Sweater vests– not the v-neck kind your dad wears ?, have become a wardrobe staple over the past several years! They’re a great alternative to a cardigan or a light jacket but just as versatile! You can wear them to work, dress them up, and wear them casually on the weekends! I also love that they help slim and frame your midsection, making them so flattering for all body types! And to prove why you need one in your wardrobe, I sharing five sweater vest outfits today along with a few variations! These outfit formulas will be go-tos for fall into spring!

Sweater Vest with a Sweater

Don’t be afraid to layer up with a heavier weight top! Even chunkier knits or relaxed fit sweaters will work, especially if you tuck in the front. This will help define your waist, instead of creating a block-y look to your top half!

I paired mine both with a relaxed fit turtleneck and a lighter weight v-neck sweater. Don’t be afraid to try different necklines! Even a cowl neck would work here!

Sweater Vest | Turtleneck | V-neck sweater | Jeans | Boots

Sweater Vest with a Dress

One of my favorite pairings is layering a sweater vest with a dress! Any type of dress will do! (You can see how I wore this same sweater vest with a plaid swing dress here!) A button front dress like my chambray makes this look very nursing-friendly for my breastfeeding mamas out there. The vest makes a great cover! And of course you can’t go wrong with a more fitted dress too! Tee shirt dresses and sweater dresses are also perfect layering options. For early fall and spring, short sleeve or sleeveless dresses work too! (You can see me style a sweater vest with a sleeveless dress here!)

Sweater Vest | Chambray Dress | Booties | Gray dress | Boots

Sweater Vest with a Button Down

I don’t know if it gets more classic than this! Pairing a sweater vest with a button down is the perfect work-friendly option! Since I work from home, I paired both looks with jeans, but you could easily swap them for dress pants or a skirt! (Scroll down for more skirt ideas too! ?) Like the sweater option, I suggest tucking so that you don’t lose your waistline! Printed button downs, solids, and chambray are all great options!

Sweater vest | Plaid top | Jeans | Boots | Chambray top | Booties

Sweater Vest with a Tee

Pairing a sweater vest with a tee is a no-brainer, right? I went with a longer swing tee for this look, but a classic tee works here too! You can see how I wore a short sleeve tee with one here and a sleeveless tee here!

Sweater vest | Long sleeve tee | Jeans | Boots

Sweater Vest with a Skirt

Another dressier option is to pair your sweater vest with a skirt! Again, since I dress more casually these days, I went with a denim skirt. But you could swap it for a pencil skirt for the office. Shorter skirts would work as well!

Sweater vest | Turtleneck | Skirt | Booties | Plaid top | Boots

Want more styling ideas? Be sure to check out my Mix it Monday series!