Why Did Men Stop Wearing Waistcoats (Vests)?

About this video

The Gazette team explores the historical origins of the waistcoat dating back to 1666 and King Charles II, then analyzes five primary reasons for its decline in modern menswear: the shift from pocket eyewear to modern spectacles, the replacement of pocket watches with wristwatches, fashion changes including cummerbunds and belts, World War II fabric rationing, and the widespread adoption of central heating. Despite these practical factors rendering waistcoats obsolete, the Gazette team argues they remain valuable for creating a polished, professional appearance and can be incorporated creatively into modern suiting.

Key takeaways

• The Gazette team traces the waistcoat’s evolution from Charles II’s 1666 court decree through the 19th and 20th centuries, when it gradually shortened and changed in styling
• The Gazette team identifies five key factors in the waistcoat’s decline: eyewear pocket obsolescence, wristwatch adoption, fashion alternatives like cummerbunds and belts, WWII rationing effects, and central heating reducing the need for layering
• The Gazette team argues that despite losing practical utility, waistcoats can enhance modern menswear by creating a slimmer silhouette, providing a polished appearance, and allowing creative styling through odd waistcoats or spezzato techniques
• The Gazette team notes that quality matters in modern waistcoats, as many contemporary versions use poor synthetic fabrics and unflattering lengths that contribute to their unpopularity

Episode details: published September 20, 2021 · 531K views · 21:32 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The style guidance summarized here is the Gentleman’s Gazette team’s own teaching and opinion, presented for education; product recommendations are theirs, not ours. Summaries are written by Self Growth Videos from each video itself.

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