waistcoat

Fitted waist-length sleeveless garment, generally with a V-shaped neck, fastening at the front, and with a buckle tie on the back panel. It is traditionally worn over a shirt and under a jacket as part of a three-piece suit. Waistcoats may be made of the same fabric as the suit or of embroidered or textured fabric. The back panel is often made of silk.

Although introduced as an item of men's clothing, women began wearing waistcoats over blouses in the late 19th century. In the 1960s men's pinstriped waistcoats became familiar as part of a woman's wardrobe. In the late 1980s–90s highly colourful waistcoats with bold designs became popular fashion accessories.