Utility vests are this season’s unlikely style hero

Not since we first slipped our poor, downtrodden soles into the blissfully spongy comfort of a pair of Tevas have we been so on board with a trend.

I’m talking about utility vests — the latest in a long line of garments-you-never-knew-you-needed-but-suddenly-can’t-live-without.

Existing alongside your North Face anorak and your Patagonia sweatshirt in clothing’s practi-cool sub-category, the utility gilet’s appeal is down to numerous factors. For one — and it’s a big one — pockets.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a time-poor Londoner who doesn’t count a pocketless garment as redundant to their wardrobe as an Oyster Card is to their commute.

But for every poorly designed dress bought in haste in the high-street sales, there’s a multi-pocket gilet waiting in the wings to ensure you’ll always have somewhere to shove your phone(s)/lip balm/keys/purse/headphones/lighter/sunglasses while also juggling oatmilk flat whites for half the office. Think of it as a bum bag, for the bum-bag-adverse.

The utilty vest is a no-brainer not just for practicality but for versatility. Thanks to its sleeveless design and minimalist aesthetic, it’s a dream for slipping over even the prettiest sun dress for (physical) warmth and (metaphorical) cool. It also lends itself well to other outdoorsy sports apparel that’s recently been claimed by the style set and recast as fashionable. See cycling shorts, unitards and cargo pants.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the best place to start your search is with unisex brands that have long had the workman’s jacket nailed. Carhartt’s Elmwood Vest, with its virtually indestructible water-repellent fabric and no fewer than eight patch pockets, is a seriously sound investment. Cali casualwear brand PacSun, stocked at Selfridges, champions a shell vest armed with multiple flap and zipped compartments, including a reflective pouch on the back.

Urban Outfitters has a strong supply of utility vests in its Urban Renewal line, which are as stylish as they are sustainable and sourced from salvaged dead stock. Among its current stash of original vintage pieces include army surplus khakis and high-vis construction worker vibes, many of which are one-of-a-kind and available in single stocks only, while its mainline offering spans floral-print and leaf-camo styles.

Inclusive and collaborative millennial market leader Collusion also has the fashion-meets-function aesthetic down this season, from its unisex utility gilet crafted from mustard-coloured canvas to its leopard-print version cut to petite proportions. Or seek out the Scandis for clean cuts and simplicity that’s never boring: & Other Stories’ denim workwear vest, in pristine white or candyfloss pink, or Ganni’s stonewashed or tie-dyed gilet, with 12 pockets, six zips and even its own karabiner to make soldiering through your commute a breeze.