Why do women cover their arms?

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

I was out at a restaurant tonight and people-watching as usual. I had a bit of an epithany that covering your arms if you don't like them is completely the wrong thing to do. I saw women with untoned arms in vest tops, and to me they looked great. Ive come to the conclusion that you should rock your arms, no matter what they look like. I truly think it doesnt make any difference to onlookers. I can say that i have never in my life thought to myself that a woman should have covered her arms.

[Pinkfrocks]

I cover them because they are not nice. I have a little pouch of dimpled fat on the inside of each upper arm which IMO looks gross.
I weigh under 8 st but my upper arms are rubbish.

[Floisme]

Interesting discussion. I took to wearing sleeves a few years ago when middle age arm rot set in but every so often I get really annoyed with myself. I mean my face doesn't look as good as it used to either but I don't cover that! So why arms? However I don't care whether or not onlookers notice. I dress for me, not other people and the point is, I notice. So I guess I'm on the fence here.

[jonicomelately]

My arms are the worst part of my body. They are horrendous. I never wear anything sleeveless.

[CaulkheadUpNorth]

Fifteen years of self harm.

Most scars are pretty pale now, but still obvious enough for people to stare at. I cover my arms unless I'm really comfortable with the people I'm with (usually people who know about the cutting).

[Pinkfrocks]

It's funny this 'I dress for me' line. Because we all, given that we wear clothes, dress so as not to cause offence by our nakedness.

So where does one draw the line between what looks good to us and others?

Or are they the same?

I don't like my upper arms. I don't like seeing them even if I am in the house all day alone. I do wear sleeveless dresses but I don't like what I see and by that token I don't want other people seeing it either.

[Greengardenpixie]

I agree. For the first time in my life, i just dont give a shit about my upper arms. They are ok. They arent toned...but not particularly big. the bottom bit will flap a little but what the hell!!! I wore my shorts this year and i used to care about my stretch marks and thread veins but you know what..i dont care and remember what i read..who really looks? and if they do...so what?? I have seen all shapes and sizes.

[Greengardenpixie]

What i read on here on another thread about legs - that should have said.

[museumum]

My arms aren't great but I think that might be cause they're pale and blotchy. I see heavy women in sleeveless tops and they look good if their skin is smooth and even coloured.

I have worn shorts all summer though :) And I'm loving it!

[icanmakeyouicecream]

Thanks for the nice post OP, I still wouldn't though. I haven't got it so I don't flaunt it.

[Koothrapanties]

Pink my nakedness offends me, I would say I get dressed in the morning for myself!

I also feel uncomfortable in anything too tight as I don't like the look of my muffin top and belly. So again that's for me.

What I realised though is that I don't actually mind my arms, I was worrying about what others think and I'm not ok with that. I am giving it a good go to stop caring what others think of me and it's doing my confidence wonders.

I went to a wedding last weekend and wore a sleeveless dress. This would have been unheard of last year. I only bought clothes with sleeves or that could go under cardies. It felt good to wear a dress that I loved and not care about my arms!

[Freewheelin]

My mum covers her neck, legs and arms despite holidaying in the USA and feeling some admiration for the very many massive people she saw in shorts and sun tops.
I think it's a bit sad. She won't uncover her feet as she thinks they are hideous. I do try and comfort her with the opinion that No one will be looking at them!

[armsaway]

I never expose my arms and am in my 40s and have never worn a vest top out in public. My issue is not so much with my arms but with the underarm area. It isn't scooped out (and I have been overweight and skinny and it's still the same). I have skin-tags and under one arm in particular I have quite a large lump (size of a large plum?). I think it's just an extension of breast tissue but it's hideous and even my little girl points at it sometimes and asks why it's all bulgy. I tend to sweat excessively and I just couldn't expose other people to it. When my arms are down you can just see a dimpled pouch at the back/top of my arm - but if I lift them up - yuK!!

I hate the summer when I get odd looks from people for wearing sleeves. I don't even wear capped sleeves. I also don't wear shorts except on rare occasions because I hate my legs and have never worn a bikini in my life even when I was 8 stone. I guess I am not very fond of my body but glad it's given me 2 beautiful children.

[HecatePropylaea]

I cover mine because they are spotty and flabby and I feel more confident when I do not feel exposed.

For that reason, I also don't wear mini skirts, or boob tubes, or low cut dresses, or crop tops, etc, etc.

What matters to me is how I feel. My clothes are my armour.

[OwlCapone]

Q: Why do women cover their arms
A: Because they want to.

[Branleuse]

most women hate themselves so much that theyd rather be uncomfortable and overheated than the mental torment of having a perfectly non offensive or private part of their body uncovered, unless its near picture perfect.

Yesterday I was at the beach. Im size 14, all arse and tits, cellulite and very obvious self harm scars on my thighs. I very nearly didnt even go in and play with my kids in my swimming costume but I did and it was ok. Noone stared, noone cared.
Its uncomfortable and painful sometimes to try and ignore all the conditioning, and do it anyway, but i had a better time than if id sat on the side, sweltering in my dress and not splashing and swimming and sunbathing.

When I start feeling paranoid, I just repeat to myself "fuck em"

[Branleuse]

and i have kerastosis spots too.

[SorrelForbes]

I never wear anything sleeveless. My upper arms aren't flabby or un-toned but they are wide. Sort of out of scale, really weird (dressmakers have commented!)

[AllMimsyWereTheBorogoves]

Just to clarify, this really means upper arms, doesn't it? Most of us are reasonably comfortable exposing the bit between elbow and wrist, I'd think.

[Branleuse]

theyre just arms though. theyre really useful, theyre not just decorative appendages.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

The main issue I have is shoulders rather than arms, I don't like having my shoulders exposed in case they get sunburnt but inevitably end up with tee-shirt tan marks that look unattractive in sleeveless dresses, Also I am well endowed and my bras have wide straps so no strappy tops for me. I have tried strapless bras but just end up with my chest somewhere down near my waist, really not a good look.

[FairPhyllis]

Because it's a bit chilly sometimes if you do?!?

[dexter73]

FairPhyllis - I think most people are refering to wearing sleeveless tops when it is hot like now, not when it is cooler!

[Coughle]

I honestly didn't realise until this post that women did this. I guess I just don't think about my arms. And I definitely wouldn't judge anyone on the state of their arms, unless they had a second had growing out of their shoulder or a third boob on their elbow or something.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I have flabby arms (they go with the flabby rest-of-me) and bingo wings. I hate how I look with bare arms - well, I hate how I look all of the time, but I hate myself with bare arms more - so I cover my arms.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I used to wear sleeveless (and reasonably low necklines) without thinking twice. But now I'm 51, and still slim, the flesh is starting to shrink away, and I have no cleavage despite being a 30g. My upper arms have started to flap and have a 'cellulite' look to them.
Wouldn't think twice about anyone else showing theirs, but I'm more comfortable keeping bits I prefer not to see in the mirror covered.
Likewise, since having nearly-12lb DD 16 years ago, I've only worn a bikini in the company of my family. Even then I don't feel comfortable with the DCs around.