How to style a black waistcoat without looking like a waiter

[NotPennysBoat]

I impulsively bought a black waistcoat from Zara and it’s sitting in my wardrobe with the tags on because I can’t work out how to style it!
It’s quite a casual material/cut, and I would need to wear something underneath it or would be indecent! Please help me with some ideas of how to wear it so I don’t look like a waitress!

(Context: 45yo, size 12, small boobs, don’t wear skirts!)

Wear it unbuttoned over a top that isn't white, no idea about bottoms, perhaps something wide legged and not too tailored?

Looked for tips as much as anything.

Wear with a floral shirt or shirt/blouse with floaty sleeves.

Or I've seen some being worn with a long sleeve tshirt which works.

Wear with jeans or different coloured trousers. Don't wear with black trousers or a black skirt.

I know someone who wears one with nothing underneath but she's a size 8 and looks fab in it!

I like that, would wear it over a lace edged camisole or t shirt.

I wear mine over a summer dress

I have a linen one that I wear with shorts in the summer

Wide legged pleated trousers in beige, white shirt and maybe a tie and hat ( maybe not the hat ) à la Annie Hall. Classic.

A simple casual look would be over a cropped boxy tshirt in white or black with light blue jeans.

I bought a waistcoat from H&M and I think it might not be quite as low as the Zara one you have. I'm wearing it this weekend (with just a bra underneath) with wide legged trousers and trainers.

Just wear it as it is, nothing else (on top obviously)

Coloured shirt
Frills
Wear it unbuttoned over jeans

I have two of these (thought I'd lost the original and liked it so much I bought another and then found the other in a random shop in Paris where it fell out of my hand somehow anyway...) I wore it on its own once with actually black cropped jeans and trainers and the time I lost it with a black body suit and shorts! But it was peak summer. I'm similar size/age given it a go without anything and just a bra! Wide legged trousers if you don't want all black there's those M&S wide legged with white thick stripes down the side!

I wear mine with a short black mini skirt, black opaques, fitted cotton shirt and high heeled socks boots. Feel amazing in that outfit.

I wear mine with my princess Leia t shirt and feel amazing 🤩

I haven’t worn mine much because dp says I look like a snooker player. I sometimes wear it over a paisley silky shirt with a black mini, opaques and DMs, like it’s 1988.

I’d wear that with nothing underneath.

yup, I think thats the type you are supposed to wear as just a top (although awkward if its too low cut).
I think I prefer the more tailored kind you can wear with shirts.