# Waistcoat without a jacket



## Mississippi Mud (Oct 15, 2009)

Let me be clear: An odd vest without a jacket worn indoors.

Like this, but better:



Approve/disapprove?


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## cmacey (May 3, 2009)

If you wear a jacket to work and take it off to work in your office, fine - put the jacket back on when leaving your office for anything other than to use the bathroom. Wearing a waist coat without a jacket at all, no.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

What he said.



cmacey said:


> If you wear a jacket to work and take it off to work in your office, fine - put the jacket back on when leaving your office for anything other than to use the bathroom. Wearing a waist coat without a jacket at all, no.


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## Grayson (Feb 29, 2008)

To me a waistcoat without a jacket is a superior and dressier look than a shirt alone. An odd vest alone may not be traditional, but IMO it looks very good on most men... and confess that I do it all the time.


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## WindsorNot (Aug 7, 2009)

How about a nice cardigan?


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## Cavebear58 (Jan 31, 2010)

in In London lately, I've seen several wearing waistcoats, odd and not, with 3/4 length coats again some odd and some not. This morning, totally out of character, I even commented to one commuter how sharp he looked. I think it's partly a response to office air-conditioning.

Best, Graham.


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## Mississippi Mud (Oct 15, 2009)

cmacey said:


> If you wear a jacket to work and take it off to work in your office, fine - put the jacket back on when leaving your office for anything other than to use the bathroom. Wearing a waist coat without a jacket at all, no.


I wonder, though, how an odd vest, loosened from its association with a matching jacket and trousers, is substantially different from a sweater vest.


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## harvey_birdman (Mar 10, 2008)

Disapprove.


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## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

Approve


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## a pine tree (Jun 20, 2010)

If you wake up one morning and decide not to wear a jacket, do NOT wear a waistcoat. A stand-alone waistcoat reminds me of that current 20 something waif like "Cool Guy"/wanna be rockstar look.

Mississippi - A waistcoat sans jacket (unless cmacey's comment applies) looks silly IMO, like a man who got dressed 75% of the way and then just said, "Eh, good enough." Sweater vests can be worn without a jacket (I wouldn't) and don't look *too* bad.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

I think it depends, as always, on personal likes/dislikes. I wouldn't do it any more than I would wear square-toed shoes. Lots of folks feel differently, as evidenced by the number of square-toed shoes one sees every day. In my personal estimation, the look is a bit full-of-yourself.


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## closerlook (Sep 3, 2008)

what about with a chunky cardigan, or shawl cardigan?


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I can't see the picture. But, I don't feel strongly either way.


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

I can't see the picture either, but I'm sure I'd like it just as much as a waistcoat without a shirt, which I do all the time. It looks really cool.


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## GentlemanGeorge (Dec 30, 2009)

I don't like a sweater vest without a jacket either, but obviously in some environments, like a private office and among colleagues, removing a jacket is understandable. As a look, however it's the equivalent of a mullet.


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## RM Bantista (May 30, 2009)

Entirely depends on the situation. As a casual thing, to add a bit of sharpness to a relaxed work day or day off, odd vest, sweater vest, cardigan, all fine. What is not fine is wearing a jacket and removing it during the work day. Always wrong. Commonly done in some places, but wrong. Some times one may play with attire to achieve some deliberate effect, but removing a jacket during the work day where a jacket is appropriate is never one of those things. Not real fond of wearing blue jeans with a suit coat to church either, but one sees it done. Sport coat, fine for a Saturday afternoon, but better with a bit of casual neck wear. Hey, there is a more relaxed but not too relaxed look that is good for some things. If a regular work day in a professional office, a coat and tie are preferred and the coat stays on the person. If you're going to take it off any way, why not just wear a tee shirt with a slogan and some shower shoes?

Casual office attire is beyond out-of-control. And a lot of professionals dress down and badly on purpose to achieve an effect. Lawyers do this all the time... 

Good evening to you, gentlemen,

Rudy


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## a pine tree (Jun 20, 2010)

Joe Beamish said:


> I can't see the picture either, but I'm sure I'd like it just as much as *a waistcoat without a shirt, which I do all the time. It looks really cool.*


Will you post some pictures in WAYW?


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## williamson (Jan 15, 2005)

Mississippi Mud said:


> I wonder, though, how an odd vest, loosened from its association with a matching jacket and trousers, is substantially different from a sweater vest.


The difference is surely the fact that, on an odd waistcoat, the back is made of the lining material while the front is of the matching suit material. The difference of materials makes the waistcoat without a jacket look unfinished. If the back were also made of the suit material it would look less strange worn without a jacket.


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## Trip English (Dec 22, 2008)

I wear a suit or a sport coat to work almost every day of the year, and it winds up on the back of my chair for at least half the day. This leaves me in a vest quite often and have received more compliments on this look than with the jacket on. Perhaps we're confusing some long lost "correctness" with what actually looks good?


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Fine by me, if worn with confidence, and a touch of panache.


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## GentlemanGeorge (Dec 30, 2009)

"long lost sense of correctness..."

I think propriety generally is held in less esteem among our generation, perhaps because it is simply less likely to get attention, like using an opportunity for wit to say something shocking. Also, it seems that a tension between the two ends remains attractive, that is, looking good and dressing well, and staying casual and defying conventions. A vest sort of says, "I am active and unconventional, but I'm negotiating a living in a straight world." My problem is that those boundaries of the "straight world" which communicate decency, propriety, and respect have been attacked to the point of ridicule, and the constructive ethics of our social order are eroded in the process. I suspect a greater number are uncomfortable with this as well but, for the fear of standing out or being ignored, float with the current. Dressing "trad" as more than a fad, in the same way, says "I value our society and its traditions" and is a way of saying "stick it" right back to the hippies and their petulant stepchildren. It can be taken as an out-of-step sort of militancy, and therein lies the problem. That's my 2¢ adjusted for inflation.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

On a less philosophical level (nice post, GG), I'd say it depends on the situation and the vest. Since the situation, "indoors," is a little vague, and the vest is a little red x, it's hard to say.


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## Ripley (Oct 19, 2010)

I don't mind this look at all.

In general it seems more easily accomplished with waistcoats more associated with the country (tweeds, flannels, etc.).


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## Charles Saturn (May 27, 2010)

It needs to be a stand alone vest not an orphan from a suit.


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

I think too much contrivance is at odds with those pictures, gent after gent, seen in the American Trad Men Photos thread, which should be the font of all knowledge. As other posters have said, the "waistcoat without a jacket" is a good look when we sense that the wearer is busy doing something useful (and hence has removed his jacket for now.) Otherwise, very much flitting about town that way looks like you THINK it looks cool. Ack.


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## Ripley (Oct 19, 2010)

Joe Beamish said:


> I think too much contrivance is at odds with those pictures, gent after gent, seen in the American Trad Men Photos thread, which should be the font of all knowledge. As other posters have said, the "waistcoat without a jacket" is a good look when we sense that the wearer is busy doing something useful (and hence has removed his jacket for now.) Otherwise, very much flitting about town that way looks like you THINK it looks cool. Ack.


This, however, is a good point.


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## GentlemanGeorge (Dec 30, 2009)

Joe Beamish said:


> I think too much contrivance is at odds with those pictures, gent after gent, seen in the American Trad Men Photos thread, which should be the font of all knowledge. As other posters have said, the "waistcoat without a jacket" is a good look when we sense that the wearer is busy doing something useful (and hence has removed his jacket for now.) Otherwise, very much flitting about town that way looks like you THINK it looks cool. Ack.


Well put, Mr. Beam.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Yes, good one. I think I'll add "I guess you think you look pretty cool" to my list of compliments. I'll put it right next to "Nice suit - too bad they didn't have your size."


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

And...."Regardless of what everyone keeps saying, I think you look great."


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Joe Beamish said:


> the "waistcoat without a jacket" is a good look when we sense that the wearer is busy doing something useful (and hence has removed his jacket for now.) Otherwise, very much flitting about town that way looks like you THINK it looks cool. Ack.


I doubt that the late John Hartford was consciously thinking that a vest without jacket (or tie) made him look "cool." I think he just liked the way it looked.









Same for Gordon Lightfoot.










Of course it helps when you are "cool" to begin with. Simply wearing the vest won't make you so. :icon_smile_big:

Cruiser


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

Cruiser, you're quite right. Anything goes. And context is almost everything. 

But then, if you're not a 60s guy on stage, there's always the chance that someone could ask you, "so...what's with the vest?" with justification. Or worse, they could just be thinking it.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Joe Beamish said:


> Cruiser, you're quite right. Anything goes. And context is almost everything.
> 
> But then, if you're not a 60s guy on stage, there's always the chance that someone could ask you, "so...what's with the vest?" with justification. Or worse, they could just be thinking it.


You must keep in mind that there is a certain amount of tongue in cheek that goes with what I post about matters such as this. I'm just poking a little good natured fun at those who treat these type things so seriously. FWIW, I don't think I've ever worn a vest without a jacket, although I've worn a vest and jacket without a tie many, many times; but not since the mid-80's. :icon_smile_big:

Cruiser


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

^ I like this. 

I too can think of several things that I have not done since around the mid-80s.


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## GentlemanGeorge (Dec 30, 2009)

That look is an attempt to marry revolution with respectability, which, again, is a mullet.


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## Joe Beamish (Mar 21, 2008)

I'm sorry to keep posting here, but I like this mullet characterization and will steal it for future conversations in real life -- and I will say that I invented it. Thanks GG


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## Mississippi Mud (Oct 15, 2009)

GentlemanGeorge said:


> That look is an attempt to marry revolution with respectability, which, again, is a mullet.


I find neither revolution nor respectibility in the mullet. I find Joe Dirt.

I've been somewhat taken aback by the comparisions to the vest without a jacket scenario, shirtless vests and square-toed shoes especially so. And here I thought that the visible tattoo, the t-shirt with suit jacket, or the hoodie and skin-tight jeans were the modern signs of people who thought they were cool, but all along it was the tweed waistcoat separated from its non-matching jacket. Yes, I see now; vest wearers above all should be pilloried with our endless sartorial derision.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

It's a classic look!!


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## GentlemanGeorge (Dec 30, 2009)

Mississippi Mud said:


> I find neither revolution nor respectibility in the mullet. I find Joe Dirt.


My point exactly. However, I was referring to the pictures above more than anything I'm certain you had in mind.

Oh...and, JB, have fun with it.


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## catside (Oct 7, 2010)

I do like vests. Do a google image search for Nigel Cabourn Harris Tweed vest and see what I mean.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Joe Beamish said:


> I too can think of several things that I have not done since around the mid-80s.


Actually I was wrong; I have worn a vest without a jacket since the 1980's. My bad.










Cruiser


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## Grayson (Feb 29, 2008)

I think a round of chill-pills is in order, or perhaps just issue of a calendar dated after 1960. 

I think this is the modern vested look referred to by the original poster...









I think it's a nod to a classic look. Not quite 60's troubadour or "Ed Norton". Just sayin'.


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## Mississippi Mud (Oct 15, 2009)

Grayson said:


> I think a round of chill-pills is in order, or perhaps just issue of a calendar dated after 1960.
> 
> I think this is the modern vested look referred to by the original poster...
> 
> ...


Not that but this:

Again, to be clear. Not this:

Or this:

Or God forbid, this:










No, nothing like those.


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## RM Bantista (May 30, 2009)

Mississippi Mud said:


> Not that but this:


Nothing in the world wrong with it. Oh, one may argue about fit and such matters, but the concept is completely fine and something to encourage in the younger gentleman in the appropriate office situation or even at an afternoon social gathering depending on the situation.

Regards,

Rudy


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## Douglas Brisbane Gray (Jun 7, 2010)

I believe Ripley and Charles Saturn have the gist of my opinion, I used to wear a patchwork tweed waistcoat a lot of the time it matched none of my jackets or suits but went well with anything from cords and a grandad shirt to my green tweed suit or even my kilt and Craill.


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## Douglas Brisbane Gray (Jun 7, 2010)

Is this when people started to think it looked "cool"?


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## AldenPyle (Oct 8, 2006)

This seems to be a modern look. Historically, I think the death of the vest preceded the death of the sports jacket, so I don't think this was a common look back in the day.

I agree that the worsted three piece suit w/o jacket look seems a bit Bryan Ferry. Nothing wrong with that, but it requires a certain personality. 

The more casual odd vest with tie and slacks could be a bit fashion-dandyish. However, its also seems to be a functional way to look a bit sharper in the "business casual" environment without being too formal.


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