In what era were vest popular for men?

[USS Marshall]

Did men wear vest in the 40's? Did they wear them with out suits or open more casual like Ed Norton in the Honeymooners?Does any body have any vintage pics that show men wearing vest that way?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

A VEST is generally something that a fisherman or hunter wears - or perhaps a repairman on the highway. A gentleman wore a WAISTCOAT that generally came as part of a three-piece suit or one that complimented a suit. I'll do a search for some photos. Oddly enough, during my free-wheeling single days back in the late 70's, I wore a "vest" with just jeans and a shirt. I a couple of them and found them much more comfortable and stylish than a sweater or sweatshirt.

-dixon cannon

 

[splintercellsz]

1700s-1950s?

Just a wide guess range for me, but I believe waistcoats were created for those whom rode horses, to keep warm. They then extended into formal wear, and what not.

Waistcoats were most definately worn in the 40's. Look at all the 3 piece suits, and such!

I believe this photo to be from the 20's.

EDIT: Welcome to the lounge!

 

[Fletch]

Up till WW2, with a revival around 1970. By the late 80s they were gone again.

 

[dnjan]

On the topic of waistcoats, what is the proper length?
Long enough to cover the waistband of the pants, but how long is too long?

 

[Fletch]

I would think too long is when it has to fold up when you sit down.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

1700s-1950s?

Just a wide guess range for me, but I believe waistcoats were created for those whom rode horses, to keep warm. They then extended into formal wear, and what not.

Waistcoats were most definately worn in the 40's. Look at all the 3 piece suits, and such!

I believe this photo to be from the 20's.

EDIT: Welcome to the lounge!

This picture gives more information than about the wearing of a waistcoat with a suit. I desire to bring to your attention some valuable information here. Pay notice to the gentlemen in the more or less middle of the group of men, without a hat, but sitting in a wheel chair. Take note that no one is looking at him at all..but no...look at the man on the far left of the picture, is appears he is reaching his hand inside his suit coat, reaching for his revolver.....then take note of the several men in the back row to the far right, you can see they are eye balling the man without the hat, what you really do not know, is this was a trap, a set up for the man in the wheel chair.....this picture later became famous for a while, as at the time it was called, "the end for hat-less Harold"...may he rest in peace.

 

[splintercellsz]

I have a larger version, and if you look closely at the man in the wheelchair, he has a mask type thing on the left side of his face. Maybe that is also where the idea for Mr. Harrow (Boardwalk Empire) came from? Is the man in the chair a WWI Vet that was wounded?

 

[USS Marshall]

Thanks for the input that tale about the picture is really cool

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I would think too long is when it has to fold up when you sit down.

I won't touch that comment at all....weeeeee haaaaw!

 

[Dinerman]

A VEST is generally something that a fisherman or hunter wears - or perhaps a repairman on the highway. A gentleman wore a WAISTCOAT that generally came as part of a three-piece suit or one that complimented a suit. I'll do a search for some photos. Oddly enough, during my free-wheeling single days back in the late 70's, I wore a "vest" with just jeans and a shirt. I a couple of them and found them much more comfortable and stylish than a sweater or sweatshirt.

-dixon cannon

Although in the part of the century in question in the US, they were called vests, even when part of a three piece suit. Waistcoat was the UK term.

 

[Fletch]

We're all agreed it's pronounced weskit, right? Sometimes even spelled that way in vernacular writing.

A waste coat is what happens when you put on too much paint.

 

[Shangas]

I generally say 'waistcoat', never vest. But occasionally if I'm lazy, it'll be 'weskit'.

The waistcoat died out in the 1950s and 60s. It had a brief revival in the 70s and 80s, but never really returned to the prominence that it once had. One reason was the intense fabric-rationing during the War, which meant that it just wasn't practical to make a three-piece suit anymore.

 

[Old Rogue]

I remember owning several three piece suits during the 70s. Around here wearing the vest was considered to be dressed more formally than just jacket and pants. We might leave off the vest if attending an ordinary Sunday morning church service, but for a wedding, funeral, etc. the vest made it's appearance.

 

[jamespowers]

I remember owning several three piece suits during the 70s. Around here wearing the vest was considered to be dressed more formally than just jacket and pants. We might leave off the vest if attending an ordinary Sunday morning church service, but for a wedding, funeral, etc. the vest made it's appearance.

Interesting. I knew I was doing something wrong. I wear my three piece suits to both of those.

 

[John in Covina]

One thing that you'll see now and then (especially in the TV Untouchables) in the 30's men wearing sort of a non-matching vest with a suit. Sometimes It looked like they were wearing a formal DB vest with a suit.

There was a guy on Ally McBeale that wore the non-matching set up a lot.

 

[Cochese]

I'm doing my vest (ha!) to bring it back.

I wonder if a non-pinstripe vest would look okay with a pinstripe suit. I cannot find a match for the life of me.

 

[dnjan]

As long as there is enough contrast in the color (solid, dark-gray with a lighter gray pinstripe, etc.)

 

[Tomasso]

I'm doing my vest (ha!) to bring it back.

I wonder if a non-pinstripe vest would look okay with a pinstripe suit. I cannot find a match for the life of me.

A dove gray vest would be a classic match with pinstripes for day wear. Personally, not a big fan of pinstripes after dark; too businessy.

 

[Burma Schave]

The waistcoat died out in the 1950s and 60s.

With one big exception in the U.S.: Ivy League clothing -the kind once made and sold by Brooks Brothers, J. Press, The Andover Shop, Arthur M. Rosenberg, Cable Car Clothes, and Langrock, among many others- never abandoned the suit waistcoat, not even in the '50s and '60s. The three-piece suit remained an integral part of the Ivy look.