What I wore this week: a long waistcoat

I’m not gonna lie; there is no sense in which this week’s look is one of life’s essentials. “If my house was on fire, the first thing I would save would be my long waistcoat,” said nobody, ever. And yet. The very nonessential-ness of the long waistcoat is what makes it worthwhile. Like an architectural hat, or nail art, or five-inch heels, it is the very above-and-beyond nature of the look that makes a statement.

This doesn’t mean a long waistcoat serves no practical purpose. Think of it as a sleeveless coat. In the summer, you need an outer layer that is in some way a devolved version of the coat. You can lop the bottom half off a coat and call it a jacket; you can take out the lining and call it a duster-coat, or cut the arms off and… you get the idea.