PAINLESS PANACHE: GARY SANDY

Despite the fact that the side of my bus is emblazoned with the words "Double Decker Dress Shop," I sell a lot of vintage men's shirts. I learned quickly that the men who bravely accompanied the dress-seekers into the bus needed something to look at. The men's section is right next to my makeshift cash wrap station, so I routinely observe the plight of the modern man as he tries on vintage shirts: the sleeves are always too short.

There are many theories as to why the sleeves on these otherwise proportioned shirts are more befitting of a 10-year-old girl, and I've heard them all. People were just smaller back then. People used to chain smoke instead of eating meals. The growth hormones in our food are making our arms longer. We've evolved in the lat 50 years, and only the long-armed guys have survived. Regardless of the reason, I always feel bad that I can't offer these guys a more practical solution than, "I guess you'll have to stick with short-sleeved shirts."

Enter Gary Sandy.

Gary played Andy Travis on the late 70s/early 80s TV sitcom, WKRP in Cincinnati. Andy rolled in from a station in New Mexico to take over the position of Program Director at WKRP. When he first arrived, his stuffy, washed up co-workers were suspicious of his tight jeans, feathered hair and cowboy attire. He quickly earned their adoration by converting their fledgling easy listening station into a slightly more popular Top 40 rock 'n roll station.

I related to Andy when I was a kid because he dressed like an urban cowboy and spoke with a slight accent - which resembled the barely detectable Eastern Oregon inflection. He was my kind. I loved seeing a guy in a cowboy hat taking the big city of Cincinnati by storm. It was an inspiration to a kid who dreamed of city life, but spent summers at county fairs and rodeos.

Andy had a signature look that I think today's men can benefit from. He almost always rolled up his sleeves, but not in a loosey-goosey kind of way. He did it with purpose. He rolled those suckers up to above his biceps. He probably risked cutting off the circulation to his hands, but it didn't matter. It was worth it to achieve that signature look. I'm convinced that this style made his arms look more muscular than they actually were. Paired with some tight jeans and a big bet buckle, this guy was ready for action. Borrow this look and you can be, too.