Men's Waistcoat Styles: Suit, Evening, Backless and Double-Breasted

The waistcoat of a three-piece suit is single-breasted with a V-neck and usually five or six buttons. The fronts are cut from the suit cloth and the back is made from lining fabric, often a matching or contrasting satin or twill, because the back is never seen when the jacket is on and a smooth lining slides easily under it.

The front hem typically ends in two points below the last button, and by long-standing custom the bottom button is left undone. Pockets are welted: commonly two lower welt pockets, sometimes four with two smaller ones at the chest. An adjustable strap with a buckle across the back waist lets the wearer take in or let out a little width.

Evening waistcoats are cut with a lower opening than suit waistcoats, so that more of the dress shirt shows, and the neckline may be a deep V or a rounded U. Many have a shawl collar faced in satin or grosgrain to echo the lapels of the dinner jacket.

For black tie, a black waistcoat is the traditional alternative to a cummerbund and should cover the trouser waistband. For white tie, the waistcoat is white, often in cotton piqué, and is worn with the tailcoat; the key rule is that the waistcoat should not show below the front of the coat. Our pattern 6076, a Men's Evening Waistcoat with Satin Collar, belongs to this group, and it pairs naturally with dinner jackets and tailcoats such as 6074, a Formal Tailcoat.

A backless waistcoat is a formal waistcoat made only of the two front panels. In place of a full back, a band or strap runs around the neck and a strap or tie closes across the back at the waist. The garment exists because a formal waistcoat is worn under a jacket that is never taken off; without a back it is cooler and less bulky under the coat.

From the front it is identical to a full evening waistcoat. When sewing one, the neck strap and waist straps carry all the tension that a back would normally spread out, so anchor them firmly into the front and check their length on the body. Our pattern 6077, a Men's Backless Tuxedo Waistcoat, is this style.

• Double-breasted waistcoat: two columns of buttons with a wide overlap, often with a straight hem rather than points, and sometimes with lapels. It gives a solid, structured front.
• Waistcoat with lapels: a single- or double-breasted waistcoat with small notch or peak lapels sewn into the neckline, a detail associated with older or more decorative suits.
• Shawl-collar day waistcoat: a softer version of the evening style used in tweed and casual cloths.
• Utility or detailed vests: casual waistcoats that borrow features from outerwear, such as our pattern 6139, a Notched Collar Vest with Epaulets.

1. 1.Length: the waistcoat must cover the trouser waistband with the wearer standing, sitting and reaching. Low-rise trousers make this hard; a slightly higher trouser rise is the classic partner.
2. 2.Front balance: the front points should hang level and close to the body without flaring out over the stomach or riding up.
3. 3.Button strain: the buttons should close without horizontal pull lines. If they pull, the waistcoat needs more width, not looser buttons.
4. 4.Neck: the V should sit close to the shirt and below the jacket's own opening, so it frames the tie without peeking over the lapels in an awkward line.
5. 5.Back length: the back is usually shorter than the front points but should still meet the waistband at the back; check it in a mirror while the wearer bends slightly forward.
6. 6.Back strap: use it for fine adjustment only. If it has to be pulled to its tightest point, the waistcoat is cut too wide.

On a fuller figure the waistcoat has to handle a larger difference between chest and waist, often with the fullest point at the stomach rather than the chest. A pattern that simply scales a slim waistcoat up tends to ride up at the front and gape at the armholes.

What helps is more front length so the points still reach past the waistband over the curve of the stomach, front darts or seams shaped to the actual figure, enough width that the buttons sit without strain, and a deeper back strap for adjustment. Our pattern 6145, a Plus Size Men's Waistcoat with Welt Pockets, is drafted with this kind of figure in mind.

• Interface the fronts with a light fusible or canvas, including the buttonhole stand and pocket areas, so the welts and buttonholes stay flat.
• Sew the welt pockets before joining the fronts to the back; they are much easier to handle on a flat panel.
• Bag the waistcoat: sew front facings and linings to the outer fronts, then join at the shoulders and side seams and turn through an opening, so all edges come out clean.
• Understitch or roll the front edge slightly to the inside so the lining never shows at the neckline or points.
• Space buttons evenly from the top of the V to the last button just above the points, and check the line in a fitting before cutting buttonholes.

Because a waistcoat is close-fitting, a few centimeters of difference at chest, waist or front length show immediately. A standard size that fits the chest may be too short over the stomach or too loose at the waist.

Minerva Patterns drafts each waistcoat from the measurements you enter, so the length, width and front balance are calculated for your figure and there is no grading between sizes to do. You can order the pattern as a printable PDF (A4, US Letter, A0 or one long sheet), as a projector file, as PLT for a plotter or as DXF AAMA for CAD, with or without seam allowances.