There were many styles of sleeves during the fifties from flared to straight. One of the most notable and characteristic was the pagoda sleeve.This sleeve retained the shape of the upper arm and then flared into a wide open sleeve in the area of the elbow. Often a full or bloused undersleeve, usually gathered into a wristband, was worn beneath the pagoda sleeve. By the late fifties the sleeve was in fact a square of material, pleated to the fitted upper sleeve or armhole and allowed to hang open. A visual balance was achieved as the sleeves widened in proportion to the volume of the skirt. The design of this dress features a fitted epaulet cap edged with silk fringe. Both the upper and lower sleeves are cut on the bias giving a sense of movement and contrast in the dress. Again, the lower edge of the pagoda sleeve is edged with the silk fringe trim.

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