Waistcoats or vests were once an essential part of a man’s suit. Fashions change, however, and these days the waistcoat is an optional extra – but it is one that can add real style to a man’s suit.
It is however easy to choose and wear a waistcoat badly. Fit is king, as always with suits; excess material just makes you look bigger than you are, and the whole point of a waistcoat is to help you look more streamlined and tidy.
The main purpose of wearing a waistcoat was simply to add another layer of warmth. During the twentieth century, waistcoats retained something of this role – but took on a new life as a style essential.
Waistcoats wrap the torso in a neat way and allow a man’s suit jacket to be left open. They can cover the upper part of the body in a smart and discreet manner, which will be a boon to the larger man.
Waistcoats are regarded as the perfect attire for formal gatherings such as corporate meetings, business trips, and weddings. When worn with a man’s suit, it should be of the same material and style as the suit – and indeed it should have been acquired as the third element of a three-piece suit.
With formal dress waistcoat such as a tailcoat for a wedding, the waistcoat will normally be the standard dove grey; or you could opt for a heavily decorated brocade fabric.
Make sure the waistcoat has high armholes, fits snugly around the shoulders and the torso, and shows no evidence pulling around the buttons or at the back.
A waistcoat should always be buttoned up, of course. You should always leave the last button undone so that the waistcoat doesn’t ride up when you lift your arms.