Why Wear A Long-sleeved Vest In Summer? Dress 367

Green, long-sleeved vest from Patra. Selfie photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I have a lot of Patra tops, in various colours. Patra in the UK, not the USA Patra which makes cocktail dresses.

Patra, UK, started out selling silk. Now the silk is mixed with other fibers and the proportion of silk is gradually dwindling. Patra are also selling bamboo and cotton. In winter the long sleeved vest is a base layer which keeps me warm, but silk is thin and lightweight. I look for seconds on Ebay.

Why wear a long sleeved vest in summer? I have been covering up for years.



This habit started in Italy when I was a teenager on holiday with parents at a hotel. I wore a low-back dress. I was asked to dance by a member of the hotel staff, probably our regular waiter. I vividly remember being uncomfortable because he held my back with his hand which was perspiring. Ever since, I have been opposed to low-back dresses and tops on myself, and slightly uneasy seeing them on other women.

Protection From Sweat, Dirt and Damage

A vest covering your back solves that problem. Vests form the same function as gloves on people who are called upon to stand in lines shaking hands. you are protecting yourself from the transfer of perspiration and germs from others. 

What else? From dirt. From any sharp object which might scratch you.

Insects in Britain

What about insects! When I was a child, in England, I wanted to avoid bees and wasps at daytime picnics. Later in the day, long sleeves protect your arms from smaller insects which came out at dusk. I have been bitten whilst gardening. So now I cover my legs and arms. 

 Nowadays global warming has led to hotter summers. That means more insects. 

Scotland has always had midges. We even have the recent appearance of mosquitos in England in 2024.

We had lots of insects around lakes in the USA. 


Also at the seaside in Australia.

In Singapore we were wary of mosquitos which carried malaria and dengue fever. In Singapore we were wary of mosquitos, outside, at home, outdoors and indoors. They were a major problem. Despite fogging every Friday around he vegetation in the gardens, mosquitos carried malaria and dengue fever.

Meanwhile, I was wearing long sleeves, and lavender perfumed soaps, and moisturiser.

Patra vests are in several styles. Sleeveless, plain. Goes under sleeveless dresses. Allows you to wash without undressing.

Short sleeved. Goes under short sleeved dresses. Protects underarms of dresses.

Long sleeved with a plain round neck. 

Long sleeves with four buttons vertically at the top for opening. Maybe possible to wear it on its own like a tee shirt. At least for breakfast, or answering the door for the post (Americans say mail) deliveries or workers. Maybe cover up later or for the evening.

My favourite vest has lace around the V shape neck covering cleavage.  Usually with a ribbed knit. You might wear this as a top.

On Ebay I found a couple of vests, and a search for silk two piece suit produced lots of outfits in price from about twenty pounds, with or without postage, to twice that price and above.

Patra's website wants 60 pounds for the lace neck vest.

Useful Websites

On Ebay Bating silk 21.99 pounds sterling from Outfit Trend

patra.com

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