The Georgina Gilet

“We are so excited” is such an over used term these days that I am not sure that I dare use it here, however we are genuinely thrilled to be launching this beautiful piece, a project that we have been working on for nearly eighteen months now.

Our lightweight, padded gilet named after Sarah’s daughter, The Georgina Gilet , is beautiful to look at but incredibly practical to wear & will be a go to item in your wardrobe for many seasons to come.

Designed in The UK & made in Tunisia it is gently padded for warmth with a faux suede detailing on the side pockets & gold fixings. It is partially elasticated at the back of the waist to give you shape when it is undone & has a split collar so this can be worn either flat or raised. Made from 100% polyester it is machine washable. Currently available in Navy & Black.

A Brief History of The Gilet

Originally worn by peasants in the fifteenth century as a button down vest with no arms, thus keeping you warm whilst still enabling you to till your master’s soil, the silent ‘G’ in gilet comes from the Spanish word ‘Jileco’. Henry VIII brought it to the royal courts and referred to his highly decorated garment as a jerkin, a name that certainly survived into the twentieth century as this is what my grandfather always called his green ‘Husky’ .

It remained the garb of country ladies & gentlemen for several centuries until the 1990’s when the gilet was renamed The Body Warmer & became a hip hop uniform. Since then it has never completely gone out of vogue. It is a great layering piece that will move your wardrobe through the seasons, popped over a shirt on a cool summer’s day, a cosy jumper in the autumn and as an extra layer either under a coat or over a jacket in mid winter. If you love The Preppy Look or are trying to put together a core wardrobe full of items that you will treasure for seasons to come, The Georgina Gilet is a must.

Nine Ways to Wear a Gilet

First we need to think about the fit. Obviously this depends on how you would like to wear it, but we suggest that It should be a similar fit to a waistcoat, the armholes fairly high & a snug fit on the body, of course allowing for extra space if you want to able to get a winter wooly or three underneath!

Once you are sure your gilet fits, when & where should you wear it?

• Pair it with a cable knit jumper like The Claire, dark jeans, chelsea boots & a tote.
• Wear it over a crisp white shirt, white jeans & with a classic belt & a crossbody bag
• Over a knitted Midi Dress with a statement belt & bag
• Over a Breton with dark jeans in the winter & shorts in the summer
• For Urban Chic team your black gilet with some Igor Trousers, a rollneck & trainers
• Over a jacket, denim, leather or a blazer
• Under a full length coat
• With a white T shirt & stonewash jeans 
• Over a hooded sweatshirt or sweater