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
Getty Images
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.
-26%
HUGO BOSS
Waistcoats, female, Black, L, Black Vest 3-Button Jacket
£108.75
£147.91
Miinto
-20%
3x1
sleeveless denim jacket - Blue
£343.00
£429.00
FARFETCH
-30%
Twinset
Waistcoats, female, Blue, S, Vests
£139.20
£198.36
Miinto
-30%
Sportmax
Dama denim vest Blue
£203.00
£290.00
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
-50%
Pinko
Cardigans, female, White, XS, Transparent Tulle Cardigan
£115.28
£230.55
Miinto
4. Trousers: dos and don'ts
Getty Images
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.
Fat Face
FatFace Camber Barrel Blue Jeans
£59.00
FatFace
-30%
Ariat
Womens Perfect Rise Christine Flare Jeans in Siren, Size 26, by Ariat
£70.00
£100.00
Ariat
Reiss
Natural Stretch-cotton Scoop-back Top, 10
£40.00
Reiss
-38%
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!
Antler
Large Cabin Suitcase In Antler Green - Icon Stripe
£200.00
Antler
On
Cloudpulse Next Black
£120.00
On
On
Cloud 6 Waterproof Grey
£110.00
On
Lacoste
Polo L.12.12 Original Fit Men - L1212 Black
£94.99
Amazon
-30%
Tommy Hilfiger
Logo Lace-Up Trainers With Leather Blue
£63.00
£90.00
Tommy Hilfiger
Fat Face
FatFace Tapered Chino Trousers in Slate Grey
£46.00
FatFace
-30%
Frenken
Crag Cutted Pants
£280.00
£399.00
Labels
-50%
Ganni
Mixed Tapestry Twill Trousers - Size 32 Organic Cotton
£145.00
£290.00
GANNI
-41%
Fat Face
FatFace Luna Bright Red Wide Leg Trousers
£35.00
£59.00
FatFace
Oliver Brown
Pimlico Linen Flat Front Trousers - Dark Navy
£230.00
Oliver Brown
Bogner
Ylvi jersey trousers for women - Red - 34
£295.00
Bogner
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
Charles & Keith
Edna Tote Bag White
£95.00
Charles & Keith
-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
On
Tote Pack 25L Green
£75.00
On
And there you have it! Now go dust off your waistcoat, follow these tips, and show them how it’s done!
-38%
Fat Face
FatFace Joni Dark Teal Blue Jersey Waistcoat
£20.00
£32.00
FatFace
Fat Face
FatFace Regular Embroidered Waistcoat in Ivory
£52.00
FatFace
Lounge
Crossover Waistcoat - Navy Pinstripe - 10 Blue
£60.00
Lounge
Fat Face
FatFace Indie Ivory Shells Petite Waistcoat
£49.50
FatFace
-35%
The North Face
Waistcoats, female, Black, XS, Ventrix Vest - Dawn Turn
£90.48
£139.20
Miinto
Fat Face
FatFace Joni Blue Linear Shells Jersey Waistcoat
£32.00
FatFace
-40%
Tommy Hilfiger
Waistcoats, female, Blue, XS, Blue Nylon Vest
£86.28
£143.79
Miinto
