Latest news with #waistcoat
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jess Cartner-Morley on fashion: Forget Kate Moss at Glastonbury, the 2025 waistcoat is for everyone
What with being neither a page boy nor a snooker player, I had not given much thought to waistcoats until recently. I guess I thought of them as belonging to a wardrobe that didn't concern me: a world of braces, cravats and flat caps. Of Guy Ritchie films, wedding rentals and carnation buttonholes. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Well, I guess the joke's on me now, because waistcoats aren't novelty or naff any more. They are happening, and I need to get up to speed on how to wear them. The waistcoat has entered the fashion chat in the slipstream of the trouser suit. Women have been wearing them for decades, but until the last decade it remained a slightly niche move – not weird or eccentric, just a bit of a statement. It is only in the past few years that suits on women have become unremarkable. These days, women of all stripes wear them: the Princess of Wales, as well as politicians, film stars on the red carpet, brides and moguls and mums. Ahead of the women's Euros, which kicks off next week, M&S has released a collection for the Lionesses that gives a playful nod to Gareth Southgate's famous waistcoat. This time around it comes buttoned asymmetrically. The waistcoat is either the third part in the suit look or an alternative to the jacket. This waistcoat moment is very different from the last one, when Kate Moss wore them in the 00s. That was an entirely different iteration: a spry, shrunken scrap of a thing, worn with skinny jeans and a ribbed vest. It was very informal, worn either tight and buttoned (no bra) or hanging loose from the shoulders over other layers, almost like a scarf. It was rakish, romantic and a bit Fleetwood Mac. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion The waistcoat hits differently now. Sometimes it is worn as a top, when it works as a kind of froth-free corset, buttoned tight to cinch the waist. This is good when you want the silhouette of a vest top but with more structure. Another plus is that it is one of the few summer outfits that looks just as good when you layer a jacket on top. Any kind of tailored blazer will work well, so long as the necklines of the jacket and waistcoat run parallel, or close (a high-necked waistcoat under a cutaway jacket will get a bit messy, visually). A cardigan definitely can't go on top, though, or you will look as if you put your clothes on in the wrong order. Cardigan stans might, however, do well to lean into the waistcoat-cardigan hybrid, in the form of a simple front-buttoned knitted tank. I have one I wore between a shirt and a jacket for most of the spring – and which is now working as a summer top on its own, buttoned up with a midi skirt; I'm also planning to take it on holiday as an evening throw-on over spaghetti strap dresses. Zara has a Knitted Top with gold starburst buttons (£29.99) that's very pretty. But the waistcoat shape that's most useful right now is one that can be worn as either a top or a jacket. The key details you are looking for are as follows. First, it needs to have a simple, round neckline, one that will map neatly on to the neck of a T-shirt, not a V-neck. Second, you want one that's not too skimpy at the shoulder. It should extend to where the shoulder seam of a shirt sits, because that way you can layer it over something with sleeves, if you want to. Third – and I know I'm being a fusspot now but bear with – look for a silhouette that buttons from neck to waist and then opens to a shape that flares at the hip. This will look great worn open as a casual sleeveless jacket, and smart worn buttoned with the belt of your trousers just seen at the waist. Me+Em have a Seam Detail Tailored Waistcoat (£250) that will be a hard-working piece of your everyday wardrobe but, worn fastened with smart white trousers, would be polished enough for Wimbledon or a city wedding. I am also a big fan of Albaray's Soft Yellow Tailored Waistcoat (£75), which has a chic notched neckline and an adjustable closure at the back of the waist so that you can shape it to suit you. Am I overthinking this? Possibly. Making up for lost time.
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jess Cartner-Morley on fashion: Forget Kate Moss at Glastonbury, the 2025 waistcoat is for everyone
What with being neither a page boy nor a snooker player, I had not given much thought to waistcoats until recently. I guess I thought of them as belonging to a wardrobe that didn't concern me: a world of braces, cravats and flat caps. Of Guy Ritchie films, wedding rentals and carnation buttonholes. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Well, I guess the joke's on me now, because waistcoats aren't novelty or naff any more. They are happening, and I need to get up to speed on how to wear them. The waistcoat has entered the fashion chat in the slipstream of the trouser suit. Women have been wearing them for decades, but until the last decade it remained a slightly niche move – not weird or eccentric, just a bit of a statement. It is only in the past few years that suits on women have become unremarkable. These days, women of all stripes wear them: the Princess of Wales, as well as politicians, film stars on the red carpet, brides and moguls and mums. Ahead of the women's Euros, which kicks off next week, M&S has released a collection for the Lionesses that gives a playful nod to Gareth Southgate's famous waistcoat. This time around it comes buttoned asymmetrically. The waistcoat is either the third part in the suit look or an alternative to the jacket. This waistcoat moment is very different from the last one, when Kate Moss wore them in the 00s. That was an entirely different iteration: a spry, shrunken scrap of a thing, worn with skinny jeans and a ribbed vest. It was very informal, worn either tight and buttoned (no bra) or hanging loose from the shoulders over other layers, almost like a scarf. It was rakish, romantic and a bit Fleetwood Mac. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion The waistcoat hits differently now. Sometimes it is worn as a top, when it works as a kind of froth-free corset, buttoned tight to cinch the waist. This is good when you want the silhouette of a vest top but with more structure. Another plus is that it is one of the few summer outfits that looks just as good when you layer a jacket on top. Any kind of tailored blazer will work well, so long as the necklines of the jacket and waistcoat run parallel, or close (a high-necked waistcoat under a cutaway jacket will get a bit messy, visually). A cardigan definitely can't go on top, though, or you will look as if you put your clothes on in the wrong order. Cardigan stans might, however, do well to lean into the waistcoat-cardigan hybrid, in the form of a simple front-buttoned knitted tank. I have one I wore between a shirt and a jacket for most of the spring – and which is now working as a summer top on its own, buttoned up with a midi skirt; I'm also planning to take it on holiday as an evening throw-on over spaghetti strap dresses. Zara has a Knitted Top with gold starburst buttons (£29.99) that's very pretty. But the waistcoat shape that's most useful right now is one that can be worn as either a top or a jacket. The key details you are looking for are as follows. First, it needs to have a simple, round neckline, one that will map neatly on to the neck of a T-shirt, not a V-neck. Second, you want one that's not too skimpy at the shoulder. It should extend to where the shoulder seam of a shirt sits, because that way you can layer it over something with sleeves, if you want to. Third – and I know I'm being a fusspot now but bear with – look for a silhouette that buttons from neck to waist and then opens to a shape that flares at the hip. This will look great worn open as a casual sleeveless jacket, and smart worn buttoned with the belt of your trousers just seen at the waist. Me+Em have a Seam Detail Tailored Waistcoat (£250) that will be a hard-working piece of your everyday wardrobe but, worn fastened with smart white trousers, would be polished enough for Wimbledon or a city wedding. I am also a big fan of Albaray's Soft Yellow Tailored Waistcoat (£75), which has a chic notched neckline and an adjustable closure at the back of the waist so that you can shape it to suit you. Am I overthinking this? Possibly. Making up for lost time.
CNA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
‘Light, androgynous and chic in the heat' – why waistcoats are the new wardrobe must-have
As summer heatwaves intensify, assembling an appropriate outfit to wear in the city – when the desire to look smart and polished is often stymied by the more pressing need to stay cool on the commute – can feel increasingly challenging. What do you wear when the floaty chiffon dress and denim cut-offs you wore on holiday just won't do? Enter the waistcoat. First popularised in the 17th century, when Charles II decreed the 'vest' to be a symbol of nobility and part of an Englishman's correct uniform, the formal menswear garment has recently been co-opted by the style set as a sleek, more structured summer alternative to the basic T-shirt or tank. The trend has been percolating on the runway for some seasons, but has now made the transition off it, with Alexa Chung and actress Ayo Edebiri cementing its status as a worthy wardrobe staple. 'I've always been drawn to waistcoats, particularly in the warmer months,' said Danielle Mulham, founder of Australian womenswear label Posse, whose linen waistcoats have become something of an 'It' item among the minimalist Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy-adoring fashion crowd. 'They allow you to feel chic and put-together without too much effort.' The brand's Emma vest, which features a high square neckline and a lightly flared hem, has been worn by Sofia Richie and The White Lotus actress Michelle Monaghan and accounted for about 17 per cent of sales last year. 'Waistcoats are our most popular tops subcategory,' said Mulham, whose other popular styles include the V-neck Lorenzo and the on-trend butter-yellow linen Nancy, which features spaghetti-like straps and would look right at home with an Aperol spritz on the Italian Riviera (£240; US$322, S$416, Sometimes referred to as a suit vest, the current iteration of the waistcoat is generally fitted and cinched at the waist, and typically worn buttoned up. 'It's a sophisticated take on what is effectively, for my purposes anyway, a 'going out' top,' said fashion journalist Monica de La Villardiere. 'You just throw jeans on, and you're dressed up.' For a summer evening event or dinner, she alternates between a Posse tomato-red style with mottled brown buttons and a tailored black waistcoat with a ribbon cinch at the back by Danish label By Malene Birger, which she styles with blue denim and simple slingbacks. 'It's so easy, yet it looks intentional and it's a nod to the trends without getting all wound up about them,' she said. For her, a waistcoat strikes the balance between being sophisticated but still 'quite sexy without letting it all hang out 101. It's also so structured you could generally go braless.' Part of the appeal of the waistcoat is its ability to seamlessly transition between multiple environments, from meetings in the office to date night – that elusive 'day to night' quality in fashion jargon. 'It allows you the versatility of not having to keep a suit jacket on and still look smart,' said Becky Fatemi, executive partner at Sotheby's International Realty. A longtime waistcoat enthusiast, she has 'about 20' in her arsenal, ranging from a pinstripe style by Dolce & Gabbana to a gold hardware-embellished vintage Moschino one, with many of them hangovers from her days of wearing a three-piece suit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by POSSE (@posse) 'A lot of clients aren't turning up in suits any more, so I think if you're wearing a whole suit it looks a bit intense, whereas a waistcoat provides a kind of bridge where you still look corporate and professional, and it gives you that air of power,' she said. She will typically wear them over a little vest or a Wolford body 'so it's not showing too much quite corporate at Sotheby's so I haven't really seen anyone wear one without something underneath.' At a recent fashion breakfast event hosted by cult dress brand The Irish Twin, the artist Indre Serpytyte-Roberts wore a sand-coloured waistcoat unbuttoned over a simple black cami top, which she paired with matching wide-leg trousers. It's 'effortless and refined,' she said. 'Few pieces strike the balance between structure and ease quite like it.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by ALIGNE (@aligne) So, what should you look for when choosing? 'In general, I always prefer a fitted cut,' said French designer and tailoring aficionado Marie Marot, who wears hers with vintage Levi's or paired with tailored Bermuda shorts in high summer. 'It's light, a bit androgynous and I find it very chic in the heat.' Personally, I like a longer-length waistcoat in a heavier linen or cotton, with a scooped hem, which I think lends a certain ladylike elegance to everyday jeans and makes you look a bit less Annie Hall-ish. London-based brand Aligne, a favourite among fashion editors, has several elongated styles, including its best-selling crewneck Leo waistcoat, which features an hourglass silhouette and higher armholes for a more fitted look (£119, while New York brand Attersee's Sculpted vest features a darted bodice and covered fabric buttons for an extra touch of polish (£374, Though a more cropped style works well with high-waisted coordinating trousers, 'I prefer them to be neat and not too oversized and hit right above the hip bone,' said Ilona Hamer, co-founder and creative director at Matteau, whose tailored waistcoat, available in black, taupe or coffee brown, features angled welt pockets reminiscent of more traditional Savile Row-type menswear styles (£335, 'It's about getting the right length and proportion to the trousers so it's flattering and doesn't feel like a costume.'
Telegraph
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
A gentleman's guide to three-piece suit etiquette
The three-piece suit needs a bit of rescuing, the format having been hijacked by the Instagram manosphere and estate agents. We are an awfully long way from Indiana Jones in his Raiders of the Lost Ark professorial garb and, like a lot of the sartorial canon, various codes have been forgotten. The first thing to know is that a three-piece suit is the least formal of suit styles, perfectly demonstrated by Tom Hardy with his excellent and discerning use of RRL, a range from Ralph Lauren that's designed to be somewhat informal and more 'rustic'. This is the rule for both lounge suit and black tie, followed by double-breasted suits and two-piece single-breasted varieties. However, this wasn't always the case. The wearing of a waistcoat was essential in the nascent years of suiting because of a decree in October 1666 by King Charles II, mandating the wearing of a waistcoat for gentlemen. We know this because it was noted in Samuel Pepys' diary, reminding us of a time where people remembered to memorialise the more important matters. In the Regency era to much of the Victorian, order of the day for established houses was morning dress (a riding outfit - the morning was when gentlemen rode out) or frock coat in the daytime, and white tie in the evening, all requiring a waistcoat. As morning dress was replaced by the lounge suit and the frock coat was more or less isolated to the Court, the waistcoat was no longer a certainty in a man's daily wardrobe. In 1856, Edward VII commissioned Henry Poole to make him an 'evening lounge suit' in midnight blue, as he disliked dressing in white tie and preferred the growing trend of tailless jackets. Black tie was born, and waistcoats also began to fall out of favour for evening wear. More on 'Dirty Bertie' later. This heritage might explain the consensus that the wearing of a three-piece suit is occasion wear, which is why it's so prevalent at weddings. The hard-man credentials of Peaky Blinders have also made a lot of men feel confident that it's an agreeable way to dress up without losing any machismo. Whether you align with Tom Hardy and wear it casually, or want to wear the three-piece for something formal, there are rules that need to be kept in mind. Button know-how This is where we return to our wonderfully short-lived but sartorially consequential monarch, Edward VII. The question surrounding waistcoats often has to do with the bottom button. There are various disputes around the origin of this, but allow me to dispel things once and for all. Edward VII was perfectly able to wear the bottom button done up, no matter how large he was, his tailor would have taken it into account and an extra button would have made no difference at all. In fact, it was popped open for riding. This could easily have been for comfort but that is not necessarily a weight issue, rather the traditions of higher buttoning on riding garments - see morning coats, paddock-cut jackets and hunting pinks - which all need raised buttons for comfort in a sedentary position. The unbuttoning of the waistcoat therefore indicated you were a man of good standing who rode, and so everyone wanted to follow suit. Just to confuse things a bit, this does not apply to double-breasted waistcoats; they must all be done up. The smartest button stance is a three-button (six altogether) angled stance in a V shape, rather than the straight buttoning you see often from fashion designers. Fit check One of the biggest fashion faux pas is the sight of a man's shirt peeking out beneath the lapel and above the trousers. It is as much of a sartorial shortfall as the triangle of death – the triangle of white above the waistline and single-breasted jacket button, betraying the jacket as too small. This is very much how a certain tight-suited, Love Island hopeful might dress. One issue is that many brands make trousers that have what is called 'a low rise', i.e. the distance between the crotch and the top of the zip is short. What a man needs are trousers that are cut higher, ideally with pleats and held up by braces, to avoid this sloppy look. The lapel debate Old school aesthetes like my father, the kind that see everything through the prism of what is allowed in the officer's mess, would die on the hill against lapels on waistcoats. The lapel debate has more to do with opinion rather than actual etiquette, and truthfully, far be it from me to speak ill of my father's opinions on style, I think this is a misstep. It is true that a single-breasted lapel should have a very small lapel, if one at all, but a double-breasted waistcoat must have one, and the prouder the better. Accessorising The Roaring Lion by Yousuf Karsh is considered one of the greatest portrait photographs of all time; Winston Churchill's moody look is because just before it was taken, Karsh removed Churchill's cigar from his mouth. What stands out the most in this image is the chain which travels across the pockets, dipping to create a W shape. Whether a pocket watch, a lighter, a Champagne swizzle stick or cigar cutter, the chain is legitimate accessorising for waistcoats. The chain should travel from the left pocket to the first button hole that sits above the line of the pocket, and then if there is a fob, it should dangle down. If long enough, it can then be passed to the opposite pocket. One form of accessorising is a more outre design of waistcoat. This is, and should remain, the domain of the prefects of Eton College, known as 'Pop', who are allowed to wear whatever design of waistcoat they like in order to distinguish their authority (and boy do they take advantage of that freedom). You also had Sixth Form Select who were the 'other' prefects, selected due to academic achievement, and they could wear silver buttons. Keep it simple on civvy street; yours should match the jacket and trouser of the suit, and with morning dress should be a pastel colour such as sky blue. Where to find inspiration Watch every episode of Jeeves & Wooster for a categoric reminder of proper classic style, and there is plenty of three-piece action in there for you to see. Further watching should be the aforementioned Indiana Jones, Jude Law as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter offshoot Fantastical Beasts (seriously, a great men's style reference), and the original Great Gatsby. For non-fiction references, look to Churchill of course, and then his Tory successor Anthony Eden. Tom Hardy is definitely a solid inspiration for men who want to avoid the dandyish look. Just remember that tweed and heavier wools are much more preferable for a three-piece suit, so in the summer look for what are known as 'high twist wools', which allow for breathability. Full linen will crease too easily, so travel fabrics like Fresco wool are ideal. The three-piece suit may feel like dress up, but perhaps with a little bit of historic enlightenment and better knowledge of the rules, you can channel your Bertie or Tom Hardy and never let anyone take your cigar without asking permission.
