The chicest way to be cosy? Glam up in a gilet
GILeTS have a mixed reputation: the female population divides into those who think they are just for ladies who drive Range Rovers and wear white jeans and grey cashmere throughout the winter months, and those of us who recognise gilets are every woman’s best friend.
I’m firmly in the gilet worshippers camp. We know the right gilet is a one-stop, instant glamour hack, and seriously versatile, too. Gilets make everything easier.
For example, if you’re going to dinner at the Whatsits and you don’t know if they’re making a point of not putting on the heating until December, just throw a gilet over your flimsy dress.
Or, if you’re going to a dressed-up party, but you’re feeling self-consciously smart and a bit stiff, add a gilet.
If you want to make an ordinary silk shirt and trousers instantly more 1970s Studio 54 or Bourgeois Chic (both very much looks of the moment), or give a plain midi skirt and matching top some star quality, add a gilet.
Jeans and a polo neck too casual? You know what will bump it up into the dressy casual zone.
More relaxed than a jacket, more substantial than a waistcoat, and somewhere on the fashion scale between uptown girl and Glastonbury hippy — depending on how you wear it — the usefulness of a gilet is not to be underestimated.
LeT’S be clear what we’re talking about here, because there are bodywarmers and quilted gilets and any number of utilitarian gilets out there — best are the Uniqlo ultra light down vests (from £29.90, uniqlo.com), and the quilted Asos ones (from £22, asos.com).
But we’re not talking about the purely practical gilet here. By my reckoning, what distinguishes a fashion gilet from the crowd is glamour: it’s not just warm, it adds something to your look — texture and swagger and filmstar cool — and it’s probably sheepskin.
It doesn’t have to be sheepskin, of course, and we’ll come on to the alternatives, but inevitably the luxiest-looking gilets are the real thing.
It’s worth noting that sheepskin, or shearling (the smoother, less shaggy of the two), is a by-product and more environmentally friendly than fake fur (no microfibres).
If you do own a sheepskin gilet, you will own it for life, so that’s something to bear in mind — because they’re not cheap. Whistles does a good
steel grey or black Toscana one (£450, whistles.com).
If you prefer having suede outside and a sheepskin lining (collar and trim on show), then Leather Company does a decent one (£299, leather
company.co.uk), as does Brora (£295, brora.co.uk).
Meanwhile, at the top of the desirable list is Me+em’s hooded shearling gilet (£699, meandem.com).
The hood does mean you won’t be wearing it over your long Lurex dress, but what you lose on cocktail wear you gain on everyday smartening. Soft, shar pei-fold shearling hoods look great layered under a narrow-cut coat or jacket.
This gilet has a curved rear hem, so it’s short at the front and almost bottom-covering at the back — the best of both worlds. And length is critical. Gilets provide rear camouflage, if you want it, but a too-long gilet weighs you down (avoid the long midi ones — you’ll look like Cruella De Vil). But a short gilet will look wrong unless you’re wearing it over a midi dress.
The White Company does a reversible sheepskin one (£315,
thewhitecompany.com) that’s a good length: hip-covering but not bottom-covering.
The only other important issue with gilets is colour. You can’t go wrong with black sheepskin, but when it comes to shearling I’d take a chance on taupe, or even cream — softer, more original, better in the day. When it’s fake fur, a rich dark colour is best.
Of the faux shearlings, French Connection does one that’s faux fur inside and faux leather outside (£95, french
connection.com); it is black, but it has good substitute biker jacket potential.
Zara does a shaggy, faux ‘fuzzy’ sheepskin version, also black (£59.99, zara.com). And Boden has a cream faux fur one (£66, boden.co.uk, above left). Go on, you won’t regret it.