> Most commercial beekeepers I have worked with wear suits. I use the bug baffler and usually get some stings.

When younger, I  often used to wear cutoffs and sandals and nothing else, and found that adequate when when pulling honey with a bee blower.  As for a veil, the bees would tell me whether I should wear a veil or not, as would my estimation of the skill and judgement of anyone working near me. I always have a veil on, even if not pulled up, when working with unfamiliar workmates, and I hate working near anyone wearing gloves.

As I have grown older and the sun has gotten more damaging to skin, I have learned to wear a *lightweight* bee suit in a size two sizes larger than what some would consider a good fit.  The oversize allows -- not as my wife suggests, room for the bees to fly around inside -- but rather air circulation.  On cool days, it protects my street clothes and on hot days, worn with only underwear underneath, the suit provides sun protection, and protection also from honey drips, and the white colour keeps me cool.  ( I wash and bleach my suits daily, and did so for our staff, so the suits are actually white, not like many I see in my travels.).  

I suppose the suit provides some protection also from stings, but mainly because the bees cannot not get pinched in my armpits.  I seldom hang around in a yard if the bees tell me to leave, so I seldom rely on the suit for sting protection.  I figure if I cannot persuade the bees to play nice with the application of a little strategically apllied smoke, that I am only going to do damage, so I leave unless I really have to accomplish something important right away.  I still wear only sandals in the yards in most weather.

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