THERESA | Crochet lace with full sleeves

Lace usually means sleeveless, and sleeveless is not something I do anymore. This has sleeves all the way down.

Lace tends to arrive on the wrong garments. It turns up on camisoles and shells and party tops, all of which leave the upper arm on show, which is precisely the reason a lot of women stopped buying them. What is wanted is the lace and the coverage in the same piece, and that combination is oddly hard to find. Theresa is an openwork cardigan with full-length sleeves.

The lace is crochet openwork, meaning the pattern is made of holes in the knit rather than a trim added at the edges, so the whole garment is airy rather than warm. The sleeves run the full length of the arm and are cut lightly loose, so they cover without gripping. The neckline is a V, which leaves room for a necklace and keeps the front from looking crowded next to the lace. The fabric is light and skin-friendly, and it drapes rather than holding a shape.

Why women our age keep coming back to it

• Lace with a full sleeve. The openwork runs through the whole garment, including the arms, so you get the detail without giving up the coverage.
• Airy rather than warm. Because the pattern is made of openings, it is wearable in spring and summer instead of only over a coat.
• The sleeves are loose, not fitted. They cover the upper arm without pressing on it, which is the difference between wearing it and taking it off.
• Three colors that suit the lace. White, Black and Apricot, each of which shows the openwork clearly instead of hiding it.

Buy more, save more

• Buy 2, save 10%
• Buy 3, save 15%
• Buy 4, save 20%

The discount is applied automatically at checkout.

How it fits

A regular fit, in S through 2XL. Take your usual size. If you are between two, take the larger one, because openwork stretches and the pattern opens up further when it is pulled, which shows more than you may want. Hand wash in cold water rather than machine washing, since the lace is the part that suffers in a drum. Returns are covered below.

30 days to change your mind

Try it over what you would wear underneath, because openwork shows the layer below. If it is not right, send it back within 30 days for a full refund. No restocking fee and no conditions attached.

A few recent reviews

Wore the white one over a navy shell to a wedding in June and was comfortable the whole day. Wilma T., Sedona

I have not worn anything with lace since my forties. The full sleeve is what changed my mind. Eula B., Tucson

It is much lighter than it looks in the photographs. Almost nothing to wear. Zelma H., Naples