One item, four ways..

The minute I spotted this Veronika Maine grey long line vest (seen below on me) on Jessica Gnomes in the David Jones catalogue, I knew it would be a love affair to last me all winter.
Beautifully tailored and the perfect length for my proportions, it didn’t take me long to acquire.

Above: me trying on the vest in VM, with the lovely sales girl Rachel in the background. If you’ve ever been in the store with her you’ll know, she’s a scream!

I own a few vests from various places, all being versions of a sleeveless jacket rather than a cropped waistcoat style. What I love about all of them is how they instantly change up an outfit- take classic pieces and add a bit of edge, added to floaty pieces for a bit of tailoring. I almost think of them as a great accessory like a scarf or statement necklace.

Here is how I’ve styled my vest 4 different ways this season…

1 item, 1st way-
Casually worn over a pair of cuffed boyfriend jeans, a striped tee and little leopard heel for good measure.

* Style Tip: if you’re petite (i.e. under 5’4′ choose a vest that finishes at around the mid-thigh rather than knee length)

1 item, 2nd way-
Thrown over a classic black head to toe ensemble of blouse, skinny jeans, kitten heels and handbag with statement necklace to break things up.

* Style Tip: wearing the same colour from head to toe underneath a jacket of another colour, helps to draw the eye up down making you look taller and leaner.

1 item, 3rd way-
I immediately knew the vest would compliment the grey and blue tones of the print in this dress. Worn over an old favourite in the form of a long silk tunic style dress with statement heels.

* Style Tip: a vest is a great way to slim or minimize any bulk around the tummy. Just like a jacket, a vest can help to create shape at your waist and visually disguise a muffin top

1 item, 4th way-
This season I added this Country Road stretch skirt to my wardrobe which I could envisage working under oversized knits, and layered with long white shirts and jackets. Though I love the skirt, its not the sort of thing I would wear without covering the hips and bum (too clingy for me) so the vest comes in very handy to help cover up.

* Style Tip: long line vests are great if you want more coverage over the hips and thighs, particularly if you’re wearing something slim underneath like a pencil skirt or skinny jean