Why Leg-of-Mutton Sleeves Are Making a Fashion Comeback

The leg-of-mutton sleeve, also known by its French name “gigot,” has always fascinated me for its unusual shape. It begins with voluminous gathering of fabric at the upper arm and then tapers into a tight fit at the elbow and wrist. Whenever I see this detail on a fashionable dress, it reminds me of how style and history often blend.

In the 1820s, this sleeve became highly popular, especially around approximately 1825 to 1833. But when Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, the overblown sleeves disappeared, giving way to a more subdued style. This shift marked not just clothing but also society’s changing values

By the 1890s, the trend returned, though sometimes with ridicule in the media. Still, by 1906, the mode silhouette had softened again. Many designers in the twentieth century drew inspiration from these shapes, and even in Spring Summer 2016 collections, J.W. Anderson brought a modern reappearance of the style.

I’ve always admired how the historical pattern of these sleeves appears in contemporary visual representation. For instance, the portraiture of François Joseph Kinsoen shows their iconic charm, while Irving Penn’s photography captures a more romantic gaze and carefree sophistication.

The Romantic Movement loved such designs, with women’s pale shoulders exposed, a soft, sloping line of beauty, and the sense of a woman pining for her lover. Balanced proportions of width in skirts, paired with elaborate headdresses, Kashmir shawls, or a paisley design, made these clothes markers of the wealthy upper classes.

Later, figures like Cléo de Mérode, the French dancer of the Belle Époque era, wore this style in front of the photographer Charles Ogerau. As Michael Garval notes in his book “Rise of Modern Celebrity Culture,” the press, shops, and portrait camera helped spread her image as the true fashionable Parisienne.