Top row: Rowing Blazers, SNS Herning, Marni, Beams Plus, Celine. Bottom row: Our Legacy, JW Anderson, Margaret Howell, Brooks Brothers, JCrew
Sweater Vests: The Unsung Essential
I’ve been thinking about how to wear a button down shirt during the winter, keeping warm while feeling unencumbered with too many layers. My friend Andrea came by my office last week and she looked amazing (as always!) in her knit vest over a button down shirt. Ding dong..Then I remembered my dark gray Benetton v-neck I wore over white tee shirts going to school in Paris. My uniform. Sleeveless sweaters (as they were originally called) are honestly so easy. Whether they are oversized, snug fit or with no shirt at all, I would even venture to say the sweater vest is the unsung hero of a complete wardrobe.
This is my daughter Elliot a couple of months ago on her trip to Spain.
When you see someone in a sweater vest, what comes to mind? Is the impression academic and brainy? Geeky or awkward? Sporty or serious sportsman? Or outré and someone with a great sense of self and style?
Academic
Timothee Chalamet in Marty Supreme, Paul Giammatti in Holdovers, Jack Black in School of Rock, Brie Larson in Lessons in Chemistry
Confident, Chic, and Creative
Paul McCartney, Harry Styles, Tom Daley, Andre 3000
Athletic
Roger Federer
n the 1920s, Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor (but Prince of Wales at the time), is credited as the first person to wear a sweater vest. With his sleeveless sweater over a button-down for a round of golf, he set the trend of the well-dressed gentleman sportsman. In particular he wore a FairIsle knit, originating from Fair Isle in Scotland, which then became an emblem of the royal family and spread across the ocean to Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Hoover.
The sweater vest was incorporated into women’s military uniforms during WW2, securing its place in the wardrobes of all genders. Meanwhile, men were incorporating sweater vests into casual wear as well as suits.
Sweater vests from the ’60s through the ’80s were a practical wardrobe staple for men and women, though they were worn in different ways. In the ’70s, women tended to pair snug fitted sweater vests with high-waisted pants for a modest, if not wholesome, look. In the ’80s, the sweater vest continued to be popular among women during the feminist power-dressing phenomenon of adopting and repurposing menswear as a rejection of traditional femininity. During this time, the Gatsby era preppiness that inspired Ralph Lauren was also emerging in both men and women’s fashion.
Looking back Princess Diana was so young and uncomfortable! Tragic.
The reputation of the sweater vest took a turn in the ’90s, becoming associated with nerdy or uncool characters such as Urkel. If you Google sweater vests, you might find nerd costumes or articles titled “How to Wear a Sweater Vest Without Looking Nerdy.” This association stuck for decades but …
Loewe, JW Anderson
The sweater vest is back and chicer than ever. When designer Jonathan Anderson (among other designers) includes sweater vests in his collections - JWAnderson and Loewe - it is a major statement. His consistent love of intricate and colorful knits season to season is not subtle or restrained.That said it makes sense that he is so involved in wardrobing movies now - Challengers and Queer. Using his clothes to round out characters is the secret sauce every movie needs.
I have a vest or two somewhere in one of my moving boxes. Stay tuned to my instagram posts!! @ashirtstory
xxSasha