To vest or not to vest, that is the question… well, I’ve been obsessed with sleeveless woollen winter knits for many years and wearing them as vests to layer up over a chic shirt is a style bonus in my wardrobe.

Going sleeveless with a winter capsule wardrobe is not everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s okay. We wear what we love and whatever we feel enhances our look, but I do like to occasionally wear vests as a statement item when I know I’ll be in a warm indoor space.

I remember a model boss friend telling me in my early twenties to dress as the woman I wish to present to the world. Well, this was no news to me as I was already dressing like a stylish executive in my junior job, chuckles, albeit on a strict budget and debt-free…

Remember the little vests we wore in winter in the Seventies? They were cute but as a warming layer, not so much. Now we have the choice to dress for comfort as well as style, which shows us how far fashion has come since those days, although, looking at some of the peculiar designs shaming the catwalks now, my head often feels done in, wondering, ‘what were they thinking,’ with my eyes rolling dramatically, hie!

Lucky for us, we still have designers with street and style savvy designing for those of us embracing elegance. I’d say cheers to those fashion houses and here in Australia, we are fortunate to have local designers catering for those of us who prefer style and versatility in our fashion choices.

I must have been one of the first consumers to pop on the winter vest wagon that re-emerged three years ago and I’m never letting them go! I heat up fast in venues where the heating is set high for winter and this is when a vest over a silk, or great cotton shirt, works its magic.

Style tip, look at your favourite winter style palette, then pick vests to complement your look as well as elevate the basic outfit.

At first, I was not enamoured with the cropped vest designs but as we now have high-rise pants, and high-waisted skirts, it is no struggle to style with these shorter vests. At this point of my life, I’m not happy to expose my midriff, especially in the chill of winter. Our younger counterparts have thicker blood, so, good luck to them as I had my turn at that look years ago.

I did invest in a few longer, button-up woollen vests last year, and not only do they keep the lower back toasty, but they also enhance our silhouette when wearing pants or a skirt that bunch up slightly in the back, whilst concealing a little winter curve here or there. One of those vests is a mini-dress, which creates a flattering tunic look over pants or midi-skirts.

When we’re feeling too busty, opt for a loose-fitting vest that creates a slimming appearance. Short torso? Don’t be afraid to let the shirt drape loosely under the short vest to elongate the look.

For those of us not experiencing such a chilly winter in our vast country, simply adding a vest to the basic outfit will suffice to keep us snug. The possibilities are endless, so, experiment with your ensembles to enhance a chic as well as nonchalant relaxed style. As individuals, we have the licence to thrill and wear whatever suits our mood on the day. We are the boss of us…

I put together some vest styling ideas and hope you are inspired to have fun with your wardrobe and if you’re heading off to those always welcome winter sales, now would be the time to indulge in a late winter spoil, whilst creating some fabulous pieces that won’t hurt the budget for next winter. For daily style ideas, pop over to my IG style page @tilly_thegoodlife_style for updates.