe so. Sort of his trademark as the only main engineer who has no warp drive for street credibility.

 

[Formaldehyde]

The red undershirt, not the jersey.

It is just another form of undershirt like the ones the Cards were wearing. Some of the Red Sox were wearing the same undershirt as the Cards were, and others were even wearing both.

Given how cold some of the playoffs games can be, I'm surprised the teams haven't gone with true winter uniforms.