How to wear a vest and not give waitress vibes
Did you buy a vest, but just can’t figure out how to style it without looking like a waitress? Yeah, me too. I bought a black waistcoat from Zara last summer and only wore it once, with a pleated mini skirt and chunky sneakers; but every time I tried to style it with trousers, it never felt quite right.
Fast forward to now: spring has arrived, and with warmer days on the horizon we must figure out how to style those vests! For both our sakes–we’re in this together, dear reader–I have been researching, moodboarding, and observing… and I think I finally figured it out. Here are six tips on how not to give waitress vibes when wearing your tailored vests.
But first, a general word of advice…
I think this general rule applies to all the six tips I’m about to share: in order for your vest to work, you need to take it as far away from business casual as possible. NO business, ALL casual. Got it? Great. Let’s dive in.
1. Choose a casual fabric
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If you haven’t bought your fated vest yet, this is for you: rather than the classic navy or black cotton, go for a more casual and unusual material: denim, leather, linen, etc.
-40%
Sir.
Leone draped vest Grey
$303.00
$505.00
Mytheresa
Haikure
Button Denim Gilet Blue
$415.00
Eraldo
-46%
Love Moschino
Denim shirts Blue
$133.00
$246.00
Yoox
For the ultimate effortless look, wear your vest with nothing underneath–except maybe a bra or a bandeau top–. If sleeveless isn’t your vibe, a baggy white t-shirt works too!
If you’re in the market for a two-piece suit, I would suggest going for a fun, casual colour: any shade of pink, bottle green, even cream or off-white. Avoiding classic “office” colours like black, navy, or grey will help you feel less stuffy.
-20%
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Pink
$272.00
$340.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Black oversized single-breasted Gelso jacket
$650.00
TheDoubleF
Frankie Shop
Gelso high-rise wide-leg pants Grey
$350.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Beige
$238.00
$340.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Grey
$340.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Gelso oversized blazer Grey
$630.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Gelso high-rise wide-leg pants Black
$350.00
Mytheresa
4. Trousers: dos and don'ts
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Since “chill and effortless” is our goal here, it might be a good idea to pair your vest with the chillest trousers of all: jeans. Any colour vest will work great with medium wash, dark wash, and even black denims. This, of course, doesn’t mean you necessarily have to stay away from slacks! I have found that slacks work best when in contrast with your vest: so, say, a dark vest with light slacks, or vice versa.
-40%
AG - Adriano Goldschmied
High-rise boyfriend jeans Blue
$202.00
$336.00
Mytheresa
-40%
7 For All Mankind
Bootcut high-rise bootcut jeans Blue
$183.00
$305.00
Mytheresa
-50%
Y / Project
Classic Trumpet flared jeans Pink
$273.00
$546.00
Mytheresa
Bananhot
Allen sheer lace wide-leg pants Black
$205.00
Mytheresa
Taking the time to reflect on proportions will most definitely help you feel cool in your vest. Pair cropped, fitted, or skin-tight vests with baggy trousers, and oversized vests with shorts or mini skirts. Amy Smilovic, founder and creative director of Tibi, always stresses the importance of balancing “big/slim/skin” in an outfit. Words to live by!
Polo Ralph Lauren
Cotton baseball cap Green
$105.00
Mytheresa
Stone Island
Compass poplin shoulder bag Black
$430.00
Mytheresa
Jacquemus
Le Bob Artichaut cotton bucket hat White
$250.00
Mytheresa
Dior
Wildior S3U square sunglasses Black
$480.00
Mytheresa
Jacquemus
Le Bob Artichaut bucket hat Black
$227.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Norma Kamali
Velvet maxi dress Black
$238.00
$340.00
Mytheresa
-20%
Versace
Tribute Medusa stud earrings Yellow
$460.00
$575.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Polo Ralph Lauren
Cotton Oxford shirt Blue
$161.00
$230.00
Mytheresa
I have found that, when styling a vest, your choice of shoes and accessories has the power to make or break your outfit. As we were saying before, our goal is to stay away from business casual as much as possible, and our accessories should reflect that.
As for the shoes, a pair of flat sandals or dad sneakers will do the trick. When picking your handbag for the day, go for a slouchy pouch, a tote bag, or a chill shoulder bag.
Remember, NO business, ALL casual!
-30%
Jacquemus
Le Chiquito leather tote bag Pink
$665.00
$950.00
Mytheresa
DeMellier
The New York leather tote bag Black
$955.00
Mytheresa
DeMellier
New York Midi leather tote bag Brown
$825.00
Mytheresa
Polo Ralph Lauren
Polo Id Medium suede tote bag Orange
$940.00
Mytheresa
Ganni
Bou Small leather tote bag Black
$625.00
Mytheresa
-20%
Vivienne Westwood
Archive Medium velvet shoulder bag Black
$556.00
$695.00
Mytheresa
Loewe
Anagram Large leather-trimmed basket bag Beige
$890.00
Mytheresa
DeMellier
Stockholm Small suede top-handle bag Brown
$636.00
Mytheresa
And there you have it! Now go dust off your waistcoat, follow these tips, and show them how it’s done!
-50%
Moschino
Scoop-neck Waistcoat Black
$480.00
$959.00
Eraldo
-53%
MVP Wardrobe
Double Breasted Cotton And Silk Waistcoat
$309.00
$660.00
Balardi
-30%
Maison Margiela
Satin-finish Waistcoat Grey
$396.00
$566.00
Eraldo
-53%
Fay
Technical Viscose Knitted Vest White
$422.00
$901.00
Balardi
Max Mara
Staia Double-breasted Waistcoat White
$519.00
Eraldo
-47%
Maison Margiela
Gilet
$517.00
$981.00
Balardi
Pinko
Buttoned Pocket Waistcoat Black
$289.00
Eraldo
-41%
Theory
Peak Db Vest.City Tw
$381.00
$651.00
Balardi
