The Best Between-Seasons Waistcoats

These between-seasons times can be really tricky to dress for, especially when it comes to formalwear. One needn't think too hard about morning suits - even the most lightweight wool summer morning suits can transition well into the cooler autumn months. When it comes to suiting, you can often get lucky with the weather and give your linen suits one final fling before storing away for the winter, but in reality, a lightweight unstructured wool suit in a good merino cloth will give you more flexibility in changing weather. But what of waistcoats? Too often, the waistcoat is the final thought in the ensemble, whether formal or otherwise, but it is actually a very key piece in the transitional months precisely because it can offer that extra layer of warmth and comfort when you need it most.

Olive Gabardine Wool Double Breasted 8 Button Shawl Lapel Piped Waistcoat

£250

Yellow Gabardine Wool Double Breasted 8 Button Shawl Lapel Waistcoat

£230

Pale Blue Gabardine Wool Double Breasted 8 Button Shawl Lapel Waistcoat

£230

Sage Green Randwick Single Breasted 6 Button Piped Waistcoat

£250

Grey Gabardine Wool Single Breasted 6 Button Waistcoat

£190

Beige Gabardine Wool Single Breasted 6 Button Waistcoat

£190

Sea Green Wool Double Breasted 8 Button Shawl Lapel Waistcoat

£230

While the linen suit might only be useful on the odd hot day, a linen waistcoat is a more versatile beast, since it will give you that additional bit of warmth while still allowing your body to breath, and from a style perspective, it brings a subtle element of texture to your outfits. Single-breasted styles might be that little bit cooler than their double-breasted alternatives, but the difference will be negligible.

Another great fabric that people often overlook in the late summer and early autumn is wool gabardine, which is a durable twill worsted wool that is tightly woven for a smooth finish. Being wool, it is naturally breathable and moisture-wicking so it will still be cool enough to wear on warm days, while it will certainly have more autumnal longevity than linen iterations. Moreover, wool gabardine stills will complement wool suit styles very effectively.

Colour is an important consideration for this time of year too. Lighter pastel tones are great for late summer days but they will not carry you through to your autumnal looks since their softness will jar against your heavier, dark wool suits. Instead you want to think about opting for rich bold tones that still carry enough colour for striking summer ensembles, but that will also convey a sense of the changing seasons - think dark greens, blues, solid beiges.