Which Vest Is Best?
- Z. G. Burnett
- Oct 25, 2024
- 5 min read
I had an opportunity a few weekends ago to attend, for the second time, Stitchdown Boot Camp. Stitchdown is a community founded by Ben Robinson. Last year when I went, it was to record an episode for my podcast, which has never been aired. Boo! You know why if you're reading this. But I went this year because they had some workshops that I was really interested in.
Two of them were sponsored by the shoe polish brand, Saphir. One was on the treatment of shell cordovan, the other was on general leather shoe care. And then, sponsored by, I believe Boot Black was a workshop on suede care. I'm here to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, I learned so much. Matter of fact, if my grandpa was still around, I think he would be in shock.
I was re-educated on what it takes to take proper care of your shoes. I was fortunate enough to meet the Shoeshine King of the United States of America, Levi Elliot, who presented the two Saphir workshops. Such a pleasant guy. He remembered me from last year when I attended the New York City Trunk Show when I saw him do his thing and seize the crown.
What I really enjoyed overall for the hours I spent at the boot camp was the community and the camaraderie. I am not that level of a boot guy. I am an enthusiast. I am not a nerd. But these guys really enjoyed staring and comparing. They knew each other's brands. They were curious about the makes.
Going to some of the exhibitors, I learned a lot. I'm a simple New York guy who wears Timberlands. I believe that's all I need, but there were boots there at such a high level of leather, construction, durability. Big shout out to Limmer Boots. I don't need them, but I'd love to have them. And I'm hoping to get them on the pod. Big shout out to Chris.
But I just really enjoy everyone enjoying themselves. And of course I represented, I wore a pair of suede Carmina boots. Desert joints.
PRO TIP: You are never, ever, too old to learn. I'm so intrigued about getting my shoe care to the next level. And you can too.
A SINGULAR TAKE ON FASHION
Which Vest Is Best?
By Z. G. Burnett
In the Northern Hemisphere, we’re still somehow in the transitional weather phase. Don’t complain to me, write to your local/state/party representative if you think it will do any good. For the rest of us nihilists, it’s time to embrace the vest if you haven’t already. Layering is a basic fall and spring strategy for navigating the elements, but only some will keep you warm while others will just make you look ridiculous. At the very least, they might prevent you from catching a cold in the office where the AC has remained on for some reason. Here’s a brief guide to some worthy and not-so-worthy options.
Don’t be taken in by the style name, there’s nothing “better” about these microfleece zip-up vests. It’s not even a sweater! The tech/finance bro jabs are overused so I’ll move on to the environmental hypocrisy of these white cotton blend tube socks of the vest category. Sure, outdoor brands like Patagonia are incorporating recycled fibers and fair trade certified labor into their products and policies, but that hardly makes polyester “fleece” much more eco friendly. They still break down the same way, are ambiguously “imported,” and are likely to join their synthetic predecessors in landfills and oceans when even Goodwill bins shoppers pass them over. If you crave the slim, sporty fit and multiple pockets, seek out a merino wool option.
The Fair Isle sweater vest is either for the possibly overconfident dandy, or for someone living on windswept moors by the sea. There are very few examples in between. Wool vests deserve to be revisited just as much as Brideshead, and they can certainly be solid colors. In fact, most vests that boast “Fair Isle” as a pattern name for marketing purposes have never even seen a sheep. True Fair Isle vests are made on their tiny namesake homeland in the Shetland Islands, usually from just two colors. I’m more of a realist than a purist most of the time, so buying wool vests from Scottish or U.K. makers directly or via American retailers keeps the wool industry and local mills going; both are inherently eco and fair trade-friendly.
Christopher Mintz-Plasse as “Fogell,” aka “McLovin,” in Superbad (2007)
This guide is mostly about warmth, but those who wear suiting vests without wearing suits need to be addressed. It’s not a fit. You look like McLovin, who looked like Aladdin, who looked like Pinnocchio. That, or someone who went to a vintage themed party with clip-on suspenders and a flat cap just to appease their partner, who dressed you improperly. This goes for wool vests, cotton vests, and corduroy vests. Anything with a silk back panel requires an accompanying jacket. Even Napoleon Dynamite knew that. Pull yourself together.
Michael J. Fox as “Marty McFly,” Back to the Future (1985)
Marty McFly was a layering legend, but that didn’t stop him from being jeered about his “life preserver” in Back to the Future. Puffer jackets first came on the scene in 1922, invented by Australian mountaineer George Finch who was invited to join the first ever British expedition to climb Mount Everest, and then again in 1936 when Eddie Bauer nearly died of hypothermia during a fishing trip. The vests are similarly insulating yet less likely to be made of eiderdown these days. If you’re not braving subzero temperatures, it’s more of a style choice.
Fox Creek Leather Cowhide Laced Classic Motorcycle Vest in Tobacco
If you’re not a cowboy, motorcyclist, or pornography director, leather vests are a bold statement. Meant to withstand the elements while herding cattle or blazing the road, they’re one of the few vests that might be more functional than their jacket counterparts. It depends on the terrain and the temperature, but I’ve seen leather vests worn in all temperatures and environments. People have been wearing animal hides as outerwear since time immemorial, so far be it from me to sneer at a SoHo bro wearing a vintage leather vest who braved the 15-minute subway for Martini Hour at Dante. Anything made out of leather will never be cruelty free, but that’s even more reason to buy these secondhand, or pay a bit more for high-quality craftsmanship.
Z.G. Burnett is a New England-based writer who specializes in history, fashion, and material culture. She is a contributing editor for Antiques and the Arts Weekly, and her work has appeared in Ivy Style and The Vintage Woman Magazine. Burnett is currently editing her first book, The Preppy Witch Primer. Find more at www.zgburnett.com
Image credit: Annie Minicuci Photography.
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