Sleeves: There’s More to Them than You Think
Sleeves. Long, short, tank top, or strapless, and that’s it, right?

Oh wait, there’s spaghetti straps which are skinnier than a tank top. Hmm … there is such a thing as 3/4 length. And then we have cap ones, too.
Maybe there is more to a sleeve than I originally thought.
Here’s some more sleeve types to try out (or that you might already have in your closet, but just don’t know what to call them):
Bell: super hot right now, and looks like its name. The length is not set on this style, though it’s usually 3/4 to long. Picture wearing bell bottoms on your arms. The example shown here is a Donna Morgan gold metallic, textured brocade, dress and jacket set on sale at Nordstrom for $196.

Lantern: Sometimes this name is incorrectly placed by a bell, but either way both are everywhere right now. The current Vince collection at Saks (also available else where) is all over the lantern sleeve look, with varying lengths, but always a gathered poof at that bottom (think Chinese paper lantern). Here, the Vince balloon button-up with lantern sleeves is shown under a gray cardigan.
Speaking of balloons … there’s a sleeve called the Balloon. This one, in a reverse design from the previous two, is fuller at the top of the arm with a banded bottom. It is not as novel or trendy as the lantern and bell, but it, too, was seen on the fashion week spring 2007 runways. This teal scoop-neck (also available in black or white) is Rebecca Beeson’s balloon-sleeved top on sale at Bloomingdale’s for $86. Check out Carrie Underwood wearing them by clicking here.
Wow, and we’ve only just begun …
balloon sleeves, lantern sleeves, names of different kinds of sleeves, bell sleeves, bloomingdales, saks fifth avenue, nordstrom


November 1st, 2007 at 11:14 am
[...] I explained three styles of sleeves that are all the catwalk rage right now: bell, lantern, and balloon. How about we take a little [...]