• Sleeveless jackets or coats, known as vests in the US and as waistcoats in the UK and Ireland.

Etymology

The term vest derives from French veste, Italian vesta, veste "robe, gown," and Latin vestis, from vestire "to clothe". The sleeveless garment worn by men beneath the coat may have been introduced by King Charles II of England; a diary entry from October 8, 1666, written by Samuel Pepys states, "The King hath yesterday, in Council, declared his resolution of setting a fashion for clothes .... It will be a vest, I know not well how; but it is to teach the nobility thrift."

Sleeveless shirt

main: Sleeveless shirt Known as an undershirt in the US, vest in the UK and many commonwealth countries or singlet in Australia, this garment is typically a sleeveless T-shirt, often (but not exclusively) used as an undergarment.

Sleeveless jacket

main: waistcoat The garment known as a waistcoat in the UK and many commonwealth countries and as a tank top in North America, is a sleeveless jacket or coat. It is often worn as part of formal attire, as the third piece of the three-piece suit.

A form of this garment, sometimes known as a sports tank top, is worn as an outer garment, usually in association with outdoor activities. The padded vest is popular apparel for hunting, commonly known as a hunting vest. Another common variant is the fishing vest which carries a profusion of external pockets for carrying fishing tackle.

Other varieties

Other garments called vests include:

• Pullovers, also known as sweater vests or tanktops. Tanktop also refers to a type of sleveless shirt.
• The Banyan, an Indian garment commonly called vest in Indian English.
• The jerkin was an ancient form of leather vest; a modern form was issued by the British Army and other Commonwealth militaries as winter clothing in the First World War and again in the Second World War.

See also

• Kutte
• Bulletproof vest