JC Excursion quilted vest: fail for me?

KikiG

I've wanted a casual outerwear/innerwear vest forever, it seems like, but I never have been able to find one that I thought was remotely flattering. It has become sort of a shopping Holy Grail.

Then: https://www.jcrew.com/womens_c.....38;Nrpp=48

It fits, and is flattering enough. (Thank you Angie, for such a useful phrase.) The pockets organize the eye and make me look less wide. Why is it a fail? For my climate, this needs to be a topper/outfit maker, although a casual one. What I failed to consider until I got this home and tried to style it is that I have exactly one button up shirt (white). Period. (Reason: fit issues coupled with flattery issues). Most of my tops that I wear with my existing toppers are sleeve-free (because sleeves just bunch up) or are fluid and have dolman sleeves (flattery issues) which either aren't on with this sort of vest, or just make me look bulky. My shopping Holy Grail was apparently for a person I used to be a really long time ago, in a different body, when I had and rocked button up shirts.

Am I missing something here? How would you all style such a vest?

9 years ago

Dressing

11 replies

Latest reply was from UmmLila (Lisa)

JAileen

Veteran

This vest looks pretty nice. It looks like the down vest version of a utility jacket. They show it with a thinnish sweater underneath.

I wear vests a lot in the wintertime. We keep our house cool, for one thing, and on warmer days, a vest is enough for running errands. My life is super casual so I don't have to fit into any office dress codes.

When I wear a vest I usually just wear a long sleeved tee underneath, and jeans. Do you have any long sleeved tees or thinnish sweaters?

I'm not sure of the fit. In one place it says boxy fit, and in another it says slimmer silhouette. Those terms seem contradictory, to me.

9 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh! I'd style it like in the photo, with a sweater or sweatshirt underneath. I might do a button up shirt, too -- but I'd be more likely to pair with a knit of some kind. And, knowing me, a scarf, too.

In fact, here I am doing exactly that. My vest is not as nice looking as the J. Crew one. It's an old Land's End -- and definitely gear. But I do wear it occasionally as a fashion item, too.

And here are Angie's thoughts on it!

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9 years ago

viva

Veteran

I really like this vest and have wanted one but have never actually bitten. I think for me the challenge is that I wouldn't want to take it off inside because it would be part of the outfit -- and that's kind of challenging, because would you wear a vest like this inside? Would it get too warm? I don't know.

I would probably wear it over slim-fitting tops -- long sleeve tees, slim crewneck sweaters, etc. With slim on top, I'd love bootcut jeans and booties on the bottom.
I would also try it over a more tunic style sweater -- it could be fun to layer it over something longer, so that the shirt-tail or sweater really hangs out lower beneath it. Maybe with ponte pants or leggings and boots.
I think it would be really great over a knitted turtleneck sweater, with jeans tucked into boots -- kind of a football-watching sort of outfit.
This vest would also be great over a sweater dress, or even with a pencil skirt and a fun graphic silk blouse and black knee-high boots.

Okay, I think it is super versatile. Go play in your closet!!!

ETA: Just adding that this version is sleek enough to really push it fashion-wise. I have a down vest but it cannot compete with this one as far as style goes. You can really amp this one up.

9 years ago

Quietgirl

Veteran

I like these in winter. Mine is rather more puffy (down) in black. For me, it requires a merino wool turtleneck and big scarf because it is my "coat" for as late into fall/ winter as I can push it. I hate being hot when I shop so this is a perfect option for me. I replicated it last year in faux fur. See Angie's post today with the plaid shirt and vest.

It does sound like you have moved beyond this as a wish item. Would you say this item is more preppy than your current style?

9 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I love my quilted vests in the fall and spring as toppers for sweaters, lightweight T's, and turtlenecks. I wear mine with jeans, cigarette pants, and a knit skirt/leggings/tall boots combo. The vests add a bit of warmth to my torso on cooler days, but don't need to be taken off when I am indoors like a jacket. They are the third layer that turns a jeans/T-shirt into an outfit. For the record, I don't think I've ever worn mine with a shirt.

9 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

I have a down Bernardo vest that I wore all the time last F/W. I think I layered it over any long sleeve or 3/4 sleeve top, T, or sweater, including but not limited to button front shirts.

Note: Last year, DD wanted a down vest for Christmas. I ended up ordering something like 1/2 dozen vests for her and tried on additional ones since we are similar in size. As you discovered, finding a fit is not so difficult; the hard part is finding flattery. Most looked too boxy. I had to size down on my vest, and DD's favorite was the same Bernardo vest in a slightly different colorway but in my regular size. Ours nips in under the bust, has quite a bit vertical seaming in the side sections, vertical pocket zips, is longer in the back, zippered slightly contrasting baffling, and a hood -- all very slimming features!)

Found it!: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/be.....n=wishlist

This one is similar and is this year's model:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/be.....dPurchased

What I noticed in trying on mine and DD's just now is that the wrong size is not nearly as flattering. I wouldn't have normally tried on a smaller size (because I NEVER take PXS in anything other than T-shirts), but it was in stock and readily available.

9 years ago

chadya

Veteran

I had this and the Factory version on my list and decided against it as I really live my life in the suburbs, going to my car from the garage to store. I think if you are more of a city dweller it will fit better in your wardrobe.
Ended up with a tencel olive vest from MaxStudio that is better for me.

9 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

If I found one that was flattering enough, I would pair with knits. Like you, I struggle with button downs. They were really designed for a body type other than mine. Turtlenecks, light sweaters, etc. would pair nicely under such a best, although I would wear it more in the dead of winter, under my puffer, for another layer of warmth in my frigid office.

9 years ago

KikiG

Veteran

Thank you, everyone. With your help, I think I clarified my thinking. The critical question is, is this garment outerwear, or inner wear?

For my climate, probably the vest I brought home is outerwear. That changes everything--All I do to style it is pop on an appropriate scarf, and go, like Suz said, and it changes the dynamic also with respect to flattery. I think this vest is "dressy" enough (and not too far on the gear spectrum) to not look wrong with most everything I wear (unlike a sporty waxed cotton shooting jacket that would be way too "gear" to wear to work, for instance), and it would fill a hole in my outerwear, where I have a nice wool coat, and a rain coat, and nothing in between, in a very "in between" southern winter climate, where a "cold" day hits 45 degrees. I put it back in the sack to let it cool down, and now I'm going to go home and figure out if it makes the grade as outerwear.

I would still very, very much like a vest that would be suitable to be a wear all day on purpose topper, that would be both flattering and comfortable inside. I now realize this needs to be a low bulk item that probably has flattering seaming or some other detail to not make me look boxy. I used to have, but shrank out of, long sleeve tee shirts, and this is a hole I will address this fall--I am very low on casual tops.

9 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Have you seen this Barbour? I've had my eye on it forever and it gets great reviews.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ba.....n=wishlist

9 years ago

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

That JCrew vest is very outdoor wear.

Pendleton always has nice vests, though they are always a very traditional look.

I just found this print one that is blue and cognac, not your color, but bring it up because of the current interest in these colors. <http://www.pendleton-usa.com/p.....s/true.uts>

They also tend to have traditional wool jacquard ones, though the current crop are in a very western look. <http://www.pendleton-usa.com/e.....t/1068.uts> I have a blue and black ikat wool print from a couple of years ago. I haven't worn it much lately because it's not exactly in tune with my current style favorites but I hate to get rid of it because the quality is so nice and I always get compliments when it comes out.

9 years ago

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