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The Best Vests for a More Versatile Wardrobe

The vest is the “Swiss Army Knife of outerwear,” designer Todd Snyder says.

collage of three vests Courtesy

By Evan Malachosky

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Ah, the vest, a garment nearly killed by fashion-deprived finance types. You know the meme: the Midtown Uniform, comprising a button-down, a vest overtop and slacks to complete the fit. Like red hats, flat-pile fleece vests will never be the same; they’re forever tarnished, spoiled by their abundance (and an unsavory affiliation with the well-to-do).

Products in the Guide

How to Pick the Right Vest

There are a bunch of styles you could consider; ones that won’t make you shitposter (a term for those that post these memes) prey. These trade the straight shape of (usually) Patagonia vests for volume, whether through quilting, down or exterior texture, like corduroy, wool, suede, sherpa or tin cloth. Plus, these will actually keep you warm because a handful are insulated while others are made from materials more renowned for their warmth retention. Simply put, you need one of these and not one of those, if that makes sense. Find what exactly we’re talking about below.

How to Style a Vest

According to designer Todd Snyder, the vest is “Swiss Army Knife of outerwear,” he says. “You can layer it over a sweater or under a coat, and having freedom of movement is a great thing especially on days when you’re working outside or commuting by bike.”

The versatility makes the vest great for city and country folks, whether they barely need a coat or need two. Plus, since there are a number of styles to choose from — puffer vests, compact puffer vests, wool vests and so on and so forth — there are seemingly limitless options for every personal style.

Rocky Mountain Featherbed makes retro-tinged outwear with modern functionality. Translated: The brand’s vests will you keep you as warm as your technical parka while looking exponentially cooler.

Filson Tin Cloth Insulated Work VestFilson

Best Upgrade Vest

Filson Tin Cloth Insulated Work Vest

While some of the vests on this list wouldn’t survive torrential sleet, snow or rain, Filson’s insulated Tin Cloth Vest totally could. In fact, it’s begging to be worn for a hard day’s work or through a winter storm. It’s insulated (with primaloft so it’s warm even when it’s wet), has a high, tight collar and defends the wearer against water.

Up for grabs in seven different colors, Uniqlo’s Ultra Light Down Vest is just what the name promises: a lightweight vest that punches well above its weight class when it comes to keeping you warm.

Flint and Tinder’s vest is made from waxed cotton, meaning it’s water-resistant — but also super warm. The body is insulated with recycled Primaloft and the collar is covered in chambray.

Buck Mason’s made its Cascade Down Expedition Vest in a vintage piece’s image, but it’s very new-age in its technical ability. It’s cut from recycled nylon and filled with traceable duck down.

No, this isn’t Carhartt’s enduring work vest. This is Carhartt WIP’s, the European spin-off that specializes in more fashion-forward remakes of the originals. Their version of the vest has a slimmer profile, smaller pockets and less, well, extra padding.

Patagonia’s Nano Puff Vest is beloved by climbers, hikers, travelers and athletes all over. As the name implies, Nano Puff is a slimmed-down synthetic down that provides ample warmth and movement.

The tiny details on Manastash’s soft Thermal Fleece Vest take it over the top: patterned zipper pulls, the piled fleece pattern and the decorated collar. Best worn over a hoodie, this design lacks structure and needs the bulk of whatever’s beneath it to look right. Simply put: don’t wear this over a long-sleeve T-shirt.

Featuring work by artist and brand owner Matt McCormick on the back, One of These Days’s Quilted Vest presents as sensible streetwear from the front but becomes far more once you see the back. Embroidered, not printed, the graphic — a cowboy running through a ranch gate with “Between a way to win / or a thing to lose” written around him — stems from a 2021 painting of the same name.

Inside, there’s a plaid liner sourced from Japan.

Another option constructed from 100-percent recycled nylon, Gap’s Puffer Vest is pretty typical. It’s got the usual shape, a nice, clean hue and two slanted pockets. It’s warm, though — the polyfill is substantial.

Trusted by ranchers, loggers and sportsmen for generations, the Mackinaw Wool Vest is tightly woven to protect against wind and even wetness, no matter whether it’s your mid-layer or what you’re wearing on top.

The best liners are thin. But they’re still warm, because, well, that’s the point. Everlane’s is just that. The ReNew Liner Vest is thin enough to fit under just about any type of jacket, while providing impressive warmth for its weight.

Todd Snyder’s Quilted Liner Vest is made from Italian nylon and filled with duck down. It may look puffy but it’s hardly wide, and it works under a bigger coat or on top of a hoodie. It’s like your favorite quilted parka, but without the sleeves, delivering the same enveloping comfort without the usual overheating.

Lululemon makes a number of puffer and fleece vests. As one might guess, they’re typically performance-driven — pieces that stretch, insulate and rebound. The Wunder Puff Vest is no exception, no matter which color you choose. It has a great shape, a high collar and a water repellent exterior.

Texture is achieved through corduroy, down and a pair of pockets, which steers this vest clear of memeification.

This is the ideal vest for working, when you want something protective but not too warm. Ginew’s Wax Vest is made from 10 oz Army duck wax canvas but unlined, meaning it won’t make you overheat if you’re busy doing things.

For its vest, Rains takes a classic shape and adapts it for the modern wearer. This one, with its color-blocked shoulders and high, tight collar, looks like a classic ski design, but it’s boxier, warmer and completely waterproof, which helps if you’re trying to keep your base layer (mostly) dry.

Go big or go home, right? Offhours’ new Boa Overvest is a vest, but it’s as long as an overcoat — hence the name (the Overvest).

Billy Reid’s Hunting Vest is based on archival styles, which were simple, had only a few pockets and a straighter, more upright collar. Their version has a fleece liner that backs up the weather-resistant waxed cotton, which comes courtesy of Scotland’s Halley Stevenson, the foremost maker waxed fabrics there since 1864.

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