Down vests over suit coats

LeonM · Oct 25, 2009

Originally Posted by FlaneurNYC

I think it'd be almost doable if the vest were as long or longer than the jacket.

This is one of the jarring points. The padded gilet only reaches the waist.

Originally Posted by Nicola

Over a jacket or under?

A vest under a jacket is common. Over I've never seen. A vest under a jacket is common enough you'll see jackets sold with a zip out lining.

Over. Although I have seen the giacca con gilet as well. Have to get a whole extra coat for that.

Perhaps the general horror at the idea, is that outside Italy, this is not done.

Leon

GBR · Oct 25, 2009

Don't it looks silly and there is a absolutely no requirement for thoughtless compliance.

chestercopperpot · Oct 25, 2009

i think vest over the suit looks great. i have penfield vest that i wear over my flannel suits when its cold and it looks great. also the majority of my trips to milan and florence in the winter i've seen this look by the italians. though the ones they have have breast pockets. thank goodness i havn't seen a pocket square in one of them though. HA

so yes, don't mind the haters on this thread. go for it sir. each his own.

JayJay · Oct 25, 2009

Originally Posted by clausc

I would not wear it, but I am planning to use this colour combination. I bought yesterday some grey flannel pants and a tan car coat from Cucinelli (and I'm ruined) that I'm planning to wear with some light brown suede Tod's chukka boots. I might wear one of their vests over a jumper.

Bruno Cucinelli Puffer Jacket

link article
This doesn't look too bad to me. I wouldn't wear the jacket with the suit, but I'd certainly wear the suede chukkas.

82-Greg · Oct 25, 2009

Originally Posted by JayJay

This doesn't look too bad to me. ...

Trousers are too short. Almost makes him look like the awkward teenager who has outgrown this school years clothes and his parents won't buy him more trousers till the start of next school year.

The gray of the trousers and the coat don't match and don't complement one another. As a matter of fact it looks like he got the coat from one suit (worsted?) and the trousers from a similar -- though slightly differently colored -- flannel suit.

Topping it off with the puffy coat (or vest) is truly an abomination!

Puffy coats (or vests) over suits are disasters! It marks the Visigoths at the gates! Do not let them in!

JayJay · Oct 25, 2009

Originally Posted by 82-Greg

Trousers are too short. Almost makes him look like the awkward teenager who has outgrown this school years clothes and his parents won't buy him more trousers till the start of next school year.

The gray of the trousers and the coat don't match and don't complement one another. As a matter of fact it looks like he got the coat from one suit (worsted?) and the trousers from a similar -- though slightly differently colored -- flannel suit.

Topping it off with the puffy coat (or vest) is truly an abomination!

Puffy coats (or vests) over suits are disasters! It marks the Visigoths at the gates! Do not let them in!
I didn't look closely enough, I thought it was a suit, not odd jacket and pants. I agree with you on the jacket/pant combo.

luftvier · Oct 25, 2009

Puffy anything with a suit ≠ good look.

aj_del · Oct 25, 2009

^^ I also thought it was a suit and didnt pay much attention. Now that Greg has pointed it out the mismatched jacket and trousers seem to look even more jarring than the puffer jacket.

Also am I the only one who thinks Cucinelli's personal dress sense is highly over-rated. The sartorialist blog goes on as if hes something really special.

The down vest over suit makes several appearances on the BC website in both short and long version

luftvier · Oct 25, 2009

^^^ This looks terrible

RSS · Oct 25, 2009

Originally Posted by JayJay

I didn't look closely enough, I thought it was a suit, not odd jacket and pants. I agree with you on the jacket/pant combo.
I missed that too ... thinking it a suit. I just assumed a slight difference in lighting. I must pay more attention.

As for the short trousers ... perhaps he's anticipating "high water" ... but if so ... there go the Chukkas.

chestercopperpot · Oct 25, 2009

i think cucinelli always looks classic. i dig the tailoring too. he's just way too overpriced for me.

incastoutcast · Oct 25, 2009

Originally Posted by Nicola

In the city?

I see nothing wrong with it. Sure, maybe not to a dressier office, but I wouldn't exactly wear a puffer coat to a dressier office either.

The odd thing here is that you seem to be ignoring the very rule you're attempting to use - that country clothes and city clothes should not mix. If anything, the down jacket shares even less with city clothes than the tweed jacket, as it was "scientifically" developed to be sporty/outdoorsy outerwear.

ajv · Oct 25, 2009

OK,

don't throw stones at me please, but i often wear a down-jacket (sleevless that is) over a sc or suit. But i always make sure the down-jacket is longer than the sc.
I also sometimes wear a kind of indian waist-coast that is padded inside over an SC.

Shall post some pics in WAYWRN in a couple of weeks.

Mannix · Oct 25, 2009

If you're young you could pull it off...I do it sometimes.

Lovellum · Oct 25, 2009

I believe the classic advice is that your clothing should get longer as the layers add up - shirt, suit, overcoat/other long coat. Throwing a puffer vest atop a suit jacket ruins a good bit of the initial attraction of a suit, methinks. Edit:

Originally Posted by aj_del

However, I think this looks wonderful, provided you stay with the casual aspect (see graphic sweater and boots).

Down vests over suit coats

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