Vest Button Rules & Suit Vest Etiquette: A Guide
In this post, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about suit vest button rules, ensuring that you follow tradition when you style this old-school meanswear complement. Like with black-tie rules or blue tuxedo rules, there are many nuances when you add more buttoned-up pieces. Luckily, there aren’t that many rules associated with how to button a vest, but there are still a few that you should know.
We are going to cover these rules and everything else you need to know about suit vests button rules in today’s post.
Let’s get into it.
Suit Vest vs Waistcoat: Is there a Difference?
The main difference between a suit vest and a waistcoat is in the name. In the United States, we refer to the garment as a suit vest. Conversely, in the United Kingdom, they call it a waistcoat. Both are sleeveless garments that are worn on top of a shirt.
That said, some will argue that a waistcoat is more formal than a vest. A waistcoat by that definition may have a lapel or satin details on the buttons or pockets. A vest would be more like what you see in the above image.
In this guide, we use the two terms interchangeably.
Suit Vest Button Rules – The “Must Follows”
These tips will help you wear that suit vest with confidence and style, whether you are wearing it in the office or for your friend’s wedding.
General Vest Button Rules
We’re not big on rules, but you’ll often hear “never button the bottom button” when it comes to suit jacket buttons. Oddly enough, suit vest button rules are the same: always leave the bottom button undone! Whether a vest or jacket, buttoning the bottom button will make you look like a rube, plain and simple.
To be clear: The definitive vest button rule is that you should always leave the bottom vest button undone.
Casual Vest Button Rules
To learn how to wear a vest casually solo, read here. While we don’t always recommend it for modern menswear, occasionally there are ways to style a vest on it’s own, or in more casual settings. But even if the styling changes, the vest button rules don’t. Always keep your vest buttoned except for the bottom.
Movement & Suit Button Rules
When it comes whether or not your suit should remain buttoned throughout the evening, it’s all about context. If you’re standing, tradition usually dictates that your suit jacket stays buttoned at more formal events. However, if you’re post-ceremony and hanging at the reception, or especially hitting the dancefloor: allow your movement to dictate whether you button up or not!
However, when seated, you should always unbutton your jacket so as not to create unnecessary pulling or appear rumpled. Sitting with your jacket buttoned also puts unnecessary stress on the button closure, which in turn can lead to potential garment disasters and popped buttons.
Movement & Vest Button Rules
Vest button rules are slightly different than jackets in this case. In fact, there are very few cases where you should unbutton your vest. They’re not built to drape freely, and so vest etiquitte dictates that once you fasten up, it should stay that way.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll always look uptight. Especially when wearing a three-piece suit, wearing the vest buttoned and the jacket open can exude a nonchalance doesn’t scream “too formal”. So vest button rules may be rigid, but there are many ways to work around them.
How Should a Suit Vest Fit?
Knowing how a suit should fit is one of those essential things that every guy should know. This is especially true when it comes to your suit vest. A well-fitting vest completes the outfit, whereas a poorly-fitting one ruins it. Because of this, we highly suggest getting a suit vest that is fitted specifically to you.
Here are a few things to look for:
The Body
A suit vest is meant to be worn close to your body. It should be slim fitting to accentuate you, but should not be too tight so that you look like you’re bursting out of it. It looks best when it is slightly tapered at the waist.
Also, there is ideally an adjustable buckle at the back of your vest to allow. This allows you to tighten or loosen the vest as needed.
The Length
Getting the right length suit vest is key to it looking like it fits well. Luckily, it is pretty easy to tell if the length is correct. In short, the vest should just cover your waistband and not show any of your shirt underneath it.
How To Choose The Right Suit Vest
You want a suit vest that will last you for years. So, when buying one be sure to look for one that is both versatile and well fitting.
Here are 6 essential tips to remember when buying a men’s vest:
#1: Stick With The Same Material
Choosing a waistcoat with the same fabric as your suit best. Otherwise, your suit ensemble will have an eclectic and unflattering appearance. So select a wool vest if your trousers and jacket are made of wool. If the rest of your suit is linen, grab a linen vest. Etc.
#2: V-Neck Opening
The neck hole or opening is important because it determines how the vest material will cover and fit your body. Ideally, it should cling to your body, especially around the back of your shirt’s collar, without riding up or without creating any gaps. A v-neck opening helps to enhance your suit, and allows your dress shirt collar to show more visibly.
#3: Color-Coordinate
The vest usually matches the color and material of the jacket and pants. For example, choose a darker vest color if your suit is black or any darker shade. If you have a patterned suit jacket, your vest should also have matching patterns. If it’s a black-tie event, your three-piece suit set, including your vest, should be all black.
All that said, you also can opt for a vest color that contrasts with your suit as long as it follows the color wheel. For example, a light gray vest goes well with a royal blue suit set.
#4: Watch The Length
As we mentioned above, the vest length is super important. Ideally, it should cover your waist and fall about an inch below the waistline of your pants. Your shirt underneath should never peek through the vest. If this happens, it means your vest is too small.
#5: High-Quality Buttons
Your waistcoat will usually have an odd number of buttons. However, this may depend on your height. A standard 5-button vest may not look good on men taller than 6 feet. In this case, a 7-button waistcoat is more suitable.
Button quality matters. Good-quality waistcoat buttons are usually made with embossed metal such as silver, brass, or mother of pearl. Ideally, they’ll be made of natural materials. Buttons made of cheaper materials may easily fall off and will generally break down more quickly.
#6: Check The Pocket
Nicer vests will have a working pocket. These are often sewn shut with tack stitching to help the vest keep its shape. When you take your vest home, snip the threads to open up the pocket. Also, avoid placing bulky items in your suit pockets as it could affect your vest’s shape.
Frequently Asked Questions & More Suit Vest Etiquette
There are many nuances surrounding suits and suit vests, and as a result, most guys have many questions about them.
Here are a few of the most common questions about suit vests:
How do I clean a suit vest?
If you want your suit to last, you need to know how to clean it. To clean your suit vest, we recommend getting it dry cleaned.
Make sure to hang your suit vest properly to prevent wrinkles. When it does get wrinkled, use a suit steamer set on low. Never iron your suit vest, especially if you are unsure of the right temperature to use.
Should the vest match the pants?
Should you match your vest to your jacket and trousers? Yes and no. They do not always need to match, but they look extremely stylish when they do. If you are planning on getting only one suit vest, I recommend getting it to match your suit. This way, you always have one three-piece suit option. Not matching the vest to the pants creates a notably more casual look. If you’re interested in this type of look, we wrote a whole guide on how to wear a suit vest casually.
Can you wear a vest without a jacket?
The short answer is yes. A vest without a jacket can look great on its own, but I would suggest avoiding a vest made of a shiny material. When wearing a vest without a jacket, it is even more essential that it fits well (see guide above).
Can you wear a three-piece suit without the vest?
A 3-piece suit, which includes the vest, is a more dressed-up alternative to a 2-piece suit ensemble. You can also wear a suit without a vest, but it’s no longer considered a “3-piece suit”.
More Interesting Articles on Men’s Style
Looking for more great articles on dressing well? We’ve got you covered. Here are some of our favorites:
- Wear the perfect navy suit with this guide on the best navy suits combination for your next special occasion.
- Are black shoes the only best choice for formal attire? Learn about the 7 types of dress shoes for men to match wth your sleek suit ensemble.
- These tips on how to wear a vest casually will help you wear a suit no matter what the event is.
Conclusion
Wearing a suit vest is a great way to stand out and look dapper. Wear it casually or wear it with a 3-piece suit, either way you’ll look great. Just be sure to get one that is high quality and that is designed to fit your body.
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I really need help with this one, so already bought a black 3 piece suit for my graduation project presentation, but I’m hesitating with the vest, is it too much for this kind of occasion? If not, while presenting to the jury, next to a big screen, is it okay to button the suit while wearing the vest?
This bothers me. With the vee cut into most modern vests it is unnecessary to unbutton the bottom button. If the vest it cut straight across, then yes. I explain this to new hires during training.
Looked up images or photos of King Edward VII and it showed three photos of King Edward VII of England with him wearing his waistcoats with the bottom button as buttoned. One waistcoat he was wearing had seven buttons that were all buttoned top to bottom. So one photo somebody found with him having a waistcoat with the bottom button unbuttoned became a rule that doesn`t really make a rule because of him, as he also wore his waistcoatd most often with the bottom button fastened. You can look it up yourself and magnify the photos and see for yourself.
I’ve seen vests with 3, 4, 5, and 6 buttons. Which is the right style vest?
I have navy blue upper and ice blue waistcoat .which color pant or trouser should I wear ??
Well, you can’t go wrong with matching your pants to your blazer, but it sounds like charcoal gray trousers would coordinate well with this outfit too.
And what color of bow or tie should I have to wear ???
Your outfit sounds like a good contender for a navy tie or bow tie if you want to add some punch to your look.
Vests for man and women are an excellent choice for making their ensemble look trendy, fashionable and useful at the same the time. These vests are usually made of comfortable material which makes it possible to wear them for long hours as well.
You’ve got that right, Rich. In fact, some of our favorite vests are made from a wool/cashmere material, like this one. Vests are especially great in the colder months when you need another layer of warmth.
Hey, i was wondering if a royal blue vest would go well with grey pants and a white or navy blue shirt?
We’d recommend the white shirt, not the navy blue one, with a royal blue vest. The two blues could look a little strange together.
So that answers this particular question, however, if you were a Compass subscriber you’d have seen our articles that go into much more depth on why it’s important to pick clothes colors not because they go with each other, but because they go with you, like our articles on Mastering Men’s Fashion From the Inside Out and how to Pick Shirt Colors That Match You, Even If You Have No Eye For Matching.
To get articles like these sent straight to you regularly, so you don’t have to hunt around for this stuff, enter your email address in the box below and subscribe.
I think men must unbutton atleast 3 buttons if their shirt .. This gives a sexy and masculine look ..I always have my 4 buttons unbuttoned and I get great comments from girls .. If you want to attract someone this is a great idea ..And when it comes in visiting a bar have ask buttons unbuttoned is highly delightful
Hmmm…we were referring to the bottom buttons on jackets and vests , Raghav, not the top buttons on shirts. Sounds like you’re referring to a more casual setting where anything goes.
What color of necktie would match a vibrant rose dress shirt?
Without seeing it, it’s pretty hard for us to come up with a match, but here’s how we styled our own red shirt into a photo shoot with a simple blue knit tie.
So curiosity is killing us and we gotta ask: what about the above article made you think of this question?
Beg pardon, but does it take a Yank, like myself, to bring up the explanations for leaving said button undone? The most popular one being that the always sartorially splendid Edward VII “invented” this fashion. It is said that as his waistline expanded, his waistcoats and vests remained unbuttoned.
Ah yes, Roch. Never fear, we covered the topic more extensively in our story on suit buttons.
Hi,am going to a wedding this summer n was wondering if i can wear My navy blue suit with a black bow tie,white shirt,black shoes n black belt. Thanks
The outfit sounds appropriate, Richie. There is one thing we would recommend reconsidering: the bow tie color. We save our black bow ties for our black tie outfits (aka tuxedos). When not in a tux, we recommend a bow tie in a color. In this case, we would also suggest a patterned bow tie since the rest of the outfit is all solid colors.
Hi Blacklepel!
I ve been following your site for quite a few days and found it interesting. Need a help from you guys. I ve purchased a black casual shirt, khaki pants and black shoes to wear it on my friend’s wedding. Suddenly my friends are insisting to wear blazers. What colour of blazers will go with this combo? Tried finding but i feel no one can help me out more than you guys!
Waiting for your reply.
Cheers!
Warning: What follows is some tough love.
The original outfit is super-casual, so we’re not surprised that the groom asked for blazers. We’re only surprised that the groom didn’t tell you to wear a full suit. How do we resolve the situation? First, let go of the black shirt idea immediately. Unless the wedding is at a night club, a black shirt is not appropriate. Instead, go with a white shirt. You cannot go wrong with a white shirt. They look good on everyone and they have a bright and airy quality that is appropriate for a festive event like a wedding.
As for the blazer, avoid the urge to go with black. Black blazers don’t do anyone any favors. If you’d like to opt for a dark color, go with a navy blue or charcoal gray which will contrast nicely with a white shirt but be much more forgiving to your hair and eye color and skin tone than black.
Finally, a tie may still be optional, but since you’re adding a blazer, a pocket square is the smart choice. You can offset the color of your jacket with a saturated color in the pocket square, or just keep things simple with a white one. Either way, wearing one is essential to pulling off a sophisticated stylish look.
Valentine’s day is fastly approaching and I wanted to dress in something different this year. I was thinking of a gray suit, with a black shirt and black shoes. The only conflict I have is deciding on what tie to wear. I was thinking of either a purple-gray-black patterned tie, red-gray-black pattern or just a solid color. Any feedback? If not these kind of ties, then what do you suggest?
Our advice is not to wear a tie. Black shirts and ties rarely come off well. So if a black shirt is in the cards for this Valentine’s Day, we leave the tie in the closet.
If you’re not married to the idea of a black shirt then there are some options to consider. Judging by your description of the outfit, it sounds like you’re going for the monochrome look. We approve. In that case, take a look at our story on the Accidental Minimalist where we lay out a framework for dressing with little or no frills but still looking great.
Looking to rock a slim fit, modern grey suit with a blue w/ white dots bow tie. What style shirt should I choose with it? Checkered or solid? Colors or white? Thanks
Sounds like you’re a good candidate for our story on matching shirts and ties. There we lay out a system for matching patterns.
We focused on neck ties, there, though. When it comes to pairing bow ties with shirts, we say err on the side of simpler. Choosing to wear a bow tie is already choosing the road less traveled. No need to overdo it. Avoid the kind of sartorial pyrotechnics that some guys try to pull off with busy patterned shirts and in-your-face bow ties. Stick with a solid white or light blue shirt.
What about cardigans?
Treat a cardigan like a vest and leave the bottom button unbuttoned, Andrew.
Better yet, leave two undone. I alternate between the first and last or the last two.
Now you’re talking, Jovan. Two buttons undone on the vest is a varsity move. Nice!
I meant the cardigan, but I’ve seen some guys pull it off on vests.
Got it, J. As you noted, it works with both cardigans and vests. In both cases it’s a bit more fashion forward but we’ve got no problem with that.
I don’t know that I’d call it that, but it’s stylish.
A good example is in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (and yes, that’s George Peppard before “The A-Team”).
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/07/23/fashion/Breakfast_at_Tiffanys_span.jpg