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.
-62%
1989 STUDIO
Denim Vest Dark Blue
$511.00
$1,362.00
Balardi
-46%
Love Moschino
Denim shirts Blue
$133.00
$246.00
Yoox
Frame Denim
Denim Vest Blue
$495.00
Balardi
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.
Rag & Bone
White Priya Vest
$275.00
Ssense
Tagliatore
Pants Pink
$313.00
Yoox.com
Rag & Bone
White Linen Trousers
$350.00
Ssense
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.
Alo
| High-Waist Euphoria Legging in Navy Blue, Size: Medium
$128.00
Alo Yoga
Alo
| Soho Sweatpant in Anthracite Grey, Size: XS
$108.00
Alo Yoga
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!
Alo
| Performance Off-Duty Cap in Black
$68.00
Alo Yoga
-23%
BOSS
Mens Embossed logo recycled polyester weekender bag Brown
$189.95
$248.00
Simons
Alo
| Goddess Ribbed Go-To Tank Top in White, Size: Medium
$68.00
Alo Yoga
-25%
HUGO BOSS
Mens Stretch virgin wool pant Slim fit Blue
$169.95
$228.00
Simons
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!
-33%
Emporio Armani
My Ea Small Shopping Bag Black
$284.00
$427.00
Balardi
-36%
Hvisk
Womens Jolly caramel small knotted-handle bag Brown
$79.95
$125.00
Simons
Longchamp
Celadon Coloured Le Pliage Original M Bag Green
$248.00
Balardi
-34%
Emporio Armani
Small Handbag Black
$271.00
$411.00
Balardi
-34%
Emporio Armani
My Ea Xs Shopping Bag Black
$262.00
$394.00
Balardi
-22%
Longchamp
Le Pliage Energy Xs Dark Green Handbag Brown
$581.00
$741.00
Balardi
-22%
Pinko
Pinko Bags.. Black
$445.00
$567.00
Balardi
-6%
Michael Kors
Bags.. Black
$302.00
$321.00
Balardi
And there you have it! Now go dust off your waistcoat, follow these tips, and show them how it’s done!
-16%
Max Mara
Greengo Vest Black
$542.00
$648.00
Balardi
Nuur
Slipover Waistcoat Round Neck Sleeveless Black
$233.00
Bernardelli
-16%
Max Mara
Greengo Vest Beige
$542.00
$648.00
Balardi
Max Mara
Madre Knit Waistcoat Brown
$327.00
Bernardelli
-10%
Barbour
Betty Lined Waistcoat Green
$289.00
$321.00
Balardi
-16%
Max Mara
Greengo Vest Brown
$542.00
$648.00
Balardi
-7%
Max Mara
Greenve Vest Blue
$550.00
$591.00
Balardi
-49%
K-Way
Will Padded Gielt Black
$309.00
$601.00
Balardi
