J. Crew Suit Vests in Irish Linen – $69.99 (reg. $88.00)
And by “solo” that means without a jacket or matching pants. Not like you’re just wearing the vest and you’re naked from the waist down. As fetching as some might think they’d look… not a good play.
There’s a reason why suit jackets and blazers make someone look 10x better than a similar guy standing next to him in just a shirt and tie. They help define your masculine shape. Even the most well tailored shirts will wrinkle and bulge a bit at the sides. A blazer or jacket smooths out those lines and streamlines your torso.
The same can be said for a waistcoat (read: vest). Problem is wearing one without looking like you belong in a saloon sporting a handlebar mustache & sleeve garter while slingin’ rye.
Wearing one casually with dark denim, medium or even lighter brown shoes, and a decent button up shirt sans tie underneath is a real easy way to go. Thanks to plenty of cotton and even linen blend options becoming available, you can ditch your sleeved blazer in favor of a vest even in summer.
But they can still be a tough garment to wear. One wrong yet seemingly innocuous move (shoes with too much shine, too much hair product) and you risk looking like a wayward waiter or ring bearer.
Let the debate begin. Are you for or against the waistcoat? Leave your take in the comments below.
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