Practical Pockets: navy blue Craghoppers dress with four pockets! Dress of the day, Outfit 432.

Angela Lansbury wearing a navy blue Craghoppers dress. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

Craghoppers Dress - What Is So Special about it?

A Craghoppers dress - perfect. I already have their shirts which I wore every day on a hiking holiday. The practical pockets securely fasten so precious possessions don't drop out. You don't want to go back over a five-hour trail to look for your pen. Nor do you want to slide down a slippery slope trying to retrieve your designer sunglasses. Secure pockets are essential for secure belongings, plus peace of mind - you know nothing could have dropped out.

I had wanted a dress from Clothing Arts whose business is pickpocket proof clothing, but their colours are sand or khaki and I am into blue. Beside they are beyond my budget. And the dresses and skirts are short, above the knee.

Imagine my delight on discovering a Craghoppers dress, in navy blue. At a reduced price.

Advantages of Craghoppers and Nosilife

Nosilife is a brand name for insect proof clothing. It has a fine weave. An insect proof garment is handy for hiking. But not only for hiking. Good for daytime, outdoors, such as when eating out. Protection during picnics. At kerbside cafes. You even find insects indoors - with global warming bringing midges and mites into our houses and homes. 

Singapore - Insect Attacks

Even in flats and condos up in the air, in Singapore, insects fly up there. When there's a spate of cases of dengue fever in your area, government inspectors come round to check you have no breeding places such as water in saucers under plant pots.  Insects could get carried in, are born and breed on plants on balconies, get everywhere. 

If you get heat rash, and mistakenly think you must have been bitten, you rush to find protective clothing. 

Anti mosquito and midges, I want longer skirts and long sleeves. This navy Craghoppers dress had the fashionable tab but it doesn't lengthen the sleeve much. Only an inch or two. Not to the wrist. 

I can't add the lower sleeve as I don't have matching fabric. I can wear it with one of their blouses as a jacket.

Buying Replacement Belts

You want a belt the right colour.  Ideally, match the fabric colour. 

Alternatively, black or white or multi-colour, matching your shoes and necklace or hat. 

The fabric type should match if using fabric, eg cotton, which is casual, country style. Or the style, matt, daytime, rather than vivid shiny satin which looks like cocktail wear and disco wear. 

For casual countryside or daytime wear, elastic is useful. Plaited looks neat and practical. 

For evening, or about town, you might like to dress up your outfit with a smarter belt. You might choose a statement buckle.

DIY Belts

If you need a belt in a hurry, you can use a piece of ribbon. A tied ribbon can look pretty.

If you have a slippery fabric, it is likely to slide loose. The remedy could be a double knot. Alternatively, add a brooch with a secure rotating grip on the pin. Or some kind of two hole gripper. 

To make a firm belt, you need two pieces of ribbon for the front and the back, with interfacing (thicker, stiffer fabric for lining) cut to length. Then add a buckle, unless you want to tie the belt. 

Like the tab, a jacket still gives me the short sleeve option. The jacket would be, removable at mealtimes, unless I want to keep it on because I am sitting in air conditioning, or the fresh air fiends insist on eating outdoors. A blouse worn as a jacket is less bulky and heavy, sleeker lines. 

 I love Craghoppers tops and didn't know they made dresses.

Buying On eBay

I bought this garment on ebay. It was sold without the belt. The seller pointed out that there was no belt. 

As soon as I put it on I found the sewn in loops for a belt either side of the waist. I needed a belt.

 But I found an old belt. It had been sitting at my home, abandoned, stored, as if patiently waiting for a dress.

When I went back to the seller's description, I saw that she drew attention to the fact that it was without a belt. Reliable, honest seller.

The lack of the belt had meant that the seller offered the dress at a low starting price. It might have deterred some potential buyers from bidding at all, or from bidding near the price of a new dress which would include a belt. So in retrospect, I can think positively. The lack of a belt is not a disappointment, but a plus point, because that was a contributing factor which enabled me to bid confidently, and stopped others bidding. So that I could get my darling dress. The Practical, multi-pocket dress.

Useful Websites (alphabetically)

Craghoppers (Nosilife, anti-insect)

ebay

clever travel companion

https://www.clevertravelcompanion.com/collections/frontpage/products/pickpocket-proof-t-shirt-dress-with-secret-zipper-pockets

Black, (or white with a navy stripe - no good for me as I am lopsided from a broken collar bone in a RTA, knocked down by a car in Corsica) largest size 3X was sold out but 2X was available, at about 50 pounds sterling

https://www.clevertravelcompanion.com/collections/frontpage/products/pickpocket-proof-t-shirt-dress-with-secret-zipper-pockets


Royal Robbins dress with concealed zipped pocket inseam, another dress reversing back to front to change the neckline, about 100 Euros

https://www.royalrobbins.com/eu/en-gb/women/dresses-skirts/dresses/bergen-dress?v=Y326004%3a%3a794691925123

Pacsafe dark or pink bag

https://pacsafe.co.uk/collections/new-arrivals/products/pacsafe-go-anti-theft-tote-bag

Scottevest Quest 

The Scottevest  Daisy dress is 119 US dollars. The dress is short-sleeved, has 8 pockets, one whose measurements look large enough for my Samsung phone (but without the bulky case?) and colours are plum, navy and black.  

I did a cost conversion  on Monday  July 7th 2022 and the website I selected gave me just over ninety eight British pounds sterling. About 114 Euros. Maybe postage is extra.

A video of the Daisy dress:

https://www.scottevest.com/products/daisy-dress#read_reviews

Their other two dresses have four pockets and cost more. However, one has long sleeves. Dorothy dress 129 US dollars, short sleeve V neck.

https://wise.com/gb/currency-converter/usd-to-gbp-rate?amount=119

Some websites off you a discount or free postage on your first order, or free postage if you order more than a certain price.


https://www.scottevest.com/products/daisy-dress?variant=42650868089047#minicart=open

I am putting this on my wishlist for Christmas or a birthday.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhochman/2015/04/21/best-pickpocket-proof-clothing-for-the-serious-traveler/?sh=5d4527e54aa1

Motorcycle biker vest in black leather, no sleeves, pockets>

https://www.ebay.com/itm/322283605056

American sellers have jackets with pockets for 'concealed carry' (meaning guns) which presumably have large, strong pockets.

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