Armery (i.e. Mary Portas's strange looking shrug/arm-tights things)

[ElectricMonk]

Hi, I just thought I'd post to ask if anybody has tried/seen those armery things worn with an actual outfit. I'm graduating soon and have to wear a dress with cap sleeves, but I want my arms covered so I don't look mad/hypothermic and the lines of the dress mean that a jacket won't look great (it's a DVF wrap-style dress with a slightly Japanese looking collar). The promo pictures I've seen of armery worn with vest tops suggest that it's likely to look a bit funny with the cap sleeves, but I'd be really grateful if somebody could please tell me from experience whether I'm being pessimistic or not!

I love armery for all the reasons you just said! However you need a proper 'short sleeve' rather than a cap sleeve because you'll see your armpit!

Oh buggrit, that's a nuisance! Thank you for warning me, MushroomSoup - that would have been an expensive mistake :).

I like the idea of armery very much (especially the lacy anthracite ones), but all of my non-winter tops/dresses are completely sleeveless so I wish they would make a version that goes across the bust...

I am intrigued, please can someone link me some armery?

Don't know how to link but if you google 'Mary Portas armery' you will find it easily!

here Goo.

I have 2 pairs (sets?) and I do like them but wish they were more compatible with sleeveless stuff, they'd be much more practical. There's a lot of armpit-baring unless the sleeves are the right length and sort of tight, if that makes sense?

I do like them though, as negative as the above sounds!

Just googled - these things look brilliant - but would need them large as Im an 18 - so not sure if they'd fit... (quite tempted to try and doctor a pair of tights)

When they came out, they were rumoured to come up small.

they are vile arent they? ID say lose some weight rather than wearing one of those

marks sell one attached to support wear too

wtf is thiS horror?
www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Mary+Portas+Brush+stroke+shirt/173008492,default,pd.html

PLus they seem to gape under the arms in the pics

here look

marks one
www.marksandspencer.com/Flatter-Light-Control-Cupless-Armwear/dp/B003OL2J4C?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_1&nodeId=43270030&sr=1-1&qid=1352046898&pf_rd_r=11C4VZDB6A1GTK31M60G&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=43270030&pf_rd_p=321381387&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

Ballet dancers have been doing this with tights for years. You just cut off the feet and cut the crutch out of the tights. Start cutting the hole smaller than you think as the hole stretches and obviously you can always make it bigger. HTH.

Wow MaureenLove - the M&S version would go perfectly under my dress! Thank you so, so much for the link, I'd never have found that on my own. Do you (or anybody else) by any chance know whether they come up big or small? I have a small frame but large bust, so I'm not sure whether to risk baggy sleeves or the dreaded quadroboob effect...

Also, Shopalot - thank you very much for the tights tip, I'm going to give that a go for some of the slightly-longer-sleeved summer dresses that I'm trying to pass off as winter clothing :D.

electric could you not cut it so it fit under your boobs? I wouldn't risk baggy sleeves.

And when I was a greebo youth I used to to this with tights

Oooh good point, LightTheGooTouchpaper - I forgot that stretch-lace won't fray! (My last attempt at hemming stretchy fabric with the zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine has made me somewhat phobic of playing seamstress...)

I wish I'd heard about the arm-tights trick back in my goth period, I imagine that I'd have enjoyed that since my early teens coincided with the ubiquitous lacy tights trend...

Can someone explain in really simple terms how I would do this with a pair of tights?

I really feel the cold and would love a secret extra layer on my arms under clothes to keep me that bit warmer, but having read and re-read the description of what you would do with tights I am still utterly confused!

I wonder if it's on YouTube Remember. That's where I found out how to do a sock bun and scrub a mussel.

I am loving the armery or whatever it's called.

Thanks for the tip and the M&S link - I have loads of old tights. :)

Found it on a blog, isn't the internet a wonderful think. Here but you have to scroll down a fair bit. Makes sense now I can see it!

Thanks for that link. I've got opaque tights in perfect condition except for a hole in the toes, will try this out.

I have this one from Terry (cycling brand). It's more bolero-ish, but covers the armpits properly. And is actually warm.

How to make tights for arms on YouTube

I've known people doing the tights thing in the goth scene for years. It's quite a good way to do it

I was filled with hope when I first heard about the Armery things, but the reality is so different: in one glance, we can all the glaring design fault in them (exposed armpit). Gross. Why then, were they sent into production and into retailers like that? MP pours scorn on others in retailing, but her own garment designs are either hideous or flawed. Pffft.

Anyway, I have seen an alternative product which looks miles better but (crucially) haven't ordered any yet or seen them in real life. However, on design and choice alone, this company seems to have the best choices by far, and their models look like real people, not size 6 waifs with stick arms.

www.wingzfashion.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=59

Hopefully these'll help someone and I must get sorted and at least order one of them to see what they are like!

Oh those were on Dragon's Den! They look really good