Style Debate: The Solo Waistcoat / Vest

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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