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.
Rag & Bone
Ponte Slade Vest Black
$129.99
Rue La La
Theory
Three-Button Slash Vest Blue
$345.00
Bergdorf Goodman
-40%
Sir.
Leone draped vest Gray
$240.00
$400.00
Mytheresa
Lee
Denim Vest in Talk To Me at Nordstrom, Size X-Large
$49.00
Nordstrom
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
$240.00
Mytheresa
-47%
Frankie Shop
Gelso tailored waistcoat - women - Rayon/Lyocell/Wool - S - Grey Gray
$125.00
$235.00
FARFETCH
Frankie Shop
Gelso high-rise wide-leg pants Gray
$235.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Frankie Shop
Gelso vest Beige
$164.00
$235.00
Mytheresa
Frankie Shop
Gelso high-rise wide-leg pants Black
$235.00
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.
Bloch
Ladies Apex Parachute Pant, Whisper White
$42.00
BLOCH
Autry
TONAL LOGO JOGGERS WOMAN Gray
$190.00
Autry
Mother
The Lemon Twist High-Rise Flare Jeans Gray
$248.00
Anthropologie
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!
-67%
Cole Haan
Womens Go-To Emalia Slide Bow Sandals - Brown Size 10.5
$49.97
$150.00
Cole Haan
Cole Haan
Womens GrandPrø Topspin Sneakers - White Size 10.5
$160.00
Cole Haan
-29%
Nike
Womens Zoom Air Fire Shoes in Grey | DR7852-001 Gray
$88.97
$125.00
Nike
Cole Haan
Womens Underwater Wonder Coin Pouch - Blue
$68.00
Cole Haan
Cole Haan
Womens GrandPrø Topspin Sneakers - White Size 10.5
$160.00
Cole Haan
Nike
Mens Air Force 1 07 Shoes in White | CW2288-111
$115.00
Nike
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!
Jacquemus
Le Bambino Patent Top-Handle Bag Red
$820.00
Bergdorf Goodman
Tiffany & Fred
Soft Leather Top Handle Bag
$149.99
Rue La La
Monica Vinader
The Daily Tote
€50.00
Monica Vinader
Tiffany & Fred
Smooth Leather Tote Bag Black
$189.99
Rue La La
Michael Kors
Laila Medium Leather Satchel Bag Black
$258.00
Neiman Marcus
Pedro Garcia
Tote bag in black leather| the perfed tote | essentials | PEDRO GARCIA
$875.00
Pedro García
And there you have it! Now go dust off your waistcoat, follow these tips, and show them how it’s done!
Aligne
Leo Long Waistcoat Top Black
$170.00
Anthropologie
Reiss
Whitney Linen Waistcoat White
$69.99
Rue La La
Mulberry
Brown Tweed Asymmetric Waistcoat Size M
$290.40
HEWI
Gracia
Waistcoat Green
$58.99
Rue La La
L.k. Bennett
Ami Jacket White
$92.99
Rue La La
Officine Générale
Lane Italian Linen Vest
$480.00
Bergdorf Goodman
Tahari by ASL
Plus Waistcoat Purple
$58.99
Rue La La
