When I think about the 80's, bright colours, big hair and roller skates come to mind. It was a decade where people weren't afraid to be daring and adventurous, a trait that was reflected in fashion trends at the time, particularly in the billowing flared pants and sleeves that have become iconic disco-wear.
In 2017/2018, it looks like the flare has made a comeback with high street brands like TopShop and H&M incorporating the style into their collections. I've never been one to love frills or anything that doesn't have a clean, crisp shape, so I was surprised when I found myself wanting to buy tops with long, flared sleeves.
I found a black flared top a couple of months ago for $20 and thought it would be great for work or as part of a date night ensemble. I wore it for the first time this week.
Now I know why flared sleeves went out of fashion in the first place.
Here's just a few problems that I ran into while wearing the top at work:
Sitting Down Was A Challenge
I paired the top with a blush coloured skirt. If you're female, you know that there's an art to sitting down in a skirt. You generally need to bend slightly and tuck the skirt underneath you to avoid revealing anything and to prevent the skirt from creasing. However, tucking a skirt becomes a mission and a half with flared sleeves. Every time I'd sit down, my sleeve would get caught under my leg and as I'd go to move my arm, it would be stuck at a certain point. Cue the awkward manoeuvring and the questioning of why the sleeves are so long in the first place.
Doing Anything Near Sinks Was Not Fun
My job doesn't usually involve going near a sink (thank God), however I needed to fill up my water bottle throughout the day. That was fun (sarcasm). We have dishwashers at work, but sometimes people place their dirty dishes and cups filled with who-knows-what in the sink. Safe to say, I almost submerged my sleeves multiple times. I had to hold my sleeve with my other hand and try to figure out how to fill my bottle with only one hand. I'm uncoordinated at the best of times, let alone with only one hand.
Toilets
This was probably worse than the sink. The sleeves on this top were incredibly long, to the point I probably should've had them shortened before I wore the top (you live and you learn). So every time I went to the bathroom, I held my breath hoping the sleeve wouldn't fall into the bowl while I was reaching to flush the toilet. No one should ever have to sit there and think 'Oh my God, what if I'm stuck wearing a sleeve that's dripping with toilet water for the next eight hours'. Nope, just nope.
Several Keyboard Keys Vanished
I appreciate the dramatic nature of the top, I really do. If I was just standing somewhere and not doing anything that required moving, it'd have been fine. However, my arms constantly move while I'm typing, which meant the sleeves were also moving and covering everything from my keyboard to my notebook. Do you know how many times I couldn't find my pen yesterday?
Driving Hazard
Sleeves were going everywhere whenever I turned a corner. It really didn't help my road rage (people should learn to keep left).
Overall, wearing flared sleeves was a challenge, so I understand why they fell out of fashion for a while. Will I wear the top again? Probably. Just not on a date that requires eating or physical activity. Though, it might come in handy if I need to pull a vanishing act.