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Underground > Art, Fashion & Design >

Wearing a tie with short sleeves

08:44 / 05.05.03

ok, so my new job requires me to wear a tie on firday, saturday, and sunday. most of the guys usually wear a short sleeve button-up shirt with a tie, but I've got it stuck in my head that it just looks wrong. I just think Al Bundy when I see it. But is there any real breach of etiquette here, or am i being silly?

10:44 / 05.05.03

Maybe it's the etiquette in tropical climes, I wouldn't know.

But I would choose long sleeves. Short sleeves seem to me to be too casual to wear with a tie. A bit like wearing jeans and a sports jacket -- neither fish nor fowl.

11:18 / 05.05.03

Have to agree: Either short sleeves and no tie, or long sleeves with one- and seeing as the first isnt an option, id choose long sleeves. It does indeed, i reakon, look too wrong.

The Return Of Rothkoid

12:28 / 05.05.03

Long sleeves. I think you could get away with sleeves *rolled* up as in a hard-workin' stylee, maybe, but with a tie (unless it's a crimplene thing on an elastic loop anyway) I can't see short-sleeves working. Short are... weird. I don't know if there's any such thing as innate dress-sense, but that would explain my Spidey-Sense tingling.

Just my luck to have a Spidey-Sense about fucking sleeve length, isn't it?

13:31 / 05.05.03

i think it's hot when guys roll up the sleeves of their button-down shirts.

13:36 / 05.05.03

You'd look like you should be in a shitty nu-ska band, with short sleeves and a tie. Eeurgh.

14:19 / 05.05.03

Tie with short sleeves - I beleive this look is called "The Sipowicz."

14:20 / 05.05.03

I also believe it.

(it's also known as "the Sabotage")

14:27 / 05.05.03

Or a Space Race-era engineer.

Can't forget the engineers.

14:39 / 05.05.03

Just wear a bow tie; they go with every shirt style...especially if it's one that spins and makes that "wheeeeeeeeeeee" sound.

14:40 / 05.05.03

We can call that look "Slide rule."

ONLY NICE THINGS

16:19 / 05.05.03

Well, I think that rather answers the question. In hot climates, short sleeves can, I think, be worn with a tie in informal or everyday business situations. At least, some school uniforms have short sleeved summer shirts with ties in places like Australia or the Middle East. Outside hot climates, the tie with short sleeves is probably best avoided. To be honest, if the situation is sufficiently formal to demand a tie, it also demands long sleeves. Why anyone would even *own* a collared shirt in white cotton with short sleeves for titular use in an office environment is frankly beyond me. Short sleeves in business wear is a sure sign of lower management or being Californian.

More acceptable generally is "shirtsleeve order", which is much as Rothky describes - sleeves rolled up, jacket removed and tie intact, although top buttons may, depending on environment, be undone.

17:18 / 05.05.03

I would love to hear "Haus rules" on the dreaded category of "Business Casual." Or do you not have that over there?

ONLY NICE THINGS

18:39 / 05.05.03

Good question - to be adressed here.

09:27 / 06.05.03

One word: mormons.

12:17 / 06.05.03

grant:

"...a Space Race-era engineer."

Yes! I think it could look fantastic with glasses (with thick black rims) and a flat-top (for dark hair) or buzz cut (blond). I think the tie needs to be plain (preferably black) and narrow (not skinny). I think an angular head would be an advantage, too - a square head for the flat-top, or a rectangle for the buzz-cut. I'm sure I must have some pictures somewhere of engineers looking cool (heh) in short sleeved shirts, I'll have a look when I get home.

I don't own one, but I can imagine the practical advantages of short sleeves over rolled up ones. Rolled sleeves never seem to stay in place, you're forever having to shift them back up somewhere (the width of the cuff is rarely a neat fraction of the length of your fore arm, so you have to finish the roll somewhere below the ideal point just above the elbow. The only other option is to finish it above, so you end up with two ludicrous looking, discomforting doughnuts round your biceps. I imagine the cuff width/forearm length is something really good bespoke tailors must take into account when making a shirt. Hell, maybe they factor in the thickness of the material too!)

The Return Of Rothkoid

12:50 / 06.05.03

Voila.

13:55 / 06.05.03

I generally always wear long-sleeved shirts with the sleeves rolled up to just around the elbow (usually below). I just find them more comfortable, and they look fine; plus you can roll sleeves down as necessary. Even under suits; I just find sleeves irritating otherwise.

But short-sleeve shirts are FAR too short, and you look like a prick if you wear them with a tie. Just look at Michael Douglas.

14:17 / 06.05.03

yes. i said that wearing shirts w/rolled-up sleeves is hot; if the sleeves are rolled up past the elbows, that is nullified. nullified!!!

14:45 / 06.05.03

In that pic it looks like he's rolled up the sleeves of his short sleeve shirt! Amazing. Okay, how about a rolled up tie? Rolled to a length that matches the sleeves?

By the by, I'd like to see a smart muscle shirt, ie a proper shirt with no sleeves at all. That would look great with rolled up trousers.

23:50 / 06.05.03

what about a tshirt with a tie drawn on the front?

i think that would be the classiest option.

at the scarwash

00:31 / 07.05.03

If it's a good shirt, something in an exciting early 70s print (not too loud, i suppose it is an office) I think it's acceptable. With a suitably interesting tie. If it's a white cotton shirt and a fake regimental stripe tie, you'll look like a travel agent.

06:58 / 07.05.03

Short sleeved shirts with ties are just wrong and that's all there is to it. Unless of course, you're going for the 'I play bowls on a weeknight' look in which case you need to find yourself some high waisted trousers to complete the look.

11:38 / 07.05.03

I'd roll em. Too much like McDonald's staff clothes otherwise (shudders at painful memories of teen job).

14:48 / 07.05.03

Okay, how about a rolled up tie?

15:45 / 07.05.03

Close, Jack, but I think you'll find, if you check your entieclopedia, that that is a curly tie. A rolled up tie would have to be one of the hollow sort - think of it as a flattened sleeve with no arm in it - folded, well, just as a sleeve is folded. It would serve to keep that part of your chest that is normally covered by the tie that much cooler, and look better than a cut off tie.

23:09 / 09.06.03

SHORT SLEEVES + TIE = TOTAL WANKER. Roll your sleeves up.

02:22 / 10.06.03

Jack D., these people are lying to you. Lying! There is an ubertrendy option here. If you have the figure for it, get yourself a light blue wrinkle-resistent fitted short-sleeve shirt and a gaudily patterned child's tie--it should come to about 3 inches above your navel. Get a wallet with a chain to go with you GAP stretch-slacks, some spiky-hair goo and clunky shoes and, two words and a half words: alterna-chick magnet. The girls in the steno pool will wet themselves.

No star here laces

10:12 / 10.06.03

Yeah, I was about to weigh in saying if you get a really nice short sleeve shirt in a good, subtle check, and wear a tie with the top button undone and a pair of nicely worn jeans it can look good. It's just tucked-in short sleeve shirts that look shitty...

17:31 / 11.06.03

I wear short sleeves and a tie every day, and I look fly. But I feel compelled to note I also wear a pocket protector made out of duct tape full of technical pens. Which might not be what you're after.

17:39 / 11.06.03

I can tell you for certain that NASA engineers didn't wear short-sleeved shirts until the Carter years. To save energy, Carter ordered federal offices to drop their heat in the winter to 65 degrees and raise their air-conditioners in the summer to 80. NASA tended to be formal, so the ties stayed but short sleeves were allowed.

By the way, Lumbergh wants to know when you'll get those TPS reports to his desk.

21:27 / 07.04.04

I wear short sleeves always.long sleeves are restricting anyway my arms are not brown and muscular,so they look smooth and white.I am not allowed to have long sleeves at work ,only short sleeves shirts or polo shirts with no tie

ONLY NICE THINGS

23:00 / 07.04.04

Your bosses have something wrong with them. You're not allowed to wear long sleeves? And your arms are smooth and white? Have you considered that they might think you *are* wearing long sleeves?

12:15 / 08.04.04

If the short sleeves and tie look is ok by Homer Simpson, it's ok by me.