How to Wear a Sweater Vest: 7 Stylish Ways to Pull Off the Endlessly Versatile Knit

The humble sweater vest has had one hell of a decade. In the early 2010s, the knitwear staple was all but left for dead, the sort of fuddy-duddy sartorial relic only your grandpa could love. And then a funny thing happened: Dressing like your grandpa became the coolest thing in menswear. Suddenly those sleeveless castaways were back at the center of the conversation, popping up on the backs of inventive dressers like Tyler, the Creator and in the collections of vibey labels like Supreme and Our Legacy.

And thank goodness that happened, because sweater vests rank among the most versatile layers you can own. As you’ll see below, there’s perhaps no easier way to level up a look—be it a T-shirt and jeans or a suit and tie—than by adding a vest to the mix. Here’s how to wear a sweater vest like a true-blue style god.

Don’t Overthink It

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What’s the easiest way to style a sweater vest? With whatever else you got on. Our guy Carmy here used his beloved vintage Lacoste number to elevate an otherwise unremarkable off-day look of a fitted white tee, some beautifully baggy khakis, and a pair of well-worn Sambas. The right vest could just as easily supercharge an oxford shirt and jeans, a polo shirt and painter paints—whatever your got-dressed-with-your-eyes-close combination of choice might be.