From Gareth Southgate to Taylor Swift: the continuing rise of the waistcoat
20.05.2023 - 00:35
/ msn.com
Picture a waistcoat, that longstanding fixture of formal attire, and poof! . … images of portly magicians straining their buttons are conjured in the mind. Once a statement of refined dressing, the buttoned vest’s status has been diminished over the decades by illusionists, snooker players and eccentric members of the House of Lords.
But thanks to a new generation of devotees, the waistcoat is enjoying a comeback. The fashion forward England manager, Gareth Southgate, led his team to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 sporting an M&S version and now, thanks to cultural icons such as Taylor Swift and Sarah Snook’s Shiv from Succession, sleeveless formalwear is the go-to office look of the summer. As modelled by Southgate, it is being worn with matching trousers.
Dubbed the half suit, it ditches the blazer. Unlike Southgate, the look involves a wider trouser leg instead of the traditional tapered style. Searches for waistcoats are up 300% at John Lewis, while an oatmeal linen version from M&S has sold out.
Sherbet pink, moss green and charcoal sets are in high demand online at John Lewis, with the majority of sizes from a UK 6 to 18 sold out. Part of its appeal, says Virginia Seymour, the director of the British brand Aligne, is a reaction to the casualisation of the pandemic. “At the start of 2020 there was a casual loungewear moment,” she says.
The half suit sits somewhere between coordinated office wear and something more casual. “After lockdown came floral dresses and white trainers. Now people want pieces with more structure.
” Aligne’s white and black pinstripe matching set is proving most popular. Until recently, the combination of a blazer, trousers and trainers was a well-trod fashion formula. Swapping the blazer
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