What was the resting angle/general range of movement you would have with your arms in 1830s-1840s European dresses?

by Gabriella_Gadfly

I remember that sleeves were a lot more restrictive in the past, but it’s been hard to find information about this online, especially information about specific time periods! (Btw, by resting angle, I mean, when you fully relax your arms, what angle would the sleeves hold them at instead of letting them drop all the way to your sides)

mimicofmodes

You probably can't find information about this online for a few reasons, but the main one is that it's going to change by individual human anatomy and individual bodice. I would suggest asking this question in a subreddit focused on reenactment and historical costuming, so that you can get a range of answers from people who wear reproductions.

I will tell you that my experience is that the dropped armscyes of this period tend to restrict the arms more from being raised above a certain level than from being pressed against the body, and that artwork and fashion plates showing the arms held gracefully out reflects fashions in posture as much as (or more than) them being forced in that position.