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.
-20%
3x1
sleeveless denim jacket - Blue
£343.00
£429.00
FARFETCH
-30%
Twinset
Vests - female - Twinset - Waistcoats - Blue - S - Jackets
£133.00
£189.50
Miinto
-40%
Sir.
Leone draped vest Grey
£192.00
£320.00
Mytheresa
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.
Frankie Shop
Gelso wide-leg pants Beige
£190.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Gelso high-rise wide-leg pants Grey
£165.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Beige
£140.00
£200.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Gelso high-rise wide-leg pants Black
£175.00
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.
Ami
Blue flare-fit cotton jeans Blue - 25 - for Women
£280.00
Ami Paris
Fat Face
FatFace Filby Light Wash Relaxed Straight Jeans
£59.00
FatFace
Fat Face
FatFace Blue Kick Flare Crop Jeans
£55.00
FatFace
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!
MR MARVIS
Coconuts Pinstripe * The Linen Shacket White
£179.00
MR MARVIS
On
Cloudsurfer Max White
£115.00
On
Ganni
Green Canvas Cap
£90.00
GANNI
On
Cloud X 4 White
£95.00
On
Fat Face
FatFace Blazey Slate Grey Tapered Chino Trousers
£46.00
FatFace
-50%
Ganni
Mixed Tapestry Twill Trousers - Size 32 Organic Cotton
£145.00
£290.00
GANNI
Oliver Brown
Pimlico Linen Flat Front Trousers - Dark Navy
£230.00
Oliver Brown
Fat Face
FatFace Black Jersey Stripe Wide Leg Trouser
£49.50
FatFace
-25%
Bogner
Ylvi jersey trousers for women - Red - 34
£220.00
£295.00
Bogner
Fat Face
FatFace Hove Grey Embroidered Wide Leg Crop Trouser
£58.00
FatFace
-50%
Ganni
Duchesse Nylon Trousers - Size 34 Brown
£155.00
£310.00
GANNI
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!
Antler
Icon Slingbag In Sand
£55.00
Antler
Tommy Hilfiger
TH Emblem Tote Black
£150.00
Tommy Hilfiger
Antler
Icon Slingbag In Dark Khaki Green
£55.00
Antler
On
Tote Pack 25L Green
£75.00
On
-31%
Tommy Hilfiger
Essential Repeat Logo Tote Bag
£52.00
£75.00
Tommy Hilfiger
Longchamp
medium Le Pliage tote bag - Blue
£115.00
FARFETCH
-40%
Tommy Hilfiger
Logo Charm Crossbody Tote Bag Black
£66.00
£110.00
Tommy Hilfiger
And there you have it! Now go dust off your waistcoat, follow these tips, and show them how it’s done!
Bogner
Sally quilted waistcoat for women - Navy blue - 34
£395.00
Bogner
Fat Face
FatFace Indie Ivory Shells Regular Waistcoat
£49.50
FatFace
-24%
Bogner
Zira down knitted waistcoat for women - Cream - 34 White
£340.00
£450.00
Bogner
Fat Face
FatFace Ivory Petite Floral Waistcoat
£59.00
FatFace
-30%
Fat Face
FatFace Becky Ivory Regular Embroidered Waistcoat
£52.00
FatFace
