Chemis fitting with wife's bodice

[JJames]

Grettings ladies (and gents if you could be of any help!).

My wife is getting a new bodice and wasnt sure if she needs to get a new chemis. The one she has she says is does not seem to fit. She explained this as such; "My chemise doesn't seem to fit right. When I have my bodice on over it, it seems to shorten my chemise sleeves. When attempt to pull the sleeves out before tightening the bodice the sleeves don't seem to sit right in the bodice."

From your experinces does this sound like an improperly fitted chemis/bodice, or is she perhaps doing something wrong when putting them on or adjusting them?

Thanks so much!

James

[gem]

This has been my experience with chemises that have raglan sleeves, vs set-in sleeves. I'm guessing that means absolutely nothing to you, however! LOL A raglan sleeve (probably most familiar on a baseball T-shirt) has the sleeve seams connect at the neckline, instead of around the shoulder (like a regular shirt). I have a couple of raglan sleeve chemises, and a number of raglan sleeve mundane tops, and I definitely notice that their sleeves all tend to pull up in this fashion. I think it's just a consequence of the construction and fit.

You can kind of see in this photo how the sleeves don't reach all the way down my arm. I have to push them up to my elbows, and as a result I get a lot of billowing. This definitely isn't my favorite chemise, and that's one of the reasons... but this is really typical construction for purchased chemises, I'm afraid--although I have several raglan-sleeve chemises, and only this one really bothers me. Unless she's really uncomfortable or her range of motion is restricted intolerably, I would probably just say she'll get used to it.  Things to look for in another chemise, though--either set-in sleeves, or raglan sleeves that aren't so terribly full OR that are longer than her anatomical arm length (which will help with the pulling up).

Good luck!

[amy]

or maybe one with just longer sleeves to compensate for them pulling up further into her armpit?   I have fudged it by just adding a good ruffle of lace a the cuff...  makes the sleeve seem longer though it is unchanged really....  just a thought.