A gilet is a sleeveless jacket resembling a waistcoat or blouse. Currently, a gilet is a sleeveless jacket or vest. They may be waist- to knee-length, and are typically straight-sided rather than fitted. However, historically, they were fitted and embroidered. In a further derivation, in 19th-century dressmaking a gilet was a dress bodice shaped like a man's waistcoat.
Today, gilets are often worn as an outer layer, for extra warmth outdoors. Fashion gilets may be made of cloth or fake fur, or knitted. Sports gilets are often windproof and/or made of fleece. High-end hiking jackets often have an integral gilet inside them, that can be zipped on and off. Racing cyclists use thin light gilets with a windproof front and mesh back. Shooting gilets are rugged and made of leather. Short, overwear gilets are called "bodywarmers" in the UK.
The History of the Gilet
Though today we wear gilets to keep warm, this famous fashion item has origins as a purely decorative
garment. Read on to find out how this jacket was worn aimlessly before it became an essential winter warmer.
The origins of the gilet :- Gilet is the French name for a sleeveless jacket which somewhat resembles a blouse or waistcoat. These outerwear designs can vary in length, from hip to knee, but are typically straight-sided in contrast to fitted. First worn during the 19th century, the garment was a men’s dress coat made from silk, velvet or heavy brocade. It was originally a trend that gilets would feature detailed embroidery on the jacket front. The gilet was traditionally worn over a long sleeved chemise or shirt and usually under a longer length jacket – much like a waistcoat is worn today. The gilet was first made famous by the Duke of Hungary, Lucien Schneller.
The development of the gilet :- Though early Gilets were worn for fashion purposes, the garment evolved to feature insulation that made it an excellent outer layer in cold conditions. Maintaining its basic shape, the gilet became padded and produced from various new materials (manmade and natural, including faux and real fur). During the 1980s, rabbit fur became a popular option for the gilet, though this type of gilet was meant to be more fashionable than practical and took on a long cardigan form. Hook and eye fastenings were the closures of choice for gilets at this point, though soon zips would become a gilet essential – as seen on almost every gilet jacket today!
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