Top tips on wearing a waistcoat

Peaky Blinders. The World Cup. London Fashion Week. What do these three things have in common? The answer is waistcoats. This once-staid garment has been given a makeover and is one of the hottest trends.

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Spotted on everyone from David Beckham to Gareth Southgate, the waistcoat is hot news and incredibly versatile. Let’s take a look at how you can wear it for a variety of events and occasions.

Go casual

Yes, a waistcoat absolutely can be casual; however, to meet this criterion, you need to steer clear of more formal fabrics and matching colours. Choose tweed or corduroy fabrics instead to avoid looking too sleek and polished and stick to single-breasted rather than double, which can look too dressy. Paired with jeans or chinos, a waistcoat adds interest to any outfit. If you are feeling daring, you can always opt for a statement colour to really stand out.

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Fabulously formal

Any event that requires you to dress up can do with a waistcoat. For a more formal look, you can pair a smart coat with some shirts. You can choose to don a jacket or go without, depending on the occasion. You can also play it safe and go for more traditional browns, blues or black, or liven things up a little with deep purple or burgundy or a paisley pattern.

Dress it up

Weddings, formal dinners, Sunday best or  nights out, all call for a waistcoat; here, your best option is a three-piece suit with a matching waistcoat. You can, of course, play around with colours if you dare, and you have a choice of single or double-breasted lapels. Make sure that your waistcoat is well-fitted and that it is as flattering and well-cut as your suit or it can let your outfit down and look out of place. When it comes to the night out make sure all your mates know what to wear and tell where you are meeting and when.  For ideas on where to go you could start at places like a Nightclub Cheltenham location found at links similar to https://latenightcoco.co.uk/.


Black tie

This is where you can go double-breasted in shiny, more formal material and match your waistcoat to your trousers and jacket. Black tie demands the ultimate in formal wear, so a waistcoat is right at home here. All the buttons on your waistcoat should be done up, it should fit seamlessly, and it should look as if it is part of the suit. In this case, sleek and sophisticated is the order of the day!