When I arrived at BonneGueule, my interest in clothing was limited to dressing in what I liked, without thinking too much about developing my own style. Now, I enjoy trying on pieces that I would never have worn before. The cardigan is one of those items that I appreciated, without taking the step of buying it.
A piece with a rich history: the waistcoat
The ancestor of the waistcoat is called "the doublet", it was a jacket that was worn under armor to keep warm. In the 18th century, when wearing armor was no longer necessary, the "French habit" appeared. It consisted of an overcoat, a jacket and breeches. It is a bit like the ancestor of the three-piece suit.
Example of a quilted doublet.
Here we can clearly see the three items of clothing that make up the “French habit”, worn from 1717.
In the middle of the 18th century, the jacket lost its sleeves for the sake of comfort and gained in ornaments. The vests were decorated with embroidered patterns, the front often being made of a more precious fabric than the back. Even today, many vests have kept this "tradition".
Two typical 18th century waistcoats. You can see that the collars are close to the neck.
Under the First Empire , trousers became very high and waistcoats became shorter. It was in 1830 that the waistcoat became much more fitted , to highlight the man's waist and help him stand up straight, like a corset for ladies. The collar changed to become less high and more flared: this was the appearance of the shawl collar.
The fabrics become more sober and darker.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the waistcoat became wider to accommodate the bellies of the bourgeoisie, who never stopped eating. Big Macs . It is even said that King Edward VII ate so much that he appeared one evening without having buttoned his last button; the habit remained and still continues.
But the vest, under its air of a dressy piece, also takes root in the workwear universe. Indeed, in craft trades, it allows to have additional pockets to put your tools in. It can also protect from the cold, while allowing adequate mobility to work. A little wider than its formal counterpart, it is often in a more solid material.
Here, army vests reinterpreted as fishing vests.
As you will have understood: the waistcoat - just like the shirt - is a piece which, depending on its cut, material and details, can be a formal garment or workwear.
How to wear a men's waistcoat without looking like a bourgeois or a carpenter?
Generally speaking, the vest can:
- Either serve as a link between the different parts,
- Let it be the centerpiece.
In a formal outfit, always choose a close-fitting model, there is nothing more unpleasant than a loose waistcoat under a jacket. As for the materials, it is better to turn to a fabric very close to the garment placed above. A linen jacket will be difficult to associate with a thick wool waistcoat, for example.
On the other hand, if the cardigan is the central piece of your outfit, and it's not going to be covered, let loose with the materials.
The best way to choose a formal vest is to buy it directly with the suit, it will combine perfectly with your jacket. You can thus play on the collar of the vest so that it contrasts with the blazer.
Here, Luca opts for a three-piece Louis Purple suit . Its vest has a shawl collar, a plunging neckline and double-breasted buttons. It is an elegant vest that is best worn with a tie.
If you want to mismatch the vest, choose it in a simple color like blue, gray or beige and, if possible, with a plain back to also wear it without a blazer.
Florian opts for a denim vest with a shawl collar. The lightweight wool blazer matches his vest perfectly. Note that by removing the blazer, the look would still work.
More classic, the top of the outfit is very formal but the raw denim makes the whole thing more casual.
My many reports on the Pitti have made me discover how Alessandro Squarzi wore it. He is one of the people who wears the vest best, whether in formal or casual looks.
He loves vintage and the vest is one of those clothes that has gone through history. It is no coincidence that his brand Fortela offers a wide range of them. Among other things, he gave me confidence in wearing this piece.
The central piece of the look is the cardigan, but without the vest, the contrast between the cardigan and the shirt would be too strong. Here, it therefore serves as a link between the formal shirt and the rest of the outfit.
Max Poglia is also a big fan of the vest. He doesn't hesitate to wear it with a white t-shirt to desacralize it.
The look is very simple: raw jeans, a white t-shirt and the vest that stands as a strong piece. To enrich it all, he accessorizes his look with a bag, a belt and boots with a very masculine DNA. A perfectly executed summer look.
A piece that spans several styles, we find the same vest with pants and dress shoes. It contrasts this aspect in a very marked way, thanks to the t-shirt and its open buttoned collar.
After having studied risk-taking for a long time, I took the plunge. It is important to remember that the vest is not a difficult piece in itself, but you have to take the time to develop a solid base to which it will add its twist . When you decide to take the plunge and try a piece that is out of your comfort zone, it can be useful to get inspiration from other people to make it your own!
I really had a clear idea of what I wanted: it had to be a denim vest . I find that it is similar to a denim jacket, so probably easier to master. Not being used to dressing in a suit or formal shirt, I wanted a model that could enhance my outfits by giving them relief.
But before that, I needed to find a brand that mastered this piece... and Luca told me about Hollington .
Hollington: tailoring, architecture and tough clothes
Formerly, the brand was called "Schreiber Hollington" , because it was born from the meeting between Michel Schreiber and Patric Hollington in the 60s.
Michel Schreiber is a couturier who learned his trade at a tailor's, it is through this training that he begins to make a name for himself. At the same time, he joins an interior design school, which will greatly influence his clothing design.
Of Irish origin, Patric Hollington spent part of his youth in France with a family in the Basque Country where he learned French. He studied journalism and began a career in Cyprus. Back in France, he worked in a purchasing office: his knowledge of French and English allowed buyers from American department stores to make contact with suppliers in France.
On the left, Patric Hollington, and Michel Schreiber on the right.
Drawing on their experiences and influences, they decided to create a brand inspired by workwear, making it lighter, more pleasant to wear, while taking care of the finishes . They reworked the cut with the watchword "comfort", without forgetting the functional aspect of this type of wardrobe. They decided to deconstruct all their jackets by removing the interlinings and shoulder pads, to increase the wearer's mobility. Keeping a simple and refined line is all the work of Michel Schreiber and Patric Hollington.
As for the finishing touches, they added buttons and zips to the pockets and, on some jackets, slanted buttonholes to make it easier to fasten. They also desecrated the shirt by deliberately removing the collar , to prevent men from wearing a tie. They wanted to free themselves from the codes of classic elegance, believing that one could be elegant without having to wear a suit.
During the 70s, they were considered the designers who reinvented the male wardrobe by bringing unstructured clothes, with simple lines that were even called "architectural". They began to dress designers, painters, architects, actors and even politicians, who found in them a functional elegance in keeping with their professions. There was even talk of "Schreiber-Hollington snobbery".
Mitterrand was a great follower. On the famous election poster "La force tranquille.", the President wears a suit tailored by Schreiber.
This prejudice still weighs on the image of the brand, which has nevertheless managed to maintain its identity by offering, from the 70s to today, emblematic pieces that have stood the test of time and remain very current.
The other side of the coin: the clientele. Indeed, the people who dress at Hollington are relatively old and still continue to dress there. Often of large build, they seek comfort and elegance that they do not find elsewhere.
On all Hollington shirts, the buttoning stops at the plexus so that there are no tension folds at the level of the gentleman's stomach. The Mao collar is also present on all the shirts.
The brand's current work is to rejuvenate itself to target another clientele. For this, they now offer two cuts: one, fitted and the other, regular .
So I went to see the boutique located at 7, rue Racine in Paris (6th), to discover their collections as well as their emblematic pieces. I was curious to see the products with my own eyes and eager to be able to appropriate their style.
Iconic pieces from the Hollington wardrobe
All of Hollington's signature pieces are available in a wide range of fabrics , from linen to wool, silk and other blends. They place great emphasis on materials that often come from England, Italy, France and India. There are finishes that are found on most of the sleeved pieces that are the "Hollington signature", I'll come back to that later.
The Hollington Shirt Jacket
In wool and linen version...
The shirt jacket is a loose-fitting jacket with shirt armholes and buttoned cuffs. It is often intended for slightly corpulent men who need to move around a lot.
Luca is wearing the denim version here with the sleeves rolled up, during our shoot in Menton .
The carpenter collar jacket
The carpenter collar jacket is directly inspired by work clothes from the end of the 19th century. The one on the left, in cotton, has kept all the patch pockets without flaps that accentuate its origin. The one on the right, in seersucker, is lighter and just keeps the collar.
The "20 pockets" vest
The "20 pockets" vest is a piece that really comes out of Patric Hollington's imagination. He was having lunch on the terrace of a café and was inspired by the vest of one of the waiters, who had a pocket for each of his tools. He then said to himself that a vest with many pockets would be very useful for an architect and so he designed this piece, where each pocket has its use. Professionals could put their plans, pens etc. in it.
So I wanted to test two of Hollington's iconic pieces, the "20 pocket" vest and the carpenter collar jacket.
Hollington Denim 20-Pocket Vest Review (€185)
I wanted to try this vest because it suits my clothing style. Little by little, I developed my taste for clothes that have a workwear heritage and this model, by its history but also its material, suited me perfectly.
I chose it in its denim version. Over time, the vest will fade and I find that this corresponds well to the spirit of the piece.
As its name suggests, this vest does indeed have twenty pockets (I counted them, don't worry). What struck me right away was its cut. At first glance, it seems large and very boxy, but as soon as you put it on, it fits perfectly around your waist.
To avoid the "square" side of the bottom of the vest, I don't hesitate to open the first and last buttons to give an angle to the silhouette.
The material comes from Italy. There is a little elastane (2%) in the composition of the denim to reinforce the comfort of the piece. The supplies are of good quality, as evidenced by the buttons which are perfectly flattened and straight: there is no play with the fabric.
All the buttons are personalized with the brand logo. Personally, I would have preferred that only one of the five be, because I find that it weighs down the overall look of the piece. (I didn't know that Steeve Bourdieu, aka Le Sociologue , made clothes.)
There are snap buttons on the back pockets to hold them in place, as they are wider than the front ones.
Inside, we find two pockets:
- A snap pocket for quick access, while keeping items inside;
- A zipped pocket for more valuable items, which should not be taken out.
The pocket bags are sewn and cut from the same material as the vest.
The supplies are of very good quality.
Overall, the making is neat. Only small downside: I would have liked the armhole to be braided.
Beyond their usefulness, which is no longer in doubt, pockets design and structure the entire vest. From an aesthetic point of view, they bring character to the piece, almost like a pattern.
The pockets are well compartmentalized and all easy to access. You can put in them anything from a simple pen to a rolled-up newspaper, and lots of other things...
We really feel the care taken with the whole piece , every detail is there to increase its functionality. The vest remains very comfortable while keeping an optimal fit for wearing an overcoat.
First case: the vest is the central piece of the outfit. It stands out at first by its color, deep and relatively dark in the middle of a pale palette. Its rougher material and the multiple pockets bring relief to the whole. Wanting to stay in a workwear approach, I complete it with a T-shirt with a fairly large grain, which I leave open for nonchalance. (Merz B. Schwanen T-shirt, COS chinos, derby shoes from a Florentine shoemaker bought in Florence)
Here, however, its purpose is to make the connection between the different elements of the outfit (including, for once, a formal shirt!). Visually, the denim remains close enough to the material of the jacket that the contrast is not too marked, which allows me to easily associate the two pieces. The "Saharan" inspiration of the jacket echoes the workwear heritage of the vest, where the relationship of the cuts between them is reminiscent of that of a blazer and its jacket. Don't be afraid of light pants, which lend themselves particularly to shades of blue! (Ralph Lauren shirt, Inis Meain jacket, Uniqlo pants, Sanders shoes)
Test of the striped “Lyon” jacket with carpenter collar (€260)
When I arrived at the Hollington boutique, Alban - who runs the house alongside Patric - was wearing this jacket. I immediately fell in love with it. I had wanted a work jacket in this style for a long time, but never found what I wanted.
Alban told us about the origins of the piece and that it had all the house's "signature" finishes. That's what we're going to see together.
I decided to take this denim jacket so that it could match my vest. The stripes bring the originality that I did not find on this kind of model, which is often a simple blue.
The first thing that jumps out is the patch pockets, which aren't straight. The tops of the pockets are angled, which really highlights Hollington's architectural influences.
The double-needle stitching further accentuates the architecture of the garment. Alban told me that this type of stitching is specific to workwear. In fact, all the jackets are made in a factory that specializes in this field.
Here again, the cut is very well balanced between comfort and shaping. Without padding, the jacket fits the shoulders perfectly. It feels like you're not wearing anything, you can feel the importance given to freedom of movement. This comes from the material coming from Italy which, like the vest, contains elastane (1%). The pleat of ease, which is part of Hollington's signature, also reinforces the comfort of the piece.
The pleat allows, whether you are corpulent or not, to avoid pulling on the armpits and back when you cuddle your dear mother. Hollington made it his signature by making it imposing and drawing a pretty curve.
There is care taken in the work of the front pockets: no overlocking of thread, everything is well folded down and sewn with double-stitching.
If the pieces are to be functional, the pockets must be impeccably clean to withstand the entry/exit of hands.
When you open the jacket, you will discover four interior zipped pockets, another element of Hollington's signature. Most jackets are equipped with them. It is really practical to not lose anything when you have to put your jacket down a bit haphazardly. in the Titi Twister locker room . In addition, they are cut into the facing, which is very wide on this jacket.
The pockets are piped and zipped.
The wide facing reinforces and improves the fit of the jacket.
The overall construction is very good; what had upset me in the vest is corrected here...
The armhole seam is braided!
This jacket is truly a favorite, thanks to its comfort and cut. Many will think that stripes are difficult to include in an outfit but since they are white and blue, they go with most of the pieces in my wardrobe.
Paying homage to the Hollington touch, I complete my jacket with a white shirt with a Mao collar, a base that leaves little room for error! I then opt for bleached jeans in a sought-after color and a well-done wash. The denim jacket can be worn without any problem with jeans! And to finish with a touch of comfort, I put on a pair of low-top sneakers reminiscent of the shirt. (Uniqlo shirt, APC jeans, Nike sneakers)
Even when closed, and despite the thickness of the material, the jacket has a slight curve without being too tight.
As I was telling you, I chose the jacket in its denim version to easily match it with the vest. To contrast with the abundance of blue, I turned to khaki chinos that logically match the workwear influences of my look. The top of the outfit being sufficiently loaded, it is important to avoid accessories that would weigh down the silhouette. For the same reason, I keep my sneakers, sufficiently sober and light so as not to polarize the look. (Chino Knowledge Cotton Apparel)
My opinion on the Hollington brand
With these two pieces, Hollington succeeds in updating clothes designed in the 70s . By keeping strong manufacturing biases, the brand has been able to create its own signature, while anchoring its values. The quality / price ratio is excellent for the level of finish and the attention paid to materials.
Its goal is now to reach a younger clientele, to pass on its history and know-how. If you are looking for a work jacket, with a more creative alternative and a more marked identity, Hollington will convince you with its huge choice of fabrics and patterns .
The cherry on the cake is that the brand offers an on-site alterations service, ready the same day of your purchase.
