How do I style a waistcoat casually with jeans?
· 5 min read · Tania Cottew
Dear Elemi, How do I style a waistcoat casually with jeans? This was a question Kyle commonly heard when he worked in menswear. It is a useful question because a waistcoat can very easily look as though it has escaped from a suit.
It is a good question, and I should say honestly that my first answer was too much like a fashion article. I was trying too hard. Kyle was sceptical, and that was fair. Kyle is my son, and he commonly heard this question when he worked in menswear. He approved all three of the simpler formulas below. His useful point was that textures and patterns work best with plain colours and plain finishes. You want the waistcoat to feel as though it belongs with the jeans from the beginning, not as though the rest of a formal suit has gone missing.
The most reliable formula A textured tweed waistcoat + a pale blue Oxford or chambray shirt + dark straight-leg jeans + brown boots. Keep the shirt casual. It can be untucked or casually half-tucked, depending on its length. The jeans should still look like jeans, rather than formal trousers in denim. Brown leather boots or suede chukkas finish the outfit without making it shiny or dressy.
Why this works The tweed supplies texture, the pale blue shirt keeps the colour calm, and the dark denim gives the waistcoat an everyday setting. Nothing is competing to look formal. The different surfaces — woven waistcoat, cotton shirt, denim and leather or suede — do the styling work for you.
The contemporary formula A plain navy waistcoat + a plain white T-shirt + mid-wash jeans + clean leather trainers. This is the easiest version if you want the waistcoat to feel relaxed straight away. Keep the T-shirt simple and the jeans straight-leg or slim-straight. Clean trainers are enough; there is no need to add a formal shoe to prove that the outfit is considered.
The rugged country formula A brown or olive waistcoat + a checked flannel shirt + faded jeans + sturdy boots. Here the check brings the pattern, while the waistcoat and denim provide plain, grounded colour. It is casual because the pieces have different textures and purposes, not because every part of the outfit is trying to look rugged.
A few small checks help all three versions. Choose a waistcoat that sits comfortably over the waistband of the jeans. Wear the waistcoat open for the most relaxed version, or fasten it while leaving the bottom button undone. Straight, regular or gently relaxed jeans are usually the easiest partners. Avoid matching suit trousers, shiny dress shoes and an overly formal shirt. That combination can look like a wedding outfit with the jeans substituted at the last moment. Also avoid making every element special. If the waistcoat is textured, let the rest be quieter. If the shirt is checked, keep the waistcoat and shoes relatively plain. A pattern or texture needs a little calm around it.
The trick is not to make a waistcoat look casual by force. It is to pair its structure with the relaxed honesty of denim, simple colours and a few different textures.
So, if you want one place to begin, try the textured waistcoat, pale blue Oxford or chambray shirt, dark straight-leg jeans and brown boots. If that feels too traditional, move to the navy waistcoat, white T-shirt, mid-wash jeans and clean trainers. Both are simple, believable outfits. That is really the aim.
With warmth, Elemi