semi casual waistcoats for a night out

mike hilux

Hello

Just turned 30 last month and am looking to shake up my style (or lack of). I always just wear a shirt and jeans going out as it's the uniform of all the lads I hang around with. I like solids. Stripe and checkered shirts but I would never wear a shirt with a print design on it.

I'm fairly old fashioned in my dress senseand try to dress well but never too flashy and basically if the shirt matches the pants and the belt matches the boots I'm usually content.

I'm 6 ft with broad shoulders I'm told and fairly well built with my shoulders being the widest part of me but nothing extravagant. Basically I'm looking to do something to just stand out of the crowd a little.

Iv always had a thing for waistcoats however and was thinking of getting a few for going out in the city. (I'm a country boy geographicaly and mentally I suppose). What are people's thoughts on this. I like the look but is it a no go area and will I look ridiculous.

Iv recently bought some pairs of chinos and my very first pair of converce as iv basically been wearing the same clothes for the past 3-4 years and they were getting shook.

All comments and advice is welcomed
Yours sincerely. Mike.

Sheeps

They look ridiculous, unless worn as part of the right three piece suit. People who think they're pulling them off are very similar to the people who think they're pulling off a fedora.

mike hilux

I used to wear a fedora on the farm a few years back just to stop getting Sun burnt on my ears and neck but that's beside the point.

I don't think a waistcoat is as out there as a fedora to be honest. I bought a waistcoat a while ago to wear to the local hunt ball and macra dinner dances as I was always losing my jacket and having to go off trying to find it at the end of the night.

A few people commented on it. about how it was different but I know that was a black tie affair and not the real world. That's where the idea came from anyway. I still like the idea and think it depends on how casual the waistcoat actually is. I'm not interested in ones with the shiny material on the back.

cee_jay

Sheeps, that is your opinion. OP I think it can look good, but keep the design and shirt simple. You could wear your new cons to dress it down a bit more if you liked.

Some good examples of simple casual look I mean:

baby and crumble

I like waistcoats. But they need to be worn over a shirt, whatever you do don't wear them with a tee shirt, it looks very mid 2000's!!

You can't go wrong with a pair of chinos, denim shirt (rolled up sleeves) and a tweed or herringbone kinda waistcoat, in my opinion. Wear with a decent pair of brown brogues/ boots and you're away.

But stuff like this is all based on personal preferences, you'll get people who think that looks terrible. Hell, I wear a bowtie most nights out, and I guarantee a lot of folks think I look like a numpty. :D

ongarboy

I say go for it too. If those above pics are anything to go by, then it shows how well they look on a guy. Without sounding like Katie Hopkins though, I really think a guy would have to have a slim build to carry it off though. You mention you're trim with broad shoulders so I don't think you'll have a problem OP.

You've even got me thinking of getting one now! I've never worn one out of formal wear before!

mike hilux

The black tie one is very handy because you don't need the jacket. I wear it with a pair of black dress pants. A white and red striped shirt and a deep red scrunchy (one of those wedding ties). I wear that because none of the macra dances are strict black tie.

You know yourself. It's great to get a compliment and If someone asked why I'd bother to wear it then I just tell them it's bullet proof.

I don't know about the first of the 3 pictures. I would rather see a dressy pants under a white shirt. Or at least a darker waistcoat. I still think it looks well but I don't think I could wear it myself. The other 2 look good.

Not sure about the likes of tweed or herring bone just yet. Was thinking of dark brown chinos. Blue or denim shirt and maybe a navy waistcoat?? See how that goes and then go from there.

eviltimeban

Just make sure you don't end up looking like a snooker player.