Are you ready for 'Waistcoat Wednesday'? How to wear a waistcoat like Gareth Southgate

Stephen Doig

Updated Wed, July 11, 2018 at 6:53 AM UTC

Gareth Southgate, the England manager, is singlehandedly bring back the waistcoat - FIFA

Jose Mourinho might have had his pristine black coats, but Gareth Southgate has a style code all of his own; his waistcoats. The England manager has graced the Russia World Cup pitch in a series of waistcoats, designed as part of the Marks & Spencers official world cup suiting uniform. Which, when it was introduced, was met with controversy over the fact that while it employs British textiles, the suits are made in Cambodia.

But that very high street institution has this week reported that sales of waistcoats have risen by 35% thanks to Southgate’s championing of them, worn with suit trousers, a sharp shirt and a club striped tie. And now they're selling out across the Marks & Spencer website, the Telegraph reports. Today, the day of England's semi-final match, is even being tipped 'Waistcoat Wednesday'.

Gareth Southgate, the England manager, is a fan of waistcoats - Credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images — Southgate's waistcoat penchant goes back a long way Credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Which begs the question; why? Waistcoats aren’t a natural go-to in summer, and have taken a distinct backseat since the rise of the gilet and the slackening of upright tailoring rules for a more relaxed stance. And with temperatures in Russia hovering in the early 30s, isn't a waistcoat a tad "trussed up"?

It’s telling that Southgate has previously spoken of his admiration of his maternal grandfather and his sense of British propriety, which might give an indication of where gets this rather traditional sense of dress form; you’d be hard pressed to meet your average football fanatic donning a waistcoat on top of his shirt on a Friday night down in the pub (that said, Beckham is a fan of this combination and where he leads others tend to follow).

But perhaps there is something to be said for its air of gravitas on Southgate; it lends an uprightness without the rigidity of a suit, streamlines the torso and shows a touch of consideration beyond the standard shirt and tie.

David Beckham sported a waistcoat for the Royal wedding - Credit: PA — David Beckham sported a waistcoat for the Royal wedding Credit: PA

It’s a halfway point between a suit jacket and a more informal look, although it runs the risk of looking like a worse-for-wear usher at the end of a wedding, ready to grab the air during the throwing-out-dance to Summer of ‘69. Luckily Southgate keeps things polished with a perfectly neat tie and cufflinks, as opposed to rolled-up sleeves. So how to get it right?Certainly, while it may be cumbersome in those broiling temperatures (not to mention the sweat-inducing pressure during penalty shoot outs), Southgate shows how to get a waistcoat right, at a time when most men with summer weddings in the offing might be eyeing one up.

Watch: A day in Southgate's waistcoat

It helps that the former footballer is as slender as you’d expect being a pro athlete; those with bulkier proportions might want to avoid as a waistcoat can add volume to a man’s middle section, or worse, strain and look like a portly gentleman landowner in a Jane Austen adaptation.

It’s also significant that Southgate’s waistcoat is single breasted; double breasted should be kept for more ceremonial occasions like weddings. And it’s worth considering the fabric; sleek navy is sophisticated and easy to wear with a classic shirt, and while myriad offerings come in plaids and paisleys, the former can look a tad Brigadoon and the latter like a novelty act.

Will the waistcoat prove a lucky talisman in the semi-finals? Time will tell, but if you’re hankering for some of the manager’s bench side style, you'd do worse than to follow these guidelines.

Waistcoat Wednesday call out