When I was middle/high school age, I wound up with a lot of handmedown clothes from my mom, aunts, cousins. I honestly loved getting random pieces and would often keep things I wouldn’t have normally picked out for myself just to see how I could incorporate them into outfits and see how I liked them.

Somewhere along the way, I wound up with a cool – at least in my opinion – oversized vintage floral vest (not this one) and it became a favorite item to style in my eclectic wardrobe.

I can’t remember what happened to that vest, but I got the one pictured here from an Etsy thrift seller a few years ago. (The same one I got the shirtdress I refashioned here from, and I sadly can’t remember their shop name nor find the old order info.) Anyway, I’ve been thinking about how I should wear it a lot more, if we were, yanno, going places and doing things this summer, so here’s how I would style it for maybe a late summer festival or dinner out with friends.

What I Would Wear: Vintage Floral Vest For Summer

I paired the vintage floral vest with a mustard yellow tank top, high waisted button fly jeans, and some striped white and yellow slip-on tennis shoes. I think the old school vest and frayed hem shorts work surprisingly well together even though the shorts style pulls from a different era than the vest. I also like the play of mustard yellow and peachy, mauve-y pinks lately.

I tried a few necklaces on with this outfit, but none looked quite right to me and ultimately I kept it pretty minimal by just adding my little hummingbird and flower double ring. A very old buy from Forever 21 of all places, but a favorite that I have definitely gotten enough wears out of.

Bonus outfit below:

Here’s a look at how I would have styled that other vest in high school. The only differences would be that high waisted jeans were NOT popular then (to my chagrin) and I would have probably worn it with lower rise, still skinny jeans and the under t-shirt untucked. And, the vest I had then was a more boxy fit even when buttoned, whereas this one tapers in at the waist.

PS. see the previous “what I would wear” outfit here.