Whether patterned or plain, technicolour or tastefully neutral, one thing’s for sure: the sweater vest is here to stay. Just a few years ago, this silhouette was more aligned with something grandads might wear on the golf course or for a day out at the cricket with a pair of starched, stone chinos and a slip-on suede loafer. Not anymore.
In recent seasons, this easy-to-wear extra layer has become synonymous with menswear’s modern prep mood — equal in its style credentials to baggy stonewashed jeans, chunky sneakers, and sports jerseys, which were all once ironically adopted as ‘dad’ style. Now, they’re confident closet silhouettes of their own accord.
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The sweater vest has followed a similar trajectory, and its appeal is not hard to discern. Aligned with the vibe for all things retro, the style conjures the Nineties as much as the Fifties: Fairisle and Argyle styles, which originated in Scotland and whose patterns are tied up with their own shepherding folklore, are beloved by everyone from Tyler, The Creator, to Alicia Silverstone’s character Cher, in the 1995 cult classic Clueless.
Given its decades-long stint on television, it’s no surprise that Friends is endless fodder for fashion. And the series was not short of sweater vests either. Chandler Bing, played by Matthew Perry, was a huge fan: he preferred those of the no-sleeves cardigan variety, with button-up frontage and a deep V silhouette. He wore them with shirts, ties and loose-cut trousers — today, he’d no doubt be a fan of John Smedley’s best-selling Stavely style, which is knit with a merino micron of 24: it’s super slimline, simple and stylish. Meanwhile, Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel Green, purveyor of the decade’s monochromatic minimalism, wore fitted black versions over boxy white T-shirts. John Smedley’s slick sea island cotton version in black is an instant office-ready classic that riffs on that urban, Nineties mood.
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This sleeveless style has found modern momentum thanks to its versatility. They’re an easy way to add playfulness to an understated outfit: look to Harry Styles and his sheep-decorated sweaters, or Chinese influencer Austin Li Jiaqi’s penchant for poppy-coloured Argyle versions, as proof. Meanwhile, they’re also an excellent way to add cosiness to winter wardrobes without added bulk — seamlessly slipping over a roll neck or button-up shirts — or worn solo for trans-seasonal temperatures, a la Bella Hadid.
The style has long-been wrapped up in American culture. It’s reported that the sweater vest was created in Michigan in the early 20th century, when its professional football team was gifted knitted tops as kit: one savvy player, who wasn’t keen on overheating, chopped the sleeves off. And the sweater vest as we know it was born.
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It was soon adopted as a smart-casual staple among the echelons of US society, worn by presidents including Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Hoover; by the 1930s, Eleanor Roosevelt teamed a slimline version with tweeds. Prior to World War I, plain, crew-necked styles were worn by Hollywood celebrities and everyday women with midi-length skirts and layered over puffed sleeved blouses — experiencing a dip in popularity in the post-war years, as silhouettes became extravagant after years of austerity.
Then came the 1970s and its more bohemian spin on the trend. Colours, patterns and bold styles became the aesthetic du jour: it’s reminiscent of countless varieties worn in abundance right now, where the sweater vest has become a blank canvas for sartorial expression. Think Mondrian-inspired checks and painterly Fair Isles that are an easy way to add an air of playfulness into everyday wardrobes.
No matter how you choose to wear one, there's a sweater vest for every occasion - come rain or shine, it's a trans-seasonal ally that will give your closet basics year-round mileage.
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