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
$425.00
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.
-30%
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Pink
$238.00
$340.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Black oversized single-breasted Gelso jacket
$645.00
TheDoubleF
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Grey
$340.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Beige
$238.00
$340.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Gelso oversized blazer Grey
$630.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Frankie Shop
Gelso high-rise wide-leg pants Beige
$203.00
$290.00
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.
-30%
7 For All Mankind
Lotta Rebel high-rise wide-leg jeans Blue
$256.00
$365.00
Mytheresa
-30%
7 For All Mankind
Mankind high-rise flared jeans Blue
$207.00
$295.00
Mytheresa
-40%
AG - Adriano Goldschmied
High-rise boyfriend jeans Blue
$202.00
$336.00
Mytheresa
-50%
Y / Project
Classic Trumpet flared jeans Pink
$273.00
$546.00
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!
-30%
Polo Ralph Lauren
Cotton Oxford shirt Blue
$161.00
$230.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Alo
| Renown Heavy Weight Hoodie in Black, Size: Small
$103.00
$148.00
Alo Yoga
Tory Burch
Kira leather platform sandals Black
$450.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Hogan
Hi-Fi denim sneakers Blue
$489.00
$699.00
Mytheresa
-50%
Robert Clergerie
Ineni raffia slides Red
$200.00
$400.00
Mytheresa
Dior
InDiorO S5I rectangular glasses Beige
$440.00
Mytheresa
Jacquemus
Le Bob Artichaut cotton bucket hat White
$250.00
Mytheresa
Moncler
Logo cotton piqué polo shirt White
$530.00
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!
DeMellier
The New York leather tote bag Black
$955.00
Mytheresa
Polo Ralph Lauren
Polo Id Medium suede tote bag Orange
$940.00
Mytheresa
DeMellier
Hudson Small suede top-handle bag Brown
$715.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Chloé
Chloé Chloé Cage basket bag Pink
$819.00
$1,170.00
Mytheresa
Ganni
Mini top-handle bag Red
$615.00
Mytheresa
DeMellier
New York Midi leather tote bag Black
$825.00
Mytheresa
Moncler
Caradoc Micro down tote bag Black
$970.00
Mytheresa
-20%
Vivienne Westwood
Archive Medium velvet shoulder bag Black
$556.00
$695.00
Mytheresa
And there you have it! Now go dust off your waistcoat, follow these tips, and show them how it’s done!
-65%
Max Mara
Bikini1234 Wool Felt Waistcoat Brown
$317.00
$901.00
Balardi
Max Mara
Staia Double-breasted Waistcoat White
$532.00
Eraldo
Our Legacy
Women s Base Waistcoat Deep Husk Beige
$468.00
Slam Jam
Pinko
Buttoned Pocket Waistcoat Black
$296.00
Eraldo
-53%
Fay
Technical Viscose Knitted Vest White
$422.00
$901.00
Balardi
-30%
Maison Margiela
Satin-finish Waistcoat Grey
$406.00
$580.00
Eraldo
-65%
Max Mara
Selva Wool Gabardine And Satin Waistcoat White
$422.00
$1,202.00
Balardi
Elisabetta Franchi
Asymmetric Cuts Waistcoat Beige
$533.00
Eraldo
