Wear Your Waistcoat Like A Boss

When it comes to menswear, nothing makes a man look more stylish than a tailored piece. The best part of a tailored piece is that it can disguise or highlight aspects of your figure, keeping your look elegant and complete. One piece of men’s suits was overlooked for long but if worn rightly, this piece can add a new dimension to your look. We are talking about waistcoats.
A waistcoat can transcend social situations and dress codes and at the same time, offers enough room to be experimental and remain stylish. If you think a dress vest is for formal dressing or for older and dignified gentlemen of means, think again. For stylish young urbanites, dress shirts and waistcoats can add a retro thrift-store look.
Waistcoats are becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the eye-catching look they provide. In fact, you can even wear it without a jacket and still look formal, especially those that come with lapels. Such items add a nice formal touch to your look. If you are still looking for inspirations, see how Barney Stinson ‘Suits it up” with style and elegance.
There are a few basic rules to wear it correctly. Here we have a few tips about how to wear a waistcoat and look devilishly stylish.

Good Fit

A well-fitted waistcoat should entirely cover your waist and no dress shirt should poke out between the belt and the vest. The cut in its back and sides will be a little higher and might reveal some shirtand that’s why you need a well-fitted shirt and tuck it in tightly. The goal is to avoid any fabric ballooning out from under the vest.Also focus on the shoulders of the waistcoats. They must lie flat against your body as well as any collar points. The V-shape of your waistcoat must be narrower enough if you are wearing it with suit coat. This is to ensure that it is not completely hidden behind suit lapels.For a perfect fit, it is always recommended to go for a tailored piece. Now, one major concern here is the price as tailored suits are usually expensive. Tailoring is usually out of reach for many buyers as the cost is often too high. Besides, experienced tailors are not always available. But online retailer shops like Ownonly bridge that gap. This particular company, for example, offers a wide range of business and casual suits without burning a hole in your pocket. Their line of completely customizable suits and online tailored measurement process makes the buying experience seamless and affordable.Remember, fit is king. It should fit your torso right and has high armholes. At the same time, there should not be any pulling around the fabric at the back or the buttons. Excess fabric will make you look untidy and bigger whereas waistcoats are designed to make you look tidy and more streamlined.

Get It Right 

In addition to fit you need to focus on how you wear the waistcoat. One tip here is to always button it up. As mentioned, waistcoats are designed to make you look put together. So button up the piece and keep in mind to leave the last button undone. This is done to avoid pulling the fabric every time you lift your arms up.
Some prefer to keep the top button left undone but it’s optional and depends on your personal preferences. Leaving the last button undone, however, is a tradition which is over a hundred years old. The rules are similar to wearing a suit jacket. But these days, it’s more like giving off a casual flair.
Another major turn-off men commit while wearing a waistcoat is ending up looking like a waiter wearing a shiny polyester appearance. Avoid this by all means and for that you need to:

1.  Opt for seasonal materials like cotton or whipcord for summer and corduroy or tweed for winter.
2.  No fancy lining or wearing bizarre accessories like pocket watches
3.  Always pair it up with proper items. No black trousers, for example, unless it is a part of your suit.

Some Suggestions

A waistcoat is the perfect layer to wear for your formal events during winter. You can even wear it to work as waistcoats make you look sophisticated and suave in a minute, provided you wear it right. But as mentioned, there are a few rules to wear them. If you are wearing it with a blazer, remember the color and material should be same. Similarly, the tie goes in and not above it. The fit should be perfect and not tight or snug.Remember, the purpose of a waistcoat is to make you look tide and slimmer; wearing a bigger or poorly fit piece will only do the opposite. On the other hand, a tighter piece will constrict your breathing. Wear a waistcoat that fits just right.If you want to buy a piece for this year, go for a medium grey tweed version or something in earthly shades, especially if you’re wearing them for the winter months. A waistcoat is not much in hype in the summer; but if you would like to flaunt one, go for a beige cotton item or a navy corduroy version for the warm summer months and remember to combine it with other colours and fabrics.Though the style is quite behind us, many prefer wearing it with jeans and a t-shirt for a more casual look. You can, however, still go for such a look. Choose a more casual fabric like cotton, corduroy, wool or linen for your waistcoat and wear it with a worn-in denim/chinos and a long sleeved Henley t-shirt. Remember that you can wear a waistcoat casually but just don’t try to look like a pugnacious New York rockstar.

Final Word

It would be wrong to say that waistcoats are back in fashion. They never really left us; nevertheless, they have just been put under the limelight these days. After all, a waistcoat can help you change the look according to the event and that too with style and ease.

Use it as a statement piece or versatile layering to add oomph to your look and you won’t go wrong.