Fashion

Self-conscious of your arms? Here's how to go sleeveless

Self-conscious of your arms? Here's how to go sleeveless

Carlyle Routh Author: Julia McEwen

Fashion

Self-conscious of your arms? Here's how to go sleeveless

Canadian Living's web editor battles her upper arm fear and wears a sleeveless dress.

Photography by Carlyle Routh. Hair by Jukka/Davines/Plutino Group. Makeup by Jodi Urichuk/Bite Beauty/Plutino Group.

Have you ever flirted with the idea of trying a daring style but weren't quite sure how to pull it off? We found six women who were intrigued by a trend they usually avoid, then we gave them the support and style advice to help them make it their own. Here, Canadian Living's web editor, Jenny Tang, forgets her upper arm self-consciousness and ditches sleeves.

(Read about our other style dares here: crop tops for the office, skinny jeans for curvy girls, figure-hugging dresses, print mixing and feminine ruffles.)

"The thought of showing off my arms, unless I'm running or at the gym, absolutely terrifies me," says Jenny. Her fitness game is strong, and she's got the lean, tones limbs to prove it; but, despite all that, Jenny, like many other women, feels self-conscious about exposing her arms.

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Vest, $80, and dress, $40, winners.ca. Earrings, brooches and bracelet, bananarepublic.ca. Bag, coach.com.

Regardless of your shape or size, sleeveless tops and dresses require excellent fit. If they're too big, armholes can reveal undergarments; if they're too tight, they look awkward and uncomfortable. For Jenny, we picked a neoprene-like dress with a high neckline. We added structure, and a little more coverage, by topping it with a sleeveless vest dappled with brooches which add interest—and keep the focus away from the upper arms.

Shop the trend: 

Slideshow

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Sabine dress, $165, aritzia.com

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Self-conscious of your arms? Here's how to go sleeveless

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