Gilet for men and for women: a timeless piece

The gilet has always been linked to elegance, and is a must for men and for women  in both work and non work environments. For us at Tramapulia it is important to trace its ancient roots and its evolution through the centuries to confer awareness and history to our garments in quality merino wool and organic cotton.

What are the origins of the gilet (and how did it reach us)?

Gilet is a French term derived from the Arabic word jalīkah, which was a type of jacket worn by prisoners in Algeria, and the Turkish yelek, a sleeveless jacket worn in the Ottoman Empire by both men and women. The Italian word is panciotto, an imperfect translation limited to the elegant waistcoat worn by men in formal contexts, with gilet being the more generic term, including also more informal sleeveless garments.

An early ancestor of the gilet was the justaucorp, a knee length coat worn by men at the end of the XVII century and all the way through the XVIII century. This item was adopted later in England where it was called waistcoat, which today indicates the same, essentially, as the Italian panciotto. This garment originally had sleeves, but in the 1700s they disappeared in order to make the wearer more comfortable.

After the French Revolution in 1789 gilets and waistcoats became simpler, shorter and more fitted, taking a backseat to coats until the 1800s, when the gilet was reintroduced beneath jackets to hide braces and to provide a pocket for pocket watches.

From the first half of the 1900s, with the invention of the wristwatch which took the place of the pocket watch, the three piece suit escaped from the rigidity of classical elegance to take on a business casual style like that of today, allowing the gilet to acquire its own identity and dignity in the male wardrobe.

How to wear a gilet? Tramapulia style guide

As we have already mentioned, the gilet is an extraordinarily versatile garment. It is always worn fitted over a shirt with the collar buttoned up, perhaps with a jacket or a single-breasted blazer.

The double-breasted jacket should be avoided with a gilet, as it would not allow the waistcoat to be visible. A perfectly tailored gilet allows for more comfortable movement and helps the wearer’s jacket to fall better.

A gilet must be long enough at the front to cover the waist, while the back can be shorter. Many men leave the last button (when present) undone, but this can be done only if the gilet is long enough to avoid showing the shirt. A tailored, made-to-measure gilet is therefore the best option to enhance one’s individual physique.

The sleeve holes of the gilet must be large in order to allow freedom of movement, unlike a jacket which must have small, precise holes due to the sleeves.

Gilets in extrafine organic cotton and in extrafine merino wool from Tramapulia

In organic cotton like Sleeveless crew neck in polished cotton – Tramapulia, or in extrafine merino wool like the Gilet Safari “cloth stitched” – Tramapulia, our gilets are garments of an extreme versatility thanks to a combination of light, sophisticated materials and colours in cream, blue, military green, grey and black.

Fine, cool cotton, cloth stitched, gives our gilet added prestige and makes it perfect for casual looks as well as for more formal events, while the merino wool makes it enveloping, soft, warm and fluffy.

Our gilets in cotton and wool are made in Italy by expert craftsmen using only the best sustainable yarns.

They will accompany you through the years: look after them, and enjoy them.

DISCOVER OTHER PRESTIGE GARMENTS FROM TRAMAPULIA: FOR HER AND FOR HIM