Show shirt cuff at end of Crail or Tweed jacket sleeve?

[Tobus]

... I’m not sure if there’s a proper way to show the shirt underneath.

As McMurdo said, it should work just like any other non-kilt jacket. The cuff at the wrist should peek out a little. Like so:



If you're ordering one that's made to size, be careful with the measuring. Many suppliers will have you measure to a length that will end up too long at the sleeve, where the jacket sleeve ends up at your knuckles when your arm is down. I don't know why they insist on doing this.

I've found that French cuffs stay put a little easier, without slipping up inside the sleeve and requiring me to "shoot my cuffs" as often. They fill the sleeve more and the friction helps keep them riding along with the jacket sleeve, if that makes sense.

[Steve Ashton]

I guess that would depend on your generation.

My generation were taught that when your arms are down and relaxed there should be no shirt cuff showing.
The length of the jacket sleeve should be between the second and third knuckle of the thumb.



If you bring you arm up, with the fore arm horizonal in front of the body, the cufflink should just peek out.

Then sometime in the 70's jacket sleeves began to be cut shorter.
With the arms at the sides 1/4 to 1/2 inch of shirt cuff should show and when the arm is brought up the entire cuff should be visible.



So I guess it comes down to personal preference which style you like.

And I guess it also depends on the length of your shirt sleeves. My generation was taght that the shirt cuff should be at the wrist bone. Today many shirts are cut so that the cuff is down to the back of the hand.

Of course very few jackets and shirts are tailored to fit any more. You sort of get whatever the maker's "standard" is.
Kinda like blue jeans. Levi's fit totally different than Lees. And the fit of Levi 501 is different from Levi 505.

[Tobus]

Steve raises an interesting point that it may have to do with generational differences or fashion trends during different eras. But there are also differences between regions. Americans don't wear their suit jackets the same as they do in the UK, for example.

Since we're talking specifically about kilt jackets, and they are of course Scottish in origin, I would tend not to look at it from the standpoint of American style or what we were taught here. I would look at what the best-dressed men wear in the UK.

To be honest, it is all over the map. Older historical images show men with exposed shirtsleeve cuffs and men with no cuffs exposed, when their arms are down. I see long jacket sleeves and short jacket sleeves. It has never been universal. You just have to choose which look you think is best, or which style you'd prefer to emulate.

Just for some visual reference, here are some examples of what looks right to me. It may not look right to everyone.

Prince Albert in 1902 with a neat and tidy sliver of cuff showing:



Here's Prince Charles, who always has some exposed shirtsleeve cuff showing:

[Steve Ashton]

I guess the thing we don't remind people about enough is that it is your jacket you are wearing. Not mine. There is no right or wrong.

When you walk into a shop, and are willing to lay down your hard earned money, you should get exactly what you ask for.

Take the advice of the shop clerk with a grain of salt. Their job is to make a sale.

If you are not getting exactly the shirt and jacket you specify, be prepared to go to someone who will give you what your money is buying.

And nothing less.

If you buy Off-The-Rack or over the web, search out your local tailor. Every town of any size has one. Shortening a sleeve or lowering a collar are quick and inexpesive fixes to get a shirt or jacket that fits the way you want it to.

[vulpi]

I guess the thing we don't remind people about enough is that it is your jacket you are wearing. Not mine. There is no right or wrong.

When you walk into a shop, and are willing to lay down your hard earned money, you should get exactly what you ask for.

Take the advice of the shop clerk with a grain of salt. Their job is to make a sale.

If you are not getting exactly the shirt and jacket you specify, be prepared to go to someone who will give you what your money is buying.

And nothing less.

If you buy Off-The-Rack or over the web, search out your local tailor. Every town of any size has one. Shortening a sleeve or lowering a collar are quick and inexpesive fixes to get a shirt or jacket that fits the way you want it to.

Very good point regarding the shop clerk, Steve, which is the reason I thought I'd get some opinions here first, before going to the shops at the weekend. I anticipate that the clerks will give their advice, which might just be their personal opinion rather than from any actual proper sartorial knowledge, so it's great to have the advice of you guys who are actual wearers.

[OC Richard]

This is one of a number of things that, when I got into kiltwearing, struck me as being different in traditional Highland Dress and American suits.

As a piper, even in civilian Highland Dress, there is some military influence, and oftentimes you see British military cuffs being worn rather longer than is seen in American civilian suits, down to halfway between the wrist and knuckles, sometimes down to the knuckles.



I went back and looked over The Highlanders Of Scotland to see the mid-19th century Highland customs, and the sleeves are a bit on the long side, though some men are showing a sliver of shirt-cuff.

Here in the US Southwest we pipers are often playing in hot weather, and wearing short-sleeved shirts is common.

We have to wear jackets to look smart, but due to the heat I, for many years, have worn short-sleeved shirts with my Argyll jackets for piping gigs. Pipers want the jacket sleeves long because the arms are thrust forward while piping.

Here's my normal thing, longish jacket sleeves and short-sleeved shirt underneath.



On the other hand, there's the well-known Bob Shepherd look

[vulpi]

Thanks for your response, Richard. Given that you're piping, and in hot weather, different rules apply, and comfort would definitely trump any rules about cuff lengths!

Good point also about having your arms forward while piping, so that would also determine the length of jacket you choose, so that it looks good in that position.

[vulpi]

I guess that would depend on your generation.

Then sometime in the 70's jacket sleeves began to be cut shorter.
With the arms at the sides 1/4 to 1/2 inch of shirt cuff should show and when the arm is brought up the entire cuff should be visible.

And I guess it also depends on the length of your shirt sleeves. My generation was taght that the shirt cuff should be at the wrist bone. Today many shirts are cut so that the cuff is down to the back of the hand.

I'm in my 30s, Steve, so I'm more aware of the style you mention with 1/4 to 1/2 of shirt cuff being on show with arms at sides.

On the actual length of the shirt sleeve itself, I find the shirt cuff at wrist bone to look most smart.

[vulpi]

As McMurdo said, it should work just like any other non-kilt jacket. The cuff at the wrist should peek out a little. Like so:



If you're ordering one that's made to size, be careful with the measuring. Many suppliers will have you measure to a length that will end up too long at the sleeve, where the jacket sleeve ends up at your knuckles when your arm is down. I don't know why they insist on doing this.

I've found that French cuffs stay put a little easier, without slipping up inside the sleeve and requiring me to "shoot my cuffs" as often. They fill the sleeve more and the friction helps keep them riding along with the jacket sleeve, if that makes sense.

Hi Tobus, and thanks for the response and the pics. As with McMurdo's, I think the little flash of shirt at the bottom of your jacket just finishes the look off, probably due to the contrast of the white shirt. Also, great tip on the French cuffs - makes perfect sense that the additional thickness would stop them riding up the sleeves.