How To Look Great in a Carhartt Vest

Vests can be divided into two categories–the ones you see and the ones you don’t. The latter refers to the kind that’s part of a three-piece suit, of which we see the occasional glance. The former includes the vests that are meant to be seen, such as John Goodman’s iconic fisherman’s vest in The Big Lebowski or, more recently, model Baptiste Giabiconi’s Carhartt utility-inspired number that gave the Cannes Film Festival a much-needed dose of dressed-down casualness.

Why It Works

• For one thing, the color choice was a brilliant one. The ice blue is a cool earthtone that goes well with basically anything, and veering away from a more traditional tan or grey makes it more ‘fashion’ than ‘utility.’
• Giabiconi chose to wear it with a darker color palette, giving it an overall sleek look.
• Worn with a minimum of accessories–just a thin necklace–keeps the look from getting cluttered and cuts a modern silhouette.

How You Can Make It Work

Finding a vest is the easy part, but deciding on one that works with the rest of your clothes as well as your sense of style takes a bit more work. There’s definitely a discreet appeal to a utility-style vest, but keep pockets to a minimum. That said, Giabiconi’s vest has three large pockets, but they sit close to the vest, rather than bunch out. Also, opt for a color that stands out, something along the lines of this ice blue that won’t resemble the kind of vest you’d find on sale at the hardware store. And consider wearing it for any season–the right vest looks great slipped on over a t-shirt in the spring as well as it does over a festive red plaid, come fall and winter.

Get The Look