Which gilet tribe
For a long time, gilets have been the butt of sartorial jokes. Years of associations with horses, a particular male style we’ll call ‘basic DJ’ (giant puffer, hoodie, joggers) and the kind of shearling fan who worships at The White Company have landed the gilet with major PR problems.
But the tide has turned.
Just as athleisure brought leggings out of the gym, so ‘extreme’ outdoor wear is now leading the zeitgeist. Witness: consciously dorky Gore-Tex trainers in hipster offices; fleeces for nights out inspired by Taylor Swift (see also Florence Pugh in fleece and heels at last month’s Paris couture week); and Dryrobes for nipping to Lidl in. Naturally, the body warmer, with its action-packed vibe, plays a starring role.
Unrelated, the gilet is having a moment in the spotlight, with two distinct types of waistcoat – one austere, one kitsch – freeing fashion’s arms for spring/summer 2024.
The one you choose to step out in will determine the tribe you belong to. Which will it be?
This young millennial buys his Patagonia and The North Face on Asos and is now the proud owner of an Arc’teryx vest. He doesn’t call it a gilet, mind, because he doesn’t want to sound like a corporate idiot (he works for HelloFresh) and completes the look with Salomon trainers. He did hike once, on honeymoon. Accordingly, his profile pic is a silhouette of him mid jump on a Peruvian peak. #nowasteddays
And now for the real deal – Dad in his ten-year-old Berghaus fleece, Millets puffer and Gore-Tex boots, miles from the city, unaware that his signature style is ‘a look’. His profile pic is a family selfie by a lake, taken after an argument about a Thermos. Unsurprisingly, Genuine Outdoorsy is currently researching heated bodywarmers for his teens, because ‘getting out in the elements’ is everything.
If you were a posh child of the 1980s you will have deep Freudian associations with this tribe. Perhaps Mummy had an original Puffa with the very, very thin stripes and the logo at your eye level? She probably still does – for the garden centre. Or perhaps she has remained loyal to a quilted number in olive or navy. Well, guess what? That steadfast fashion sense has been rewarded, and she is now officially on trend. Rah for Ma!