Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet show how to wear waistcoats in style at CinemaCon 2023

Although both Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet appeared at the CinemaCon red carpet to promote their new film Dune 2, if truth be known, a lot of the focus was on their outfits and more specifically their waistcoats! Zendaya showed how to style a waistcoat in the most fashion forward way possible by wearing a backless number that came straight from Louis Vuitton’s autumn/winter 2023 collection.

It was nothing short of perfection, but we have come to expect this from Zendaya. 

I believe that Zendaya most certainly leads the way when it comes to red carpet dressing, and wearing Louis Vuitton was obviously a deliberate choice by her after recently becoming an ambassador for the brand. Timothée also made sure he didn’t let his co-star down on the fashion front. 

According to Vogue, “Chalamet donned a hard-edged leather one with a pair of slim-fit, moto trousers that featured tonal kneepad detailing. For what it’s worth, Chalamet seems to be entering his Motomami era. Just a few days ago he wore a two-piece leather suit.” 

I don’t know whether you agree with me, but I am finding it hard to get my head around the idea that waistcoats are now on trend. I know without question the reason for this, and it is Gareth Southgate. Although he has thankfully now moved on from the ‘waistcoat,’ without question it was impossible for a time to think about Gareth Southgate without thinking of the waistcoat. 

However, believe it or not before Gareth seemed to dominate everything to do with waistcoats, there were more ‘fashionable’ people (sorry Gareth!), such as Kate Moss who knew how to wear a waistcoat in style. As far back as the 1960s and the 1970s, the likes of actress Diana Rigg and Lulu were often seen in waistcoats. 

The late David Bowie also famously wore waistcoats and and styled them in the 1970s and even in the early 2000’s. However, it would seem that in 2023 waistcoats have found a way back into the wardrobe of fashionistas. 

What I like about Zendaya’s waistcoat look and more specifically Louis Vuitton’s take on the waistcoat is that they have taken what used to be considered a ‘menswear staple’ and given it a ‘sexier edge.’ Forget wearing low cut and tightly fitted dresses, that is too obviously ‘sexy’ and in my opinion, not sexy at all. 

Opting for a waistcoat without anything underneath and backless (in the case of Zendaya) with trousers rather than a skirt, is the way forward when it comes to 2023. Now, the question is, will you consider wearing a waistcoat in this way on a Saturday night out in the near future?