Men's Country Gilet & Country Vests

The perfect layering piece and ideal for unpredictable weather, a Schoffel Gilet is a great addition to your outerwear collection. Crafted with the highest quality materials and designed to comfortably fit over your favourite shirt, knitwear piece or polo shirt, trapping in body heat whilst keeping arms free, our Schoffel Men’s Gilets are versatile and easy to pair with any outfit. Featuring our iconic and bestselling Oakham Fleece Gilet, our range of Schoffel Men’s Vests & Gilets is packed with a wide range of styles and colours to suit any taste.

A Gilet is a sleeveless jacket or a waistcoat style, they are perfect for days when you need a layer underneath a jacket or you need free movement in the arms, for example when you are shooting. Our fleece gilets are luxurious soft and will keep the wearer warm. They have an Alcantara trim around the edge and feature a YKK zip so will be durable to wear for years to come.

The word ‘Gilet’, pronounced ‘gee-ley’ is a French term which comes from the Turkish yelek which means waistcoat. It has been used to describe a sleeveless item of clothing. It can also be traced back to the 15th Century where a jerkin was a sleeveless leather jacket worn by the poor. It’s finction was to allow unrestricted movement in the arms but also provide warmth. Something which has made it a popular item of clothing today.

There are only slight differences between a gilet and a bodywarmer. A bodywarmer is usually a padded item of clothing with a focus on warmth. Whereas a gilet is a lighter, more fitted layer usually made from fleece which can be worn underneath a coat or jacket.

A Gilet can be worn during every season, it is a perfect layer underneath a coat in the winter but can also be worn over a polo or shirt in the summer when there is a slight chill in the air when they can be worn to replace a coat. The features of the gilet mean that you can safely story all your valuables in the pockets, and the YKK zip makes it functional and wearable for different occasions. Often gentleman choose to pair a vest or gilet with a smart shirt, this makes the outfit ideal for smart casual outings where a smarter jacket or blazer is not needed.

The Schoffel Vest and Gilet Collection features our famous fleece gilets, tweed shooting vests, and padded bodywarmer styles. Our supreme quality styles are the perfect addition to any gentleman’s wardrobe whether it be for the city or country. Wear during the winter underneath a jacket as an extra layer or during the summer months over a polo or shirt.