What do I wear with a sweater vest?

[Ketryne]

I’ve not posted in style and beauty before, but I see lots of people on here raving about wool vests so I thought I’d try one on and I absolutely loved it. Trouble is, I’ve no idea how to wear it. It looked great when I tried it with just a vest top underneath and barrel style jeans, but it’s England and I’m not sure what weather would require a wool covered torso and bare arms?!

It’s quite a loose fit so think it might be too bulky with a shirt under, would a long sleeved fitted top be ok? Any suggestions on colour for under items would also be appreciated.

I’ll probably be mostly wearing it to a smart-casual office. If it’s relevant I’m a size 10/12, 5ft 9 with no boobs and no waist.

https://www.oliverbonas.com/fashion/turquoise-button-back-knitted-tank-top-405462#selection.color=15

I wear them over roll necks in winter, long sleeved shirts or t shirts in spring and autumn, and sometimes on their own in summer! (not wool ones in summer though!)

I can't seem to make them work with shirts so I wear a long or short sleeved top underneath. I used to just go with white but I have recently been using toning colours
I don't wear them on their own

I wear mine with a patterned blouse underneath. Sometimes I do clashing colours, which I think is quite funky.

I'm thinking of getting a white cotton shirt for spring.

Thanks guys, I’ve bought it and am now trying it with things I already have. Long sleeved tops seem to make it look a bit nothing, but it looks great with a silky cream collared blouse under. Nothing looks quite as good as it does with bare arms, so I guess I’ll have to wait for the perfect warm but not hot day…

I've been wearing shirt sleeved t shirts in a different colour under mine; I think it looks good!

I love a sweater vest and own quite a few.
But I do get what you mean about it being hard to wear alone. I think if you were going out for a meal, so you have a jacket you can take off, but you know you’ll be inside then you could wear it without anything underneath.
If you’re wearing a plain long sleeved top underneath and it looks a bit boring then layer some necklaces and stack some bracelets.
I love a clashing colour top underneath or something with a pattern.
Also a mesh top underneath can be quite fun.
Shirts can be tricky with the collar if the neck of the vest is quite high like this one.
I love the colour of your vest - lovely for spring!

I wear them with long sleeved tops, shirts also some dresses look good with a sweater vest.
I also have a couple of button up ones I chuck on over dungarees!

I wear a slim fit white layering T-shirt under mine. It’s become a staple of my winter/spring wardrobe.

I wear them probably three times a week generally with a roll neck underneath, bit also with a mesh sleeved t shirt, a striped sweatshirt anything really but must be long tight sleeves

I wear them on their own, it’s probably the style I wear most, I have far too many, I find I’m warm,as my body is,clearly not in mid winter,but I wear with jeans and trousers, wide legged.

Thanks everyone, some good suggestions here. I struggle a bit with layering on my top half because I’ve got a fairly short torso and quite wide ribcage plus no boobs or waist or hips, so it’s easy for me to look a bit square.

This vest is just about right length wise but if I put anything bulky under it I think it could make me look bulky. I’ll have to keep playing around with options!

I wear mine with a shirt or a long-sleeved t-shirt.

As a side note - does everyone really call them 'sweater vests' now? I thought it was only the Americans who called them that. They were certainly called tank tops when I was young <old gimmer>.

It's definitely a tank top.

Phew - not just me then. In my head, I can only hear 'sweater vest' in an American accent!

My favourite one is one that I knitted myself.

Nothing!

It's a top to wear with bare arms! 💪

I love my vest. I wear a balloon sleeve or broderie sleeve under mine or a long sleeved teashirt.

I believe you need to wear a vest with pants. Odd look.

I wear mine with stripey long sleeve tees, so that the arms have a bit of a pattern

I wasn’t actually sure what to call it! The website called it a vest so I thought this was the least likely to be confused 😬
Apologies for an accidental Americanism!

I lie! It didn’t say that on the website. But the label on the actual thing did, weirdly. I’ve also heard it called a vest lots on here.

I’m a similar shape to you OP and find slightly balloon or bell sleeves work well in a plain white or cream colour. It seems to balance my boxy frame /lack of bust and looks quite ‘put together’
I also like a patterned slim fitting shirt but the tank top needs to be a plain colour and texture for this, so no cable knits.
For me crew necks work better, no v neck or buttons, but these can look good on a more curvy figure.

I love them at the moment. I wear mine with a shirt, currently. Or a long sleeved T-shirt.

I have a bright yellow one I love but this one is my favourite (pic incoming)