Waistcoats come in many forms. Like how jackets typically come in two-button and three-button variants, waistcoats are most commonly made with either five or six buttons. There are, however, many more variations on the waistcoat.
Six is the standard number of buttons on a waistcoat in the British tradition, with the buttons spaced approximately 5 to 6 cm apart. Almost all of James Bond’s waistcoats have six buttons as it’s the typical style for British tailors. High-end British ready-to-wear brands as well as brands influenced by British style like Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford often make six-button waistcoats too. On a single-breasted waistcoat, like on a single-breasted jacket, the bottom button is typically not supposed to be fastened. This custom developed due to people copying King Edward VII, because he gained too much weight to fasten the bottom button of his waistcoat. Now, waistcoats are designed to be worn with the bottom button open. On some British-cut waistcoats, like Sean Connery’s three waistcoats in Goldfinger, the bottom button is on the cutaway portion at the bottom, so the button and buttonhole are not even able to fasten by any means. This also allows the ceremonial bottom button to be slightly lower on the waistcoat so the waistcoat doesn’t need to be as long, thus tightening up the look.
If the waistcoat is cut straight across the bottom without a cutaway, like Sean Connery’s are in Thunderball, the bottom button should be fastened. This is an older style of waistcoat from before the bottom of a waistcoat developed the cutaway.
Outside of Britain, the five-button waistcoat is standard. Stylistically, five buttons may be chosen to provide a lower and larger opening at the chest than six buttons. Some may find that its lower opening harmonises better with a jacket that has two buttons or one button. Five buttons may look more proportionate on shorter men, on whom six buttons will be too crowded or come up too high on the chest. Five-button waistcoats are typically designed so all buttons can fasten, as was originally intended, but the bottom button is usually left open per tradition. Pierce Brosnan wears James Bond’s only five-button waistcoat with his navy birdseye suit in Tomorrow Never Dies, where it follows the jacket’s lowered button stance.
The five-button waistcoat became the standard in ready-to-wear instead of the six-button because it’s cheaper to produce and is more flexible on a wider range of body types. It might be seen as a shortcut when the buttons are spaced far apart on taller men. If the buttons are too far apart, particularly much over 6 cm apart, the waistcoat won’t sit as well over the body.
The seven-button waistcoat is an older Victorian and Edwardian style that is best worn on taller men. The seven-button waistcoat is usually cut a little higher at the chest than a six-button waistcoat, but it may also have the same cut as a six-button waistcoat, just with the buttons closer together. George Lazenby wears a seven-button waistcoat as part of his chalk stripe suit in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, following the outgoing New Edwardian fashions. Timothy Dalton wears another one with his chalk stripe suit in The Living Daylights. Both waistcoats look good on the respective actors, who are both 6’2”. Such waistcoats need a three-button jacket to match their long proportions, and they may have been paired with a four-button jacket in their original period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Three- and four-button waistcoats for suits exist today and have existed historically, but outside of black tie they’re more of an unusual fashion piece. They are usually cut lower than a five-button waistcoat, but sometimes they’re cut like a five-button waistcoat with the buttons spaced further apart. The eight-button waistcoat, sometimes with the buttons grouped in pairs, is a similar historical style to the seven-button waistcoat, but it has rarely been revived.
James Bond does not usually wear double-breasted waistcoats, as their a little showier than a single-breasted waistcoat. The classic British double-breasted waistcoat typically has six buttons overall, with the same vertical spacing between them as on single-breasted waistcoats, and a straight hem. This ensures that with a straight ‘V’ opening, the opening won’t be too high. It’s common to find double-breasted waistcoats with a curved ‘V’ opening to prevent the opening from being too high if the buttons are spaced further apart or if there are more than six buttons. Eight buttons are also common on double-breasted waistcoats, often to accommodate a taller man or a 21st century suit with mid-rise or low-rise trousers. Historically, one could also see four, ten or twelve buttons on a double-breasted waistcoat, but six and eight are typically the most balanced and practical. The buttons are traditionally in a keystone formation, spaced further apart at the top than at the bottom for a slimming appearance. Modern waistcoats sometimes place the buttons in a column, which is less flattering. The bottom button on a double-breasted waistcoat is traditionally fastened if the waistcoat has a straight hem, but on longer modern waistcoats, especially if there’s a cutaway at the bottom, it’s acceptable to leave the bottom open. Double-breasted waistcoats are common with morning dress, but they’re not necessary with morning dress, and they can also be worn with a suit.
The single-breasted evening waistcoat, as worn with black tie and white tie, has a very low opening at the front and fastens with three or four very closely spaced buttons. Three buttons or four make very little difference in the context of the evening waistcoat, though three buttons is the more common style. Historically, versions with only one or two buttons were made. Bond wears his only single-breasted evening waistcoat in GoldenEye, where it’s the four-button version. He wears the bottom button open, but it’s appropriate to fasten it.
The double-breasted evening waistcoat usually has four or six buttons overall to maintain its low opening. The buttons on a double-breasted evening waistcoat are vertically close together, but the opening has a deep ‘U’ shape to show off most of the shirt front. Pierce Brosnan wears a five-button double-breasted evening waistcoat in Tomorrow Never Dies, where the buttons are positioned in a ‘V’ configuration so there’s only one button at the bottom, like on a single-breasted waistcoat. This buttoning style is unusual for an evening waistcoat and is typically used for morning dress. The buttons on an evening waistcoat should be closer together vertically so the opening is deeper. This style could occasionally be seen historically, along with the similar double-breasted three-button evening waistcoat.
The position of waistcoat buttons can vary, but typically the next-to-bottom button is positioned around the trouser waistband so the shirt isn’t visible when the waistcoat’s bottom button is open. On waistcoats with a straight hem (which is technically curved) without a cutaway, the bottom button should instead be positioned around the trouser waistband so the waistcoat will extend just past the bottom of the trouser waistband. The waistcoat’s length is extremely important. Too short and the trouser waistband—or worse, the shirt—will be visible. Too long, and the torso looks too long and large, throwing the whole look out of proportion. Too long also means that the waistcoat will bunch up or be uncomfortable when seated. If it’s too long on a man with a belly, it unattractively hangs away from the body.
There’s no rule about how many waistcoat buttons should show when a jacket is fastened. It’s typical for one to four waistcoat buttons to show above the jacket’s fastened button—two or three buttons visible is most common. This not only depends on the number of buttons on the waistcoat, but also on the cut of the waistcoat, the jacket’s button stance, how many buttons are on the jacket and how much the jacket’s lapels roll. The waistcoat should not show below the fastened jacket button.
The waistcoat must be worn with high-waisted trousers that sit at the waist. A longer waistcoat with more buttons or a wider button spacing is not the solution when the waistcoat doesn’t properly meet the trousers. If a waistcoat seems to be too short, a higher rise on the trousers is almost always the solution. Sometimes it’s as simple as wearing the trousers with braces so they don’t slip down.
Much needed article. We don’t speak about waistcoats enough. We don’t even see waistcoats in the wild enough, even though it’s a very handy garment, and a good addition as an amazing piece of kit. I have maintained this opinion for a long time, but we need more waistcoats, as three piece component, or as odd waistcoats.
I will say this, though, unless a person’s height is really interfering, four to six buttons should be made the only, and I mean only, norm. Anything more or less, again, outside of height and proportion considerations, are uber-farby. Waistcoats should have adequate coverage without competing with the jacket.
One material I really want to promote, however, is suede. Ralph Lauren suede waistcoat is really something that is on my radar for years now. For casual/physical work outfit, if not downright protective outfit, leather jerkins are also in high considerations. I’m in the process of moving, so I cannot make too many purchases that would hinder my moving timeline, but I’m eyeing a horsehide jerkin, cut to the length of a waistcoat (still goes up close to a crew neck like the WW1 version), which I’ll wear underneath my casual jacket for late Fall and Winter.
Odd waistcoats are nice to have, especially if you cannot really stomache a full three piece outfit. I have a heavy tweed in black, and another in a silver grey mesh fabric for late Spring – early Summer wear. Both have straight cut hems, and can be worn during the inter-season transitional periods. I highly recommend odd waistcoats, especially because they make the least contact to friction and/or wear.
Why the materials matter when we got to talk waistcoats’ fitting? Yeah I agree that we don’t speak about waistcoats enough, and I say common, usual topics of waistcoats we talked are about warmth, fomality, or style of odd waistcoat!
I must say poor fitting waistcoats with even if great fabrics for each of climinate we’re in are worthless especially when we want to be stylish person.
Materials matter because even if it’s the smallest piece of the ensemble, the material needs to make sense. I’m not going to risk it looking nice with a waistcoat that leaves my chest hurt in the Winter, no more than sweating all of the liquids in my body away in the middle of summer with a waistcoat made of unbefitting material.
Warmth, to be, is much needed, if not down right a necessary criterion. There’s a joy in living in cold climate area, but burning lungs and shivering is not it. I’ve beaten this dead horse one too many times, but I don’t have time or stomache for expense on overcoats, especially if I may lose them, so waistcoat is the tie-breaker.
Waistcoat formality is almost too trivial. Anything in between a low cut waistcoat for black tie, or leather jerkins to be worn with a work jacket, yet not directly those twos themselves, will work. Matter of fact, we need to see more of the straight hem waistcoats.
In terms of fittings, as of this point in the 21st century, even as I am here in the tip of the Pacific Northwest, there are great alteration tailors who can take care of the fit with a couple day’s worth of wait and a bit more expense. So, really, it is entirely up to the conscientiousness of the person’s own self there. It doesn’t have to be a fully bespoken or handmade waistcoat of uber-expensive, extra rare material of a waistcoat. Even a cotton canvas, brushed cotton, or simply any natural material waistcoat of even sub-$100, that if gets sent to a good alteration tailor (or even better, do it yourself), fitted properly, will be just as good.
Lastly, understand this – the waistcoat offers a lot of practical values and advantages, not just style alone. It just needs to be done right.
Again, respectfully, you make me to feel that you shroud the many aspects of waistcoats with just practical principles. I certainly agree I consider practical thing of outfits, but I don’t think that’s all we got. Sometimes we want to dress, and we can talk about that. No need to deny things just because you may not like them or you don’t have time to consider wearing.
And I take back that the materials don’t matter with fitting. The thickness or draping of clothes or something like that do make difference!
I have personally had one too many people promoting that either the waistcoat is purely for elegance, unnecessary, and impractical, downright. Recently, I even had a lengthy discussion – albeit with better understanding and agreement to conclude than what you are doing here – about the value of a waistcoat for me or any other forgetful individuals over an overcoat. Matter of fact, au contraire , I and my promotion of the practical principles of the waistcoat exist because almost universally everyone denied that the garment hold endless practical values.
Cloths and materials work more than just drape and shape. A waistcoat would have a different fit compare to a jacket, and the different application will also prefer that each material fits differently, depending on closeness of fit, thickness/weight of material, intended seasonal/environmental use, stretch/elasticity of material(s), and amount of equipment(s) potentially being carried. Wool of all weaves, cashmere, Escorial, and to an extent, linen, silk, will stretch just fine, and can be course corrected with pressing. Cotton and variants, such as corduroy, moleskin, canvas, twill, offer near as nevermind zero stretch, so those need a lot of help via other manners. Leathers, such as horsehide (in terms of jerkins), so long as not soggy with oils, will maintain shape for decades to come, and suede, if it is split suede, will need lots of care to deter sagging and losing shape. It’s a big world out there.
Oh, you think I claim the waistcoat is “purely for elegance, unnecessary, and impractical, downright”? Yes, It’s a big world out there. Some area in the world it’s unnecessary and no need for practical(I’m not talking some field or climate, means someone’s style). I’ve respect to your preference and others. It’s a shame you’ve feel like everyone is enemy to your thought.
I don’t think we can talk about all aspects in one comment, but denying others with single aspect or perspective is also boring sometimes. I just saying, like, “Oh okay I do understand you like waistcoats, rather than overcoats, that’s your truth you’ve got from your journey! I’ve seen your preference for few weeks. I got you. Alright, why don’t we go next, others may not be thinking practical and about topic you’ve already talked, but worth the hear… Some could wear waistcoats with impractial way… and it’s not attacking you… No need to deny with your opinion…” ;)
And say, if there was only one truth for every one about waistcoat and dressing, this article and their issue is not so complicated!
We always get another extra room for think.
>I’m eyeing a horsehide jerkin, cut to the length of a waistcoat (still goes up close to a crew neck like the WW1 version), which I’ll wear underneath my casual jacket for late Fall and Winter.
Aero makes some very cool ones in this vein. I got the Shackleton for my father.
I’ve wanted article like this!
Some tailors says the hem of waistcoat should sits about where between waistband and back hip pocket and that’s how they decide the point. When the trousers have proper rise, it may be fine but I’ve seen too long waistcoats with suits recently.(Yes, the problem is a trousers with rise too low and they just add a waistcoat. They should adjust the rise first!) It’s a shame to decreasing the popularity of three-piece-suit because of people who got poor fitted ones and tell images they’re uncool.
I hope any tailors should know how to make nice well fitted three-piece-suits when they needed.
Anthony Sinclair (yes, more like Mason and Sons, but hey, the name still exists), at my explicit request, made my three piece suits and odd waistcoats extremely appropriate. You just have to be clear and concise. Every tailors and tailoring houses with integrit should know to keep it proper. Unfortunately, we have people who waltz in with one too many questionable ideas in mind.
That and, the age of “influencers” should just end already…
I hope they’ve started to push back on bad customer requests more. My first exposure to them was that “Goldfinger three-piece” commissioned for the owner of a Bond Lifestyle site which had ultra low rise trousers and correspondingly long waistcoat, super slim fit, etc.
I have a number of items from them (all featured on this website) and I never had that problem with them.
You can get a classic style from them if you request it (since it’s all custom now anyways), although it seems their default is a more modern cut that does lean towards the lower rise trousers, slimmer fit, high gorge, high button stance, etc unless you really know what to ask for.
Interestingly they may be lagging a bit behind some of the popular MTM companies that are already pivoting away from the 2010 trends look.
@Kamal I think there is a danger for a business like Mason & Sons that advertises they will modify any of their suits to fit customer tastes to be too strict about pushing back against a customer request unless it’s just out impossible. I mean, I bought the YOLT single button suit from them but made a number of changes to make it even more minimal. They were surprised, but once the thinking behind my request they were all in. There was one change they weren’t sure they could make so they called the factory to double check and it was possible. If they didn’t want to change the suits in anyway, I’m sure they would have said so on their webpage.
I wasn’t thinking about “influencers” at all. I meant that there are many people wearing poor fitted three-piece suit and they make other people think the three-piece suits are uncool. Yes, it’s not the problem about only three-piece suits but especially it is more than two-piece suits or odd jacket and trousers style.
We can see many myths about three-piece suits. I believe that they mostly are from what people images of suits they see in the world they live.
If that was in reply to me, Matt, to be fair you are the last person to make a demand or request that goes against good tailoring principle! And the changes you requested in MTM were all in the direction of classic style.
Tailors can also add an extra vertical buttonhole for a watch chain to pass through, although I don’t particularly like that style.
Frankly, how many people even wear pocket watches anymore? Also, wristwatches are slim enough that .25 increase in shirt cuffs would not be noticeable to hide the watch.
I’d say, waistcoats should be geared towards practical principles, not formal.
It’s worth noting that my Italian grandfather and his friends back in the 70s used to wear waistcoats in the summer over their t-shirts. When I was a teen in the 1980s, I noticed that girls my age and even some boys adopted this look. I still see it very occasionally.