The waistcoat: Wear It With Jeans

The new shining star of menswear, both in high fashion circles and on the high street, is without doubt the waistcoat. Once boxed as part of a three piece suit or something you should only be seen in at a wedding, waistcoats are making a comeback in one of the most unexpected ways - a day to day, casual item to throw on over a shirt or tee.

Wearing a waistcoat does wonders for appearance, and flatters everyone. Perfected as an item of tailoring, which we all know is code for “looking sharp”, including it in your ready-to-wear section can add that little extra flavour your jeans and tee combination so desperately needs after years of tried and tested faithful service.

Highly versatile items that are guaranteed to make you stand out from the crowd, men's waistcoats can be chosen to fit with every wardrobe and every personal style. Lighter fabrics will help you pick something dashing to put on during a summer day, and picking one in wool can help with both layering an outfit and keeping warm during the colder months. Leave it unbuttoned for a laissez-faire, "just found this at the back of my closet" feeling, or wear it with a pocket square for a dash of extra colour and sophistication.

Long have we overlooked the waistcoat as something to wear only when we absolutely must, and never to touch unless we want to look like we picked our outfit from our grandfather’s wardrobe. It’s time we do men's waistcoats justice and acknowledge their power to refine and to add a touch of effortless class to our days. Picking such a classic piece to throw over instead of a rather boring and unadventurous cardigan will not only show you are aware of the fashion comeback of the humble waistcoat, but also comfortable and confident to be embracing an item that has been exiled to thrift shops for many years - and confidence is attractive!

However, any trend no matter how popular or straightforward it seems is a recipe for disaster if applied badly, so fitting the waistcoat to size and style is critical. Make sure it’s long enough, and if worn with a suit, that it’s matching both in colour and in fabric - when opting for a coloured waistcoat, don’t overdo the rest of the outfit. There are stricter rules when wearing waistcoats to formal events, but the casual trend allows for more personal touches and exceptions, so find a style that feels your own and wear it out and proud!