By now I’m sure you’ve seen fashion influencers everywhere rocking the sweater vest trend. Major luxury fashion houses like Gucci and Prada have incorporated this trendy sleeveless knit into their F/W collections and the style has trickled down into major fast fashion brands as well. This fun piece has a vintage element to it AND is surprisingly wearable.
There are a variety of different styles — preppy, oversized, abstract prints, etc. so you’ll have a lot of fun styling this piece. It also adds an extra bit of warmth without overwhelming your outfit. If you’re new to this trend and unsure of how to rock it, you’ve come to the right place. Keep scrolling for some major fashion inspo, style tips, and shop the cutest sweater vests on the market!
Style Tip 1: Elevate and Modernize
We also like to call these vests the “grandpa vests” around here. My earliest memory of seeing these knits was on my grandpa! It’s funny how fashion comes full circle and now it’s 2020 and these “frumpy” vests are now every fashionista’s must-have piece. So how do you style a sweater vest in an elegant, modern way? Easy. Wear it over a piece that is traditionally considered formal and tailored. You can’t go wrong with crisp white shirts or dresses. Another tip is to choose a neutral palette. Incorporating lots of colors and patterns will take you back to the 90’s (this is a whole look of its own), but to keep it modern we like simplicity and structure. This is the easiest way to style a sweater vest. To accessorize, you can opt for designer pieces to add a formal vibe or go more casual by pairing it with jeans and staple gold jewelry.
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Shop Our Sweater Vest Picks:
Acne Studios
Ribbed-knit vest ecru - $480
Vero Moda
Cable Knit Vest with Roll Neck - $59
Anthropologie
Cybil Cable-Knit Sweater Vest - $158
&Daughter
Bonnie merino wool and cashmere-blend tank - $395
Style Tip 2: Embrace the Throwback
For a super fun, youthful look we want to embrace the stripes, embroideries, patterns, and more! This will take you back to the 90’s with the preppy looks and vintage grunge moments. If you’ve ever thrifted a vintage sweater vest, now is the time to rock it! To embrace the throwback, our tip is to bring more textures and patterns to the outfit. You can wear your vest over a simple white tee paired with a pleated midi skirt and chunky loafers. Have fun by creating more focal points throughout your outfit. Think loose-fit bottoms, puff sleeve sweaters, and brighter colors.
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Shop Our Sweater Vest Picks:
Alessandra Rich
Embroidered alpaca-blend vest - $532
Kina & Tam
The Tulip Vest - $59.99
Dodo Bar Or
Silviya Color-block Knitted Sweater - $325
Y.A.S
Knitted Vest in Oversized Houndstooth - $65
Style Tip 3: Scandinavian Chic
Scandinavian patterns are gorgeous for the fall and winter, so we’re dedicating a whole style tip to sweater vests that feature Scandinavian patterns. Since this pattern tends to be busy, we recommend pairing this with leather bottoms for a chic, elevated look. These cozy patterns also tend to lean more casual so you’ll want to incorporate luxe fabrications like faux fur, suede, and leather into your outfit to take it to the next level. If you’re looking to add an extra layer, throw on a long coat and edge it up with combat boots. One more note: sweater vests are perfect for layering up without the bulkiness in the sleeves that sometimes comes with layering traditional sweaters under outerwear pieces.
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Shop Our Sweater Vest Picks:
Acne Studios
Dsquared2
Etsy
Knit Sweater Vest - $47.99
Which one of these style tips are you going to try out? Are sweater vests a trend that’s here to stay? We want to hear your thoughts!
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