From golf courses to the runways: the sweater vest is the new must have

This is going to be the year of the sweater-vest. Despite having turned into icons characters like the lieutenant Aldo Rain (Brad Pitt) in Inglorious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino, Chandler Bing in Friends or the legendary cousin Steve in Family Matters, the sweater vest has always been a taboo in the tailoring world. For years it has been downhearted and it ended up to be considered the "it-thing" for the rich-kids-from-the-Private-Clubs. Recently, we saw it - and forgave him for that - worn with effortlessy-cool loserness by Seth Cohen from The Oc. But times are a-changing: the sweater-vest has come back and it's here to stay.

Many people still don't know what it's worth for (we almost can hear a distant echo saying: "Not a sweater, not a gilet, all it knows is what it's not"), back at its invention there was a need for functionality. Born to be a more casual substitute of the tailored jacket, the sweater-vest has been a must-have for all the 20th Century. Its first appearance was in 1907, worn by some football players from Michigan, then it reached its highest popularity during the Seventies. Despite that, the sweater vest has never really turned into a cultural symbol. At its most, today it's associated with the particular image of the high-class students of Ivy League, especially when they play golf (a sport which now completely represents). Unfortunately, this choice has turned it into the social symbol of people who can actually afford to play golf. In other words, it's become a matter of money.

The sweater vest is much more than that: beyond every socio-economic difference, it's one of the most cool and comfortable items of everyone's closet. Furthermore, it can be worn by anyone and in every-situation, making it even genderless. In its last years it has become a typical item of the sportswear: it was just a matter of time before its re-discovery by the new generations of Millennials and Gen Z, who almost everyday search into the archives of the athletic world to reinvent their outfits and make a statement.

On their side, celebrities all over the world have not been quiet. It all started back in December, when Harry Styles was spotted wearing a Lanvin blue wool sweater-vest with a funny print of sheeps. Later in January, to perform with Lizzo he showed off another one, this time by Gucci. But he's not the only one: Tyler, The Creator is a huge fan and not only he has worn several, but he even styled his own models for his brand Golf Le Fleur. On the contrary, Ryan Gosling at Venice Film Festival opted for a classic one by Lacoste. Concerning womenswear, the sweater-vest has been a favorite in the styling of Zoë Kravitz' last series High Fidelity. On another hand, Bella Hadid and Victoria Beckham styled it in very different ways, showing how versatile a sweater-vest can be (the first one in a street-like look, while miss Beckham opted for a Louis Vuitton vest for a more formal outfit). To consecrate its comeback, the sweater-vest has been central during the fashion week, both in Milan where it was presented by Gucci, Fendi e Prada and in Paris where it was seen on the show of Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Lacoste, of course.

It's time to take out your wallet or to look into your grandparents' closet: the gilet strikes back. Here's nss magazine's personal selection.