An unlikely wardrobe hero has sprung up amid the flowery, frothy field of the ubiquitous summer dresses this season. Hail the vest, the popular topper that shares sensibilities with a men’s three-piece suit but is anything but stuffy. These days, instead of being considered a layering piece, the vest of the moment is flying solo, worn with nothing underneath.
At Mint in Westhampton Beach, the vest (seen on model Sydney Scheurer) is a popular item for summer and fall. Credit: Barry Sloan
The real beauty of the item is that it has no boundaries in terms of demographics. Young women have embraced it, sometimes opting for belly-baring varieties and jeans, while more sophisticated types are suiting up in their own way and donning them for work paired with wide-legged pants. Plenty of celebrities have caught the fever including Jessica Alba, Kaia Gerber and Kendall Jenner, leading pundits to call out the vest as a wardrobe essential. Produced in many different fabrications — everything from knits, linens and even denim — they’re available almost everywhere from mass market brands to high-end designer emporiums with pricing that runs the gamut.
Retailer owners such as Joanna Mazzella, of Mint boutiques in Mattituck, West Hampton, Southampton and Stony Brook, believe the garment adds an assertive oomph to a wardrobe.
There’s something about a vest that kind of makes you feel powerful like you’re in charge, you’ve got this. You look put together, polished and cool.
— Joanna Mazzella, Mint
“It’s good for a lot of different ages and environments. That’s why it’s trending so much,” Mazzella says, adding that the item has been selling briskly at all her stores and “we’ve got tons more coming in for fall.”
Likewise, Afshin Haghani, the co-owner of Gallery Couture in Manhasset and Loop in Port Washington, says the vest is a winner. “It seems to me that people are tiring of being in that super-relaxed mode and I’m seeing a resurgence of a tailored look,” he explains. “And it’s the vest that adds a really sexy Annie Hall vibe when it’s worn by itself.”
He recommends treating the vest as a tank top with buttons and pairing it with a wide-leg pant. “The key for me is that it should be tailored, fitted and shapely.”
Vests in bright colors and striped patterns make a fun fashion statement.
Fashion expert Avril Graham, the co-host of the “Invitation” series on Warner Bros Discovery Networks, is also a fan. “I have quite a few in my own wardrobe. It is one of those ‘go-to’ quiet pieces that can add definition, punch and character to a look.”
But Graham suggests to going beyond the knee-jerk “borrowed from the boys” notion. “Be playful and creative with size,” she suggests, noting that the piece comes in many shapes and silhouettes. “The vest can be a longer length, cropped, fitted or oversized. I wear mine with satin slip dresses, jeans and linens. Every woman should have one for a multitude of styling options.”
The vest was such a hot item that it completely sold out at Transitions, a trend-driven fashion boutique in Roslyn, according to owner Leslie Cohen. “It was a very strong category for me,” she explains adding that she’s included vegan leather vests in the mix for next season.
At Grey/Ven, a “quiet luxury” women’s store that opened in East Hampton on Memorial Day, the vest plays a role in a recently launched capsule collection. Scott Weissman, the CEO, calls the piece, “Sophisticated and sexy at the same time.” He too believes the vest has staying power. “Vests are a staple in any closet. This trend won’t be going anywhere as we head into fall.”