There was a time, a season or two ago, when vests worn solo were frowned upon, unless you were a waiter, then people flocked towards you for drinks and food. Times have changed however, and these days, the vest is making one glorious comeback and proving that it does not belong with a suit or on a waiter.

Despite the change, a vest is still one tricky piece of clothing to wear, verging on a thin line between looking amazing to you looking unfinished, so here are three ways to rock a vest as you will channel three different style archetypes in the process.

The Formal (Archetypes: Traditionalists, NuDappers) : Sometimes we are invited to an event that asks us to look formal but not one that requires a full suit. Cue the vest, paired with an open shirt and a smart pair of pants. When donning this look, make sure both the pants and the shirt have a slim fit so that they match with the consistency of the vest and you dont have extra material coming out from under the vest from the shirt or pants that are too baggy compared to the vest. Also, you should never match the colour of the vest to the pants. To complete this formal look, add a touch of whimsy with a pair of brogues or loafers for a fun but smart look. If you prefer a classic shoe, then you can do so and pair it with customized socks for a look that is formal without taking yourself too seriously.

The Rock God (Archetypes: Rebels): From Mick Jagger to Axel Rose, rockers have always rocked the vest whether it was in fashion or not. For an updated version of the rocker look, pair the vest with a classic T shirt and leave the vest open for a messy-I-dont-care-if-I-look-good-but-I-know-I-do look. You can add a skinny scarf around your neck or you can layer a couple of necklaces for that rocker touch. When it comes to the pants, choose denim and always go for a dark shade rather than a light one so that you only have the top part of your body that looks messy and unfinished.

The Hipster Dude (Archetypes: Bo-Hipsters, Preps): If you are into exceeding even a rockers nonchalance about looking good but not really caring, then you must don the vest the hipster way. Unlike the formal look where matching was a dont, choose to wear the matching pants and vest together. Pair the two with a slim shirt in a whimsy pattern or a solid colour, depending on your taste. Button up the vest, as well as the shirt, all the way up and wear nothing else. You can also choose to don a bowtie or a skinny tie to complete the look. If you want to be even more daring, you can add a custom lapel pin to you skinny tie or wear a hat with a narrow brim. Complete the look with a classic black pointy shoe just to throw people off with something classical or go with brogues if you want to make a statement.

This article is contributed by Regina Due – A fashion afficianado, Regina empowers men and women through her writing and fashion tips. If she’s not walking her dog, you can catch her surfing the web for what’s new at Ties’n’Cuffs