The easiest way to get a smoker to question their habit is to take them to a pub without an outdoor heater in the thick of winter.
Granted, it's not foolproof. On one particularly chilly evening last year, I noticed that my friend appeared untouched by the frosty temperature that had other nicotine addicts shivering around us. “I’ve got a gilet on under my coat,” he chirped, somewhat apologetically. “It’s kind of annoying that finance bros have adopted them, because... they’re actually great.”
Gilets being held up as the uniform of choice for 'finance bros' (as well those in the tech sphere) is hardly a new phenomenon, but one that regularly resurfaces in the zeitgeist. On TikTok, the gilet lifestyle has been platformed and pilloried in equal measure via day in the life vids, character-based spoofs and styling tips. Then there’s those who can’t help but look in from afar, documenting finance bros as they’re spotted in the wild. These videos regularly rack up millions of views.
Some are self-aware send-ups of the Circle Line's sartorial staple. Many are derisive, others defensive. And amidst all the noise, gilet sales continue to soar.
“Gilets are the perfect layering piece for getting through the city and for SS24, we increased our buy in gilets by 15%,” Matches’ head of menswear, Damien Paul, told me recently. “We currently have over 150 gilet options, which further proves this is a year-round outerwear alternative.”
No doubt about it, the piece’s popularity is directly linked to its association with the corporate climber, and the sense of Huel-fueled, rise-and-grind ambition it projects.
Perhaps the most famous embodiment of the trend can be found in HBO's hit TV show Succession, which centred around a Murdoch-ian media family vying for their disapproving dad's business empire. Throughout the series, every male character in the clan wears some kind of (extremely expensive) gillet. That being said, it was an orange quilted number worn by billionaire businessman and potential Waystar investor Josh Aaronson (Adrien Brody) in season three, layered amongst basic tees and a hoody that’s more in line with trail walkers than a high net-worth individual, that made the biggest impression.
Here, Aaronson is purposefully trying to other himself from the tailored businessmen of yore. Modern business apparel brings to mind images of ping-pong table-filled offices and flexible working hours. An old-school pin-stripe suit elicits a board of directors who can still reminisce about what they were doing when England won the 1966 World Cup.
SACAI Quilted Padded Wool Gilet
KAPITAL Reversible Quilted Padded Shell Gilet
VALSTAR Quilted Padded Shell Down Gilet
FOLK Puzzle Fleece Gilet
BOTTEGA VENETA Quilted Shell Gilet
“A suit is very much a garment for leisure now, so when in navy or grey, gilets still create a uniform look in a similar fashion to a suit,” explains stylist Benedict Browne. (Think about how many suits you’ve seen throughout the year; have you noticed more oversized designs with casual footwear, or prim and proper silhouettes within the office?)
“Their [finance bros] jobs are undoubtedly demanding, so I'm not surprised they're drawn to a garment that's so easy to wear, comfortable and requires little thought. Plus, I'm sure there's a sub-cultural element, too – a boys club.”
So, can you wear a gilet without looking like you're about to deliver a Q1 finance forecast? It comes down to two factors. One: what its styled with. Two: the gilet’s design.
“Lean into the voluminous silhouette that a gilet gives with full-cut trousers and a tracksuit set or chunky knitwear for a relaxed, cosy look,” says Browne. “You essentially want to avoid wearing 'modern workwear', if you like, meaning easy-iron shirts, slim-fit chinos, and quarter-zip tops. That's just bad style.”
That means looking to more innovative designs, like ASAP Rocky did earlier this year with an acid-green Bottega Veneta number (though you may need the salary of a banker to justify its price tag).
“I've always been fond of gilets with Americana and mountaineering influences, such as Rocky Mountain Featherbed, Valstar Milano and RRL,” says Browne on what brands to look for. “They have a rugged edge that the sleek, 'quiet luxury' ones do not and usually have better material and colour combinations – I love Valstar's use of suede, corduroy and shearling. Bottega Veneta and Kapital also offer some great down-filled ones with interwoven quilts that are more fashion-forward yet wearable.”
Will they ever actually be cool? Maybe, if the right people start to wear them – if smoking can make a comeback, who's to say gilets can't too.
