RTW shirts and sleeve issues
 

I have a RTW t-shirt and a RTW button down shirt that I need to wear for an organization (embroidered logos) and the sleeve on the t-shirt is a cap sleeve, which looks horrendous on me. Any ideas for making the sleeve longer and a bit more flattering?

The woven button down shirt is too tight in the sleeve and I am wondering how to modify that also.

Sorry, cutting off the sleeves and having them sleeveless is not an option as I do not have attractive arms and I have to be outside in the sun all day. There are no other size options either.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

PB from MN

Is there any way you can get some matching fabric and replace the entire sleeve, with a longer one?

oh that is an idea, putting a longer sleeved t-shirt beneath the one with cap sleeves. just say you don't like the Sun.

I would layer it with either long sleeved or 3/4 length shirt under it.

If you have access to a matching fabric, you can take out the under arm seam on the woven shirt and add a gusset. 2" wide at the sleeve hem if it's short sleeved, then slowly tapered to a point where it sets in the shirt. If the shirt is long sleeved, the it's 2" in the underarm area and tapered to a point on both ends. A similar gusset would add some ease to the cap sleeve - no length, but not so fitted.

Are you able to get more than one of each shirt? I like the gusset idea, but if for some reason that doesn't work, maybe you could cut up an extra shirt to remake the sleeves.

Getting your own shirts embroidered might be an idea, although it might get expensive if you have to pay design and setup charges. If you can use the same embroidery company that your organization did, and just provide the shirts, maybe they'll charge you a nominal fee.

How about removing the sleeves from the long sleeve shirt and using that fabric to make 4 short sleeves - 2 for each shirt.

I would add a gusset to the sleeves of the button down shirt. The fabric doesn't have to be an exact match, just as close as you can get it. If you add the gusset to the underneath seam, it won't be noticed. As for the cap sleeve shirt, I would just get fabric and make new sleeves. If budget allows, you could buy an extra shirt and cut the sleeves from that.

I would get a similar or coordinating long sleeve shirt (or fabric) and cut off the sleeves and add them to your shirt. That is what I do with my husband's softball league shirts to keep him from getting sunburned and not get overheated from two layers of shirts.

Depending on the actual style of t-shirt that has the cap sleeves you might possibly get some of the really wide embroidered eyelet "lace" and create a longer sleeve. I've seen some that would look wonderful on and others that it would just look silly, so I don't know if this would work or not.

For the button down shirt you would need to find a coordinating fabric to add a strip to the sleeve either at the inside seam or down the middle of the sleeve. If you do the middle of the sleeve you could even put in a strip of lace. Either way would require taking the sleeve out and redoing it. (And why do some shirt designers figure we don't have muscles in our arms just because we're female?)
I understand your dilemma as I usually have to get guys shirts for the sleeves to fit right. I hate ladies long sleeve shirts because they are both too skinny and way too short. The long sleeve T-shirts end up as three quarter length on me. So the wrist hits at a much wider part of my arm. Yuk!

When my husband 'out grew' one of his favorite shirts with an embroidered logo, I cut out the logo and appliqued it to a new, larger shirt. Did not look as good as the original but he liked it.

Too bad you couldn't take the logo off the shirts and applique it to a shirt that fits right.

looks like greenheron and I had the same idea :D

My husband has a fishing or hunting shirt with 'gussets' in it. These gussets are in places like under the sleeves, the yoke of the shirt and I think down the seam line. The gussets have a T shirt type of fabric that have the little holes in it, so that the shirt is cool. I think if you can see one you might be able to re-fashion your shirt so that it is more serviceable to you.

It would be simple to get some contrasting fabric and replace with a dolman sleeve