Cap Sleeve

Where a set-in sleeve extends several inches down the arm, a cap sleeve stops almost as soon as it starts — usually just an inch or two of fabric, enough to cover the top of the shoulder and cap the armhole without running down the bicep. There's no cuff to speak of; the sleeve is essentially a small extension of the shoulder seam, shaped to the curve of the armhole.

It shows up almost exclusively on ladies' and juniors' fashion-fit tees, since the short cut works best on a fitted or semi-fitted body — a boxier unisex block would make a cap sleeve look like it disappeared entirely. Buyers comparing ladies' styles side by side often use cap sleeve as the tell that separates a true women's cut from a unisex tee run in a smaller size.

For decoration, a cap sleeve leaves almost no usable imprint area on the arm itself, so sleeve prints are off the table — anything intended for the arm has to move to the front or back. It's also worth checking armhole depth on the spec sheet before ordering: a cap sleeve cut too wide can gap open at the underarm on fuller busts.

Buyers sometimes confuse a cap sleeve with a very short set-in sleeve, but the two fit differently — a short set-in sleeve still has a visible cuff and hangs slightly away from the arm, while a cap sleeve stitches flatter against the shoulder with no real cuff at all.