Winter Wool And Velvet Waistcoats

Sartorially speaking, autumn and winter is a fantastic time of year, allowing for much layering, Fall tones, and the re-emergence of knitwear and coats. When it comes to formalwear and eventwear, one garment that comes gleefully out of hibernation is the wool waistcoat, supplanting its more summery cousin, the silk waistcoat. Wool waistcoats offer that bit more weight and warmth, but what they also bring to the party is texture, subtle as it may be.

We use a variety of wools in our waistcoats, not least wool gabardine, which is a tightly woven durable twill worsted wool. Did you know that it was actually Thomas Burberry who invented it in 1879 before patenting it nearly a decade later? Gabardine is woven as a warp-faced steep or regular twill, with a prominent diagonal rib on the face and smooth surface on the back. We love using it because it is lightweight, durable, and breathable (making it a good option year-round).

This season at Favourbrook, we have added some stunning wool waistcoats to our already comprehensive collection. Many of these are double-breasted styles with swooping shawl collars, perfect for winter weddings, formal events, or when you just want to make a statement when wearing a suit. 

The velvet styles are no less magnificent, and in fact, could be deemed the more glamorous of the two fabrics, hence why many of our customers reserve their velvet waistcoats for evening engagements. There's certainly something about how velvet reacts to artificial lighting in low-light conditions that makes it really special. Worn beneath classic black or midnight tuxedo jackets, the velvet elements allows for a swish of textural colour.  Similarly, for formal winter weddings the velvet waistcoat can be used to great effect to give the morning coat some contrast and textural depth.