Fishing vests, or utility vests, are a really useful piece of clothing when the weather is hot, and they’re not as awkward as you might think.
I learned this myself a few years ago by wearing this one in the picture – a simple vintage vest from LL Bean. I was a little unsure at first, as I usually see them being worn by the likes ofJamie FergusonorJames Harvey-Kellyboth are photographers and both often wear them when shooting.
But how unusual it looks depends a lot on the style of the vest, I find, and what else you wear with it.
Vest styles run a wide spectrum between fussy and pretty straight. Especially fishing models tend to have a lot of pockets, some of them impossibly small, and things like a piece of soft wool on the chest to hold lines or flies.
Hunting vests tend to be a little lighter, with a few, larger pockets in the front, but unusual features like a large back pocket, for that bird you just shot. The simplest models are often referred to as standard ‘utility’ vests.
Another important way vests differ is the collar.
Most traditional vests were worn with collared shirts, and would be expected to stay under a larger coat. So they had no collar at all, like a coat.
The problem with this is that it’s not flattering on most guys with just a t-shirt underneath – likewearing a crewneck with a low collar over a tee. That’s certainly the case with me.
So I like a collar, either full like the vest shown on me, or a little collar shaped like a pleat in the back, as shown below. It’s a small addition but it makes a big difference in how we look with a t-shirt.
Now, their dressing. The fishing vest/gear is a bit unusual – maybe too commercial, maybe these days a little street – but the big effect comes from wearing it with a flannel shirt and cords, or a skate tee and cargo pants.
Or just a regular t-shirt and jeans, like here.
Even then, black jeans and cordovan loafers look different from blue jeans and boat shoes, as in my two outfits. I wear both, but black jeans will always look modern, small town (below).
There is a tendency among men to look at a piece of clothing in isolation, rather than considering it in context. It has to do with the desire to copy the entire outfit from the lookbook, rather than taking one or two features.
I know people do this because it’s easy and predictable, but I would encourage them to have a little fun and experiment. A lot of personal style comes with this type of testing.
Hopefully the thing that needs a little explanation about the utility vest is how useful it can be.
Even a simple style like mine has 15 pockets, with two zippers. You can carry a phone, wallet, headphones, sunglasses, sun cream, cap, pen and keys, and still have seven pockets.
It’s cooler than a full jacket, and it’s usually made with holes, mesh or some other similar ventilation method. They are very useful; that’s why older guys love them.
OK, so let’s assume I’ve convinced you about the style and functionality of one of these – or at least pick up a cheap second-hand one and give it a go. Which one can you find?
First, I suggest a few tips on what to consider:
- Consider how much detail and what collar you want, based on the examples above.
- Look carefully at the measurements of the chest and length: the functionality of vests means that they can be too wide, and too short. If they are wide, there is something useful to squeeze the body.
- Cotton is better than anything made, in my opinion, because vests look great as they age, and you don’t need a lightweight or quick-drying fabric.
- When in doubt, go easy, and that includes the color beige which is pictured as the lightest color. Black like navy or black may seem simple, but this should be a summer default.
There are several modern versions out there, from classic menswear brands to more streetwear oriented ones.CompatibilityIt does the best, for example, as you would expect.Drake’smake unusual colors like their ‘safari vest’.Surplusfinally cheap, makes a cool utility vest tooBarbouralways has a little bit.
On the other side of fashion,ALDhe’s done a few interesting ones in recent years and right now he has a fun madras version.Actionit has a cool ‘workwear gilet’ tooUniversal Worksperfect for simple, easy designs.
The best ones are often picked up on eBay, from LL Bean, Eddie Bauer and the like. They are cheap, made to last, and usually have good character already.
When searching on eBay, try to use broad terms, search patiently and look for foreign countries – there are more in the US than elsewhere for example.
Sellers may not always know what they have, so it helps to try as many keywords as possible – use a comma inside the brackets to make ‘or’, for example “(fishing, hunting, accessories)” will bring up a list of vests with one of those keywords.
For brands, check out the likes of LL Bean, Eddie Bauer, Columbia or Orvis. Despite being quite fashionable, vintage vests remain a niche, so unlike vintage denim or military jackets, there is plenty to find and cheap prices. Many fashion brands like Ralph Lauren or even Tommy Hilfiger are also good, but less reliable.
A few of our finds today: