To vest or not to vest: the extreme cutaway collar edition

At Dandy & Sons, people often send us this question: “Can I wear my new extreme cutaway collar with this vest?”. Let’s face it: three-piece suits, vests or waistcoats are all in style and a great way to add a little je-ne-sais-quoi to your wardrobe.

We put together a little style guide to help you decide whether or not you should pair that shirt with that vest or three-piece suit and hopefully, spark a little creative inspiration that’ll have you dreaming up a whole bunch of new outfits. Let’s start with…

The right shirt

There’s only one rule to follow here: no bold patterns. What you want to do is draw attention to that sleek extreme cutaway collar, so don’t throw it off with a psychedelic pattern. Both acrisp white orpale blue would be great options. If you want something a little more formal, opt for thefrench cuff.

The right tie

And make that it a bold one! A strong contrast between shirt and tie will draw focus to the tie, and therefore the collar of your shirt. You can choose to go for a neutral color like black or navy, or something a little more colorful. Just make sure the color doesn’t blend into the vest or the shirt. And don’t forget…

The right tie knot

We covered this in the past, so feel free to tryany of our favourites or just stick to a classic Windsor and you’ll be good to go. Time for…

The right accessories

You can accessorize a vest in so many different ways. The greatest thing about the extreme cutaway collar and vest combo is that you could go retro sleek or contemporary urban depending on how you choose to accessorize. For a more retro look, try a cool hat and a pocket watch chain. If you want to go more contemporary, try a fun pocket square likethis one and loafers. One thing is for certain: you don’t need to add a belt unless you’re going to a very formal event and steer clear of suspenders. Last but not least, make sure you have...

The right vest

Vests or waistcoats come in all shapes and sizes: 1-button, 2-buttons, 3-buttons, even (gasp!) 4-buttons (!), lapels or no lapels, low V, sharp V, one-tone, two-tone, pockets or no pockets, double-breasted… you see where I’m going with this.

How can you pick the right shape that will match your new (and favorite) extreme cutaway collar shirt? It’s actually easier than you think: just keep it simple and don’t crowd the neck area. That means a lower cut and preferably no lapels. Why? Because the shirt collar itself already demands attention, so you want to balance the focus rather than concentrate it on the neck-area.

Extreme Cutaway Blue Premium Weave Shirt from Dandy & Son

Well there you have: your complete guide to pairing a vest with an extreme cutaway collar shirt. If you have an outfit you’re particularly proud of, tag us on Instagram or Facebook and maybe we’ll feature you in an upcoming article!

Thank you for reading this article. Would you like to read more articles and blog posts about mens formalwear, shirts and fashion? Then head over to Our Blog!