Vest vs Waistcoat: Difference and Comparison

There are a variety of garments that are worn on different formal and informal occasions. A suit is a garment that can be worn on a formal occasion as well as on an informal occasion.

The suite consists of a vest or a waistcoat. The vest or waistcoat are often confused with one another.

Key Takeaways

1. A vest is a sleeveless garment that is worn over a shirt.
2. A waistcoat is a sleeveless garment worn over a shirt and under a suit jacket.
3. Vests are more casual and often made of lighter materials, while waistcoats are more formal and made of heavier materials.

Vest vs Waistcoat

A vest is made of a lighter material, such as cotton or silk, characterized by its low-cut neckline. It is worn as a standalone garment, particularly in more casual settings. A waistcoat is made of a heavier material such as wool or tweed and is generally worn as part of a three-piece suit.

The vest is an informal, sleeveless, collarless garment worn with or without anything underneath. A vest may refer to informal garments such as a robe, cover, crop shirt, etc., or it may refer to a formal piece of garment such as a waistcoat. 

The waistcoat is a formal and informal sleeveless and collarless garment worn over a shirt and underneath a jacket. It forms an important part of the formal business suits of men.

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Vest	Waistcoat
What it refers to	The vest is a word in American English that refers to a sleeveless, collarless garment worn over a shirt but under a jacket.	The waistcoat is a word in British English that refers to a sleeveless and collarless garment worn over a shirt but under a jacket.
What are they	The vest may have various meanings worldwide; it may be a crop shirt, waistcoat, singlet, robe, cover, etc.	A waistcoat is a sleeveless garment in men’s formal attire worn on the upper body.
When and how to wear	A vest is an informal garment that may either be worn with or without anything underneath.	Wearing a waistcoat completes the formal look of the suit. It could be worn during job interviews, meetings, graduations, weddings, etc. It also serves the purpose during winter. They are easy to put on and off.
Types	1) Puffer vest 2) Gym vest 3) Suit vest 4) Fleece vest 5) Gilet vest 6) Travel vest 7) tuxedo vest	1) Classic waistcoat 2) The Donegal tweed waistcoat 3) Windowpane waistcoat 4) Notch lapel waistcoat 5) Peak lapel waistcoat 6) Double-breasted waistcoat 7) Shawl collar waistcoat 8) Low-cut formal waistcoat
Benefits of wearing	One of the benefits of wearing a vest is that it is a versatile piece of cloth that can be styled in many different ways or worn with different casual outfits. Many types of vests cost less than a waistcoat.	Wearing a waistcoat completes the formal look of the suit. It could be worn on different occasions, such as job interviews, meetings, graduations, weddings, etc. It also serves the purpose during winter. They are easy to put on and off.

What is Vest?

The word vest came from ‘Veste’ of the French language that refers to a sport coat or jacket. Some believe the word came from the Italian word ‘Vesta’, which refers to a robe or gown.

A vest is a sleeveless and collarless garment used to cover the upper part of the body. It may refer to the robe, cover, crop shirt, singlet, etc.

The vest is worn either with a shirt underneath it or can also be worn without anything. The vest is only informal wear and is worn accordingly.

Vests are designed by keeping the materials and formats in mind; some types of vests are gym vests, suit vests, travel vests, and fleece vests.

The best thing about the vest is that it is a versatile piece of cloth and thus can be styled in many ways. Also, it can be worn with different casual outfits. Vests are less costly as compared to the waistcoat.

What is Waistcoat?

The waistcoat is also a sleeveless and collarless garment used to cover the upper part of the body. The waistcoat is always worn over a shirt and under a jacket. Waistcoats serve both formal and informal purposes.

Waistcoats are designed keeping in mind the purpose of wearing them. Some types of waistcoats are the classic waistcoat, the Donegal tweed waistcoat, the double-breasted waistcoat, the notch lapel waistcoat, the peak lapel waistcoat, etc.

Wearing a waistcoat completes the formal business and interview looks. It also keeps a person warm during winter.

Main Differences Between Vest and Waistcoats

1. A vest and waistcoat are sleeveless and collarless garments worn on the upper body.
2. A vest can be worn with or without anything underneath, but a waistcoat is always worn over a shirt and under a jacket.
3. A vest is an informal garment worn only on informal or casual occasions; on the other hand, a waistcoat is a formal and informal garment that can be worn on both formal and informal occasions.
4. The waistcoat is an important part of formal business suits, whereas the vest is only informal.
5. A vest keeps the clothing material, design and format in mind; on the other hand, a waistcoat keeps the formal occasions worn.
6. The benefit of wearing the vest is that it is a versatile garment and can be styled in different ways, whereas wearing the waistcoat completes the formal look of a person.
7. Some of the types of vests are puffer best, gym vests, suit vests, fleece vests, etc., and some types of waistcoats are classic waistcoats, double-breasted waistcoats, shawl collar waistcoats, low-cut formal waistcoats, etc.

References

1. https://www.jstor.org/stable/750857
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/174329508×290497