Why wear a Waistcoat? Or for my American friends A Vest? Well, A Waistcoat or Vest is a piece which can transform your outfit from stylish to suave! I am going to explain to you why Every Man Needs  A Waistcoat. The Waistcoat is bang on trend therefore theres much more choice for you. Due to this popularity there is an abundance of different textures and fabrics to choose from. This will help when creating outfits in case a smart casual outfit.

THE SMART CASUAL WAISTCOAT

For this post I want to concentrate on Wearing A Waistcoat for a more smart casual setting for example Valentines Day, date night or a night out with your friends. Believe me your partners will thank you! The idea is to dress up and look good while also adding layers. Layering is crucial to the overall synergy of your outfit but we shall delve more into that later. Firstly, choosing A Waistcoat for a smart casual setting can be tricky however Fashionable Frank has a few expert tips to help you;

• FIT
  • The modern waistcoat/vest is meant to tight and figure hugging. Think of your posture, if you are standing straight as a ruler or arrow then it fits!
• FABRIC
  • In a smart casual setting try to use “non suit” fabrics
  • Use different fabrics for example wool or velvet- these look great with jeans and chinos
• COLOUR FLOW
  • choose a waistcoat which complements your outfit for example blue/grey, burgundy/navy/ and grey/camel are great colour combinations
• BASE
  • choosing the correct base to highlight your waistcoat is incredibly important remember the waistcoat is the focal point. White is the best background for most waistcoats
• PATTERNS
  •  don’t be afraid to add patterns like check to your smart casual outfit (I would but taking pictures of my outfits takes ages!)
• STYLING
  • Undo the bottom button

The WAISTCOAT!

As mentioned above the Waistcoat has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. There are many style influencers out there so you are in good company when choosing a Waistcoat.

INFLUENCERS

Modern day influencers like David Beckham, Joesph Gordon Levitt, Justin Timberlake, Brad Pitt and of course Conor McGregor along with Fashionable Frank have all provided superb styling inspiration with their Waistcoat and Vest Inspired outfits. The King of the more Formal look has to the Iconic Harvey Spector from Suits. More recent inspiration comes in the form of Cillian Murphys Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. This show has really helped bring back the art of dressing dapper and promoting the waistcoat via 3 piece suits. Regardless of who you draw your inspiration from we can all agree the Waistcoat or Vest is a piece the Modern Man needs in his wardrobe!

On the phone making moves and deals!

DID YOU KNOW?!

The history of men wearing a waistcoat can be traced back to the 1660s. It was first seen by English visitors to Persia and the style was brought back to England (Style Influencers existed even then!). In the 18th and 19th centuries it became fashionable to wear tighter, more casual waistcoats usually with overcoats. Towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries the Waistcoat was seen as essential dress for business men.

These days the Waistcoat has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity partly due to its versatility. The Waistcoat can been worn as part of a three piece suit or in a more smart casual setting like todays topic. From its formal origins The Waistcoat has proved to be a timeless piece worthy of any mans wardrobe!

LAYERING

Mastering the art of how to layer is one of the most rewarding things for any man interested in fashion. Layering is great because it allows you to look stylish and warm. Arguably, you only need to layer in Autumn, Winter and Spring. Summer layering is something we shall discuss later in the year. For now, Layering for the seasons we are living in is important as the weather can be difficult to judge.

STRIKE A POSE

LOGICAL LAYERING

Learning to layer clothing is not very difficult. The process is relatively simple once you have an idea of what you want to wear. I approach it by adopting a logically point of view towards the task. This outfit is a smart casual outfit requiring smarter pieces as I add my layers. The outfit formulated as I want to wear my Waistcoat but I don’t want to be cold either. Gradually the layers were added for example;

Grand dad Shirt, Waistcoat and Jeans (colour flow is crucial) then I added my Blazer and finally an Overcoat. The Overcoat is the initial focal point piece, then the Blazer and finally the Waistcoat once again. Layering in and out!

Signing up to fashionablefrank.com you should too!

Did somebody say WAISTCOAT and OVERCOAT?!

FASHIONABLE FRANKS OUTFIT

• Waistcoat by New Look Men
• Grandad Shirt by Burton Menswear
• Blazer by New Look Men
• Skinny Jeans by New Look Men
• Overcoat by River Island
• Brogues by Burton Menswear
• Watch by Sleek Supply Co

Check out my post on How To Wear A Camel Coat for more outfit inspiration and style suggestions!

Thats all for now, folks. I hope you enjoyed this post as much I did posing for it! Remember to signup to Fashionable Frank and be the first to receive my fashion inspiration and style suggestions.

I’ve been Fashionable Frank and you have been Fantastic,

Until Next Time,

STAY STYLISH!