Vests for Men

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There are several different kinds of vests for men.  And most of them have a very particular reason for being.  Sometimes fashion isn't JUST about looking great.  Sometimes it can save your life!

Case in point, a very important vest (probably the MOST important) is a bulletproof vest.  This is exactly as it sounds.  It protects its wearer
from bullets. 

These are also sometimes called a ballistic vest.  They are made from many layers of woven or laminated fibers.  The reason these came into being is because they cover most the wearer's major organs.  Smart, huh!?

Another vest that could save your life is the hunting vest.  These vests usually come in bright colors like orange or red, so the wearer is not
confused for an animal out in the woods.  Lots of hunters are accidentally shot by another hunter each year because they were wearing a dark or a camoflage jacket.

Two more vests for men that are used for very specific reasons is the jerkin and the ski vest.  The jerkin vest is worn by fisherman because it has a profusion of external pockets for carrying fishing tackle. 

Whereas this vest won't save your life, it serves an important purpose and is not just for fashion's sake.  The ski vest (or otherwise known as the puffy vest) is worn by snow skiers. 

There are a couple good reasons for this, one being that the down (goose feathers) usually used to stuff the puffy vest keeps the wearer warm.  Two, without sleeves, the skier is able to manuever far better.

Probably the most popular vests for men are the vest worn with business suits.  Thus coining the term "three piece suit".  In the United Kingdom this is also called a "waistcoat". 

These are usually made of wool, cotton, cashmere, or a combination.  Again, while they ARE very fashionable, these vests main purpose is warmth. 

It adds another layer of material between the blazer and the dress shirt, so the gentleman won't have to deal with wearing a bulky overcoat as well.  It's very binding, not to mention it also wrinkles your jacket.

Where the suit vest is formal, the pullover vest is more casual.  Usually knitted of cotton or wool, the pullover is usually worn over a button up
shirt (with the collar out) or even a t-shirt. 

These can come in any number of colors or patterns.  These are usually worn when it's too warm for an entire sweater, but maybe a bit too cool for just a shirt.  Another good thing about the pullover vest is that it can be slimming!

And just when you thought you knew all there was about vests for men, I'm going to throw you for a loop...  In the United Kingdom (where they call vests "waistcoats") guess what they call a "vest"?  An undershirt!