Hiking British-Made Men's Gilets, Vests and Body Warmers — Voted by the Community

The garments grouped under “gilets” and “vests” have historical roots in European clothing traditions before becoming widespread in modern menswear. A gilet is a sleeveless jacket or outer layer historically associated with functional attire; early forms appeared in Europe by the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries as practical garments offering warmth with freedom of arm movement, worn by workers and outdoorsmen alike. Over time, the sleeveless layer evolved in both rural and sporting contexts — especially in Britain and other northern climates — as a practical piece for layering during outdoor activities such as hunting, riding, or walking without the bulk of sleeves. The term vest historically refers to a sleeveless upper-body garment that overlaps with the waistcoat and other sleeveless styles. In British English, vest can also describe close-fitting undershirts; in broader fashion usage it encompasses various sleeveless garments worn for insulation or layering. The vest’s broader sartorial lineage reaches back to the waistcoat traditions of men’s tailoring, which were formalised in seventeenth-century Britain as part of structured dress layering. In modern menswear, gilets and vests are worn both for practical layering against cooler weather and as intentional style elements in casual, country, and smart-casual wardrobes. British makers often draw on this legacy of function and adaptability, using quality fabrics and construction to produce garments that balance warmth, mobility, and everyday wearability.