i've only seen girls do this, but it could be guys do as well. what does it mean when they pull their sleeves all the way to cover their knuckles? is it that they're cold? insecure? think it looks cool?

It's a style, usually more casual and seen in layered tees. I don't think it's an indication of insecurity, but I think an insecure person is probably more likely to pull their sleeves down to whatever length they go to. Some people DO pull sleeves down because they're cold...I know because I don't own gloves, that when the weather gets cold I usually wear the longer sleeves and pull them over my hands to protect my fingers when I'm out and about.

I don't know, but excellent question. I've noticed certain friends of my oldest daughter doing this, and they also tend to be the ones with bangs across their faces...if I were a psychobabbler I would opine the possibility that it's a subconscious desire to hide.

Worried about tznius?

9

exactly - if i was cold i'd cover the whole hand including the fingers.

i also heard that bangs were something to do with hiding but i don't see it mutually exclusive to girls with bangs - that could be because bangs are annoying to maintain and not everyone has the face for it.

How is covering your knuckles worrying about tznius but a burka is wacko?

Have you read any of my posts in that thread?

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No. But I just went back and read them. I retract my question.

There is no hiddur in tsnius to cover to the knuckles. Just to the wrist bone.

The girls in high school who I recall doing this were absolutely the ones with very low self esteem. Pulling your sleeves over your hands is a very self-effacing gesture, similar to walking hunched over with your arms crossed in front of your chest.

Have you learned all the halachos?

9

Tell that to Michal bat Shaul.

the halacha is up to the elbow. anything beyond that is optional and/or unnecessary tznius-wise.

Have you seen the shulchan aruch?

9

Doodle, why ya hockin’ ?

Dunno. It could be the hamsters in my head are getting claustrophobic.


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Or it could be that they are petite and therefore sleeves are always too long on them

I have long arms and can't stand when my sleeves expose my wrist bone. It's just wrong. As such, my preference is for longer sleeves. It doesn't mean I need to or always wear very long sleeves, but I hate when my sleeves are too short.

Cold, probably.

I was going to suggest this. I have short arms, and if I buy long sleeves, they cover my knuckles. I am not going to spend 10 bucks to hem the sleeves on a 12 dollar t-shirt, so either I roll them up or they hit my knuckles. (this is why I love 3/4 sleeves!)

Bingo.

Hmm. Maybe it's because they're hunched.

mosheshmeal
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Wrong tznius-wise, or it just looks wrong style-wise?

I have really short arms so the shirts naturally fall past my knuckles unless I make an effort to push them up. I've gotten so used to feeling them there that if they're not there, I pull them down because it feels natural. I dont ever do it in nervous situations though, which makes me think it's not a nervous twitch.

Style-wise.