Tweed waistcoat

[SurreyBod]

So I really like this tweed waistcoat. I've tried it on and like the fit and the overall look. I could easily see it as something to wear of an evening probably with a soft textured shirt and a pair of moleskins.

https://www.cordings.co.uk/barleycorn-tweed-waistcoat.html

I don't really want to go for the full jacket. If I do that then the next obvious step is the trousers as well and that just seems like the tweed version of "double denim" (or even treble).

https://www.cordings.co.uk/barleycorn-tweed-jacket.html

So thoughts please? If I go for this waistcoat, what should the rest of the outfit look like.

I really like the waistcoat & want to buy it

 

[paxonus]

I'm a fan of the casual tweed waistcoat. You are right about the choice of pants. One point to consider is the lapel. The one you are considering is designed to be worn under a jacket since the lapel ends at the shoulder seam. I prefer one with a full collar when worn without a jacket, like this

https://m.orvis.com/category/Vest/9G7P/

 

[SurreyBod]

Thanks for the link & the thoughts about the lapel/collar. I get what you're saying that the full collar one can be worn without a jacket.

I've only seen a tweed waistcoat worn either on its own or under a matching tweed jacket. Has anyone seen it look good word with anything else? I can see examples of a tweed jacket with a non-tweed waistcoat (for example a coloured one) but none the other way around.

 

[paxonus]

When layering, you usually wear the heaviest and coarsest material on the outside. Given the nature of tweed, it usually doesn't layer well with anything other than tweed, and then, as you say, usually with a matching jacket. I agree that a tweed vest, even worn with a tweed jacket, only looks right when they are the same.

 

[JJ Katz]

Couple of thoughts:

- If you want to match the tweed waistcoat with another garment but not as in a 3-piece suit, it usually looks better matching the trousers than the jacket. That said, some people find tweed trousers end up being rarely worn.
- A very practical alternative is to wear matching trousers+jacket and then a different waistcoat, such as the tweed you like. Seen it / done it many times and it can look great as long as the colours are complementary.
- Paxonus' point about relative roughness is numerically correct but I would not see it as a rule. A very rough tweed would indeed look odd paired with a superfine worsted suit but a middling tweed with flannel or a sturdy worsted is fine.
- I think that rather subdued barleycorn would go perfectly well with a dark grey flannel or even a navy flannel.
- Obviously it's better to remove your jacket than perspire like a slug but I think the notion of wearing a waistcoat with no jacket around at all verges of hipsterism / bar-tender look.