Last Updated on December 3, 2020
Fashion right now is all about comfort – but what if sweat pants aren’t your thing?
In comes the sweater vest. If you’ve been shopping (online or IRL) at all recently, you’ll have seen hundreds of them lining the walls of shops like Zara, Topshop and H&M. It all started on the catwalks of course, with Gucci, Fendi and Jil Sander showcasing these granny chic knits at Fashion Week earlier this year. Now they’re absolutely everywhere, popping up on Instagram with nearly every scroll.
So how do you wear them? Contrary to popular belief, sweater vests aren’t just for grandads. There are so many ways to style them and with the help of some of our favourite influencers, we’re here to show you how.
Clash patterns
Keep it colourful like Zeena Shah (above) and clash prints. Whether it’s with a printed roll neck underneath your sweater vest, or teamed with a pair of printed trousers, going heavy on prints always looks good.
Dress it up
For those erring with caution and looking for an easy way to wear a sweater vest, try teaming it with a dress like Bex Fountain (above). It doesn’t have to be too fussy, but is a simple way to make a grandad vest look chic.
Shirt up
Sometimes simple is best. Simply layer a sweater vest over an oversized shirt and cycling shorts, and team with chunky black boots like Abigail Liddiard (above). We love this embroidered vest from Monki (below).
Be bold
This trend doesn’t have to be monochrome. Make the trend your own and embrace colour with a bright sweater vest teamed with a contrasting shirt or dress and bold accessories like Joanna (above). Zara have many colourful options, such as this pink knit (below).
Argyle is in
If pastels aren’t your vibe and you’d rather go granny chic, we recommend an Argyle print sweater vest. Wear over a tee with jeans or cream-coloured jeans for a casual and easy-to-wear look. We recommend scoping out vintage knits for this look, as there are countless retro options to choose from. Depop has some great options too.
