"Sexy with sleeves!" It sounded like a battle cry from across the locker room. "Sexy with sleeves!" I heard shouted again. "Paula, ya gotta write a story on 'sexy with sleeves'!" Then a chant-like roar rose up from the showers, the lockers and the dressing tables: "Yeah, yeah, yeah! Sexy with sleeves!"

I thought, "Yeah, yeah, yeah! You're on!" It is a closet conundrum for many women, and not just those over 40. There's a legion of women out there who refuse to go sleeveless — and many who should not go sleeveless, but do, simply because they can't find anything sexy to wear in the evenings that isn't sleeveless.

Sure, there are lots of sexy dresses: strapless, halter, spaghetti straps; and there are dresses with sleeves, but more often than not, they are boxy and shapeless.

So I took up the locker room challenge of Murchie, vice president of Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties' Kahala office, and made it my mission to find some sexy holiday looks — with sleeves.

Mind you, Margaret Murchie is a fitness fanatic. She works out nearly every day. Yet she still, like thousands of other Island women, hates her arms.

"I just like my arms covered," she said. "I feel more comfortable. You know, it doesn't matter if you weight lift or paddle. I still think that as we age, our arms look a little baggy or wobbly or like we've got little wings."

Women have names for the phenomenon: Kimono arms and turkey arms are perhaps the most common.

It's ironic that even the rail-thin "social X-rays" seen around town at parties and black-tie affairs do not always look sexy in sleeveless dresses. Crepey skin, wrinkles or cellulite are no less attractive on ultra-thin women than on those who carry around a few extra pounds.

Of course, one option is to trick the eye by taking attention away from the arms. A flattering neckline or show of cleavage will carry the eye upward to the face. Scoop, cowl, V-neck and sweetheart necklines are all pretty. A fabulous necklace or dramatic chandelier earrings also will draw attention to the face. Big cuff bracelets are a huge trend this year; a cuff can take the eye away from the upper arm and downward to the wrist.

We often say "the legs are the last thing to go," so if you've got great legs, by all means, flaunt them. Since opaque hose and leggings are huge this year, cellulite need not be an issue. A dress with a dramatic back — whether strappy, cowl or otherwise gracefully draped — may help make the arms unnoticeable.

DO DESIGNERS GET IT?

Are there fashion designers out there who get the message that maybe women would like to cover their arms when going out for the evening? We're not talking about the designers who create ensembles that are boxy, shapeless or more "mother of the bride" than sexy. Nor do we mean a simple shawl to throw over your shoulders — it can be pretty if you get it just right, but if you don't, it can be granny-looking.

We went in search of evening-appropriate attire with arm-centric modesty in mind. We hope that what we found will be of help to Murchie and others.

Honolulu designer Anne Namba (who runs an eponymous boutique at 324 Kamani St.) gets it. While best known for her modest evening ensembles, she also creates sexy bustiers in obi silks that slim and flatter the torso, adding a diaphanous cocoon or scarf jacket to float over it, camouflaging the arms.

Donna Karan first made her name with body suits, blouses and dresses that, through clever asymmetry and complex cuts, made covered-up arms look thinner. This season, she's shining the spotlight on legs. At DKNY in Ala Moana Center, there are sexy little red satin dresses ($295) with three-quarter-length sleeves that have darts and seams that flatter the figure. Worn over a pair of opaque black hose or leggings, they look fresh and sexy.

For those who prefer to wear pants in the evening, we found some excellent options at Caché. Try the season's wide-legged pants with a long-sleeved black body suit ($118). It has a hint of sequins (the hottest embellishment) peeking out from under a cowl-neck overlay.

Betsey Johnson understands the concept of sexy with sleeves. While many of her dresses are bare and body-conscious, she also does a lot of little cropped jackets to pair with them, or with your own favorite dress. We found a milk chocolate nylon gauze long-sleeved jacket with bronze sequins ($108) and a gold and black Lurex with three-quarter sleeves ($108). For holiday, she designed arm-friendly jewel-tone dresses with V-necks and flared sleeves in both silk and velvet ($305).

Sonia Daniél is a treasure trove for those who want to cover their arms. Buyer Anthony Daniel hears the wails of the wagging arms frequently ... and he listens to his customers. He stocks little capelets, boleros and jackets in a variety of fabrics and styles. Even the sexy faux furs and sheared rabbit can be Honolulu-friendly. It's often cold in theaters and hotel ballrooms. Many of the Sonia Daniél pieces look equally attractive worn front to back or off the shoulder. It's a fun boutique in which to spend time and play. Daniel is usually there after 4:30 p.m. to help with styles and styling.

Asymmetrical lines across the bodice or sleeves can appear to take inches off upper arms. We found a fabulous Chetta B. dress at Neiman Marcus ($485) that uses chevron stripes and pleats at the deep V-neck, as well as the long sleeves and knee-length skirt, to slim down the silhouette.

Carmen Marc Valvo is another Neiman Marcus designer who aims to flatter those who wear size 8 and up, and he often offers options with sleeves. This season, we're loving his dance-friendly layered scoop-neck chiffon cocktail dress with silver sequins and embroidery at the waist. The sleeves are diaphanous, long and bell-shaped — very flattering indeed.

A perennial favorite at Neiman Marcus, in seasonally appropriate fabrics, is the Ilana Wolf long-sleeved silk chiffon kimono top ($230). It looks great with long or short dresses and narrow or wide-legged pants.

New York fashion designer Carolina Herrera has popularized the simple, elegant idea of a long-sleeved wrap blouse over a long skirt for evening. It seems to work for nearly every woman who wears it. We found a terrific ruby red silk wrap top at BCBG Max Azria Ala Moana ($178) and a creamy, low-cut off-white silk wrap ($78) at Ann Taylor Kahala. These look great with pencil skirts or pants (slim or wide-legged) as well.

Do not despair. There are options to keep those kimono arms under cover.

Reach Paula Rath at paularath@aol.com.

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