Longer is not better.  My tailor told me that the sleeve length should be the proper length with your arms at your side (length of thumb + 1in?).

S

Hi, Harlen.  The key is not the sleeve length alone.  More important is the way the sleeve is set into the shoulder.  It needs to allow enough freedom to raise the arms without trying to hold them down!  (Which I've run into with some rental tuxes.)

 

There's no way to avoid the sleeves pulling up, but it can be minimized by paying attention to the shoulders, and perhaps even having them re-tailored when you buy a new suit or tux.  (And of course make sure you have clean cuffs and nice-looking cuff links!)

 

John Howell

 

 

Have the tailor who makes your suit cut the armholes (where the sleeve meets the shoulder) a bit higher than usual.  Keep the sleeve length normal (that is, showing about 3/4 inch of shirt sleeve when your arms are at your sides).  It's also a good idea to make sure the sleeves themselves are not so tight that they crowd your cufflinks.

 I find that, for myself, if my coat sleeves come up too high it is a sign that my conducting pattern is too high.  It serves as a good reminder for me, as I have a tendency to conduct higher than I should at times.  As for tailoring concerns, I agree with the prior posts.  There are some online discussions where you could have a very detailed debate about this sort of thing (askandyaboutclothes.com).