The 70s Called, It Agreed That Sweater Vests Are Cool
Sweater vests have always been around, but when the preppy style started making headlines again a few years ago (we can thank Harry Styles for that one), you’d be forgiven for thinking it was another micro-trend that would dissipate as soon as it began. But it seems like the sweater vest is here to stay.
The quirky knitwear was shown on some of the most talked-about runways this season: Kenzo, Jil Sander, and JW Anderson to name just a few. While celebrities like A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator, and Jaden Smith have made the sweater vest part of their regular rotation.
One of the earliest examples of athleisure, sweater vests are an early-20th century example of a focus on functionality, with the lack of sleeves making it a sportsman’s essential in golf and tennis. Despite gaining huge popularity in the ’70s, since then the sweater vest has mostly remained a preppy piece of golf attire. However, our current 70s resurgence is finally giving the sleeveless sweater the respect it deserves.
Along its recent journey from a certifiable piece of nerd-wear to the hottest ticket at Paris fashion week, there’s a lot of styling inspiration out there. From going commando to shirting up, below is your masterclass on how to style a sweater vest.
Knitted sweater vests are not exactly a warm-weather essential, so the obvious way to make it suitable for the rising temperatures is wearing nothing underneath. Not only is this practical, but Kenzo’s latest collection along with A$AP Rocky and Jaden Smith have proven it works in an outfit. These are our favorite, scratch-free styles for going topless with, along with some matching jewelry.
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Koris Wool Vest
Acne Studios
$580
Chain Link Necklace
Dries Van Noten
$350
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Orchestre Sweater Vest
Wales Bonner
$540
GP Cuban Chain
Hatton Labs
$765
The most common way you will have seen sweater vests styled in the past, whether it be by a school teacher or Brad Pitt in Inglourious Basterds, it’s a classic combination. Harry Styles dominated headlines back in 2019 when he paired a sheep-print vest with a stripey shirt and for good reason — we still are obsessed with the look. Here are the shirt and sweater vest combinations that we recommend.
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Le Gilet Neve
Jacquemus
$500
Logo-Embroidered Shirt
Gucci
$680
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Dazed Sweater Vest
OBEY
$80
Oxford Sport Shirt
Polo Ralph Lauren
$100
Tyler, The Creator has proven that there is nothing that can’t be paired with shorts when done correctly and the California native has shown time and again that this is true of sweater vests. Get those smart-casual warm-weather looks with the shorts and sweater vest pairing we recommend below.
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Bruno Knitted Vest
WOOD WOOD
$265
Classic Sport Uniform Shorts
Y-3
$265
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Ribbed Sweater Vest
Marni
$490
Habor Shorts
Dries Van Noten
$305
Being a 70s staple, there is no shortage of boldly-patterned sweater vests to take inspiration from. When it comes to the louder side of things, sometimes it’s best to just tone back the rest of the outfit and opt for a simple white t-shirt. You really can’t go wrong.
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Sleeveless Sweater
Dries Van Noten
$370
Logo T-Shirt
Y-3
$125
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Argyle Sweater Vest
Urban Outfitters
$49
Short Sleeve T-Shirt
UNIQLO
$20
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Source: Highsnobiety