veston versus blouson

[alan gould]

is this right?  if i wear a light coat outside that just goes to my waist, that's a "blouson."  if i wear a blazer over a shirt in order to look nice for a resto, that's a "veston."  i know a "gilet de sauvetage" or i might wear a padded, sleeveless vest to ski cross-country.  if i wear a sleeveless vest that is not padded and i wear it inside, is that also a "gilet?"  Tx

 

[Chantal Savignat]

blouson : yes, it's a kind of coat over shirt or T-shirt or others. A "blouson" is short, it goes to the waist and not under.

veston : it's not very used. veston = "veste" in a suit. "complet-veston"

we use "veste" = blazer over a shirt in order to look nice.

yes a sleeveless vest not padded and to wear inside is "un gilet". "un gilet" might have sleeves too. "gilet" is used for every clothes (like a light vest) worn under a coat or without coat, with or without sleeves, opened at the front.