Waistcoat
A waistcoat (UK and Commonwealth, /ˈweɪs(t)koʊt/ or /ˈwɛskət/; colloquially called a weskit[1]) or vest (US and Canada) is a sleeveless upper-body garment.
[3] Historically, the waistcoat can be worn either in the place of, or underneath, a larger coat, dependent upon the weather, wearer, and setting.
[4] The term vest is used widely in the United States and Canada, and is often worn as part of formal attire or as the third piece of a lounge suit in addition to a jacket and trousers.
[citation needed] During the 17th century, troops of the regular army – and to some degree also local militia – wore waistcoats which were the reverse colour of their overcoats.
It is believed that these were made by turning old worn-out standard issue overcoats inside-out (so that the lining colour appeared on the outside) and removing the sleeves.
One often-cited one claims that the custom was started by King Edward VII (then the Prince of Wales), whose expanding waistline required it.
The much larger expanse of shirt compared to a daytime waistcoat allows more variety of form, with "U" or "V" shapes possible, and there is large choice of outlines for the tips, ranging from pointed to flat or rounded.
[7] Various types of waistcoats may have been worn in theatrical manners such as performances and masquerades prior to what is said to be the early origins of the vest.
[8] The brightly coloured silk waistcoats popularised in France and England from the 17th century – influenced by the exotic Indian and other "Eastern" attire of returning English travellers – became an element of the ensemble that presaged the development of the three-piece lounge suit, together with the cravat, derived from a scarf worn by Croatian mercenaries fighting for King Louis XIII of France,[9] and the justacorps, a coat influenced by the long zupans worn in Poland and Ukraine.
[citation needed] In October 1666, King Charles II of England launched a new fashion in men's wear for the English.
[8] Scholar Diana De Marly suggests that the formation of such a mode of dress acted as a response to French fashion being so dominant in the time period.
[8] The garment – and Charles II's championing of it – is mentioned in a diary entry of October 8, 1666 by Samuel Pepys, the diarist and civil servant.
[4] He noted that "the King hath yesterday in council declared his resolution of setting a fashion for clothes which he will never alter.
John Evelyn wrote about waistcoats on October 18, 1666: "To Court, it being the first time his Majesty put himself solemnly into the Eastern fashion of vest, changing doublet, stiff collar, bands and cloak, into a comely dress after the Persian mode, with girdles or straps, and shoestrings and garters into buckles... resolving never to alter it, and to leave the French mode".
[8] After the French Revolution of 1789, anti-aristocratic sentiment in France (and elsewhere in Europe) influenced the wardrobes of both men and women, and waistcoats followed, becoming much less elaborate.
After about 1810 the fit of the waistcoat became shorter and tighter, becoming much more secondary to the frock coat and almost counting as an undergarment, although its popularity was larger than ever.
With the new dandyism of the early 19th century, the waistcoat started to change roles, moving away from its function as the centrepiece of the visual aspect of male clothing, towards serving as a foundation garment, often with figure-enhancing abilities.
Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, had a reputation for his tight corsets and tiny waist; and although he lacked popularity during his early reign, men followed his style, and waistcoats became even more restrictive.
Non-formal types of waistcoat have been used in workers uniforms, such as at Walmart prior to 2007,[14] and as high-visibility clothing (usually the bright "safety orange" colour).
During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the manager of the England football team, Gareth Southgate, was often seen wearing a waistcoat.
British retailer Marks & Spencer, the official suit provider for the national team, reported a 35% increase in waistcoat sales during England's first five games at the tournament.
[16] Part-way through the tournament, the Museum of London announced that it hoped to acquire Gareth Southgate's waistcoat in order to display it as part of its permanent collection of historic clothing.
[22] Instead of consisting of the same, highly decorative fabric, it became popular to wear a waistcoat that complemented the coat and breeches instead of matching it perfectly.
