Iona Waistcoat

Waistcoat & Cap: Walker Slater | Blouse: The House of Foxy | Tie: pre-loved.

Iona Waistcoat in Grey Donegal Shetland Tweed by Walker Slater.

Walker Slater is one of those brands I admired from afar long before I was able to add their pieces to my wardrobe. I’d look at the sophisticated folks like Mona of BadHairGoodShoes and dream of tweed rides in beautiful old cities on the other side of the world, escaping the crisp European winters dressed in impeccable suits styled with my own vintage flair…

I believe in my head I associated Walker Slater with the life I could have had if I hadn’t become sick. Working in Europe was my ultimate career goal. In my late teens through mid 20s, I dedicated every waking moment to realising that dream. I fantasised about what my life would look like – what I would look like – as a feature film Camera Operator and eventual Director of Photography based in that part of the world. When I looked at the Walker Slater instagram feed… that was it. That was it, and it was now unattainable.

During Australia’s first lockdown, the day after our beautiful fur-child Zooey passed away at 16 years of age, we were sitting by the fire undertaking some retail therapy. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted as a special wearable memorial to Zoo – a Walker Slater coat or waistcoat in her mottled grey; I wanted something I could wear to make me feel close to my snuggly little girl during these troubling times, and remind me of more optimistic times.

I was looking at the Emma Victorian riding jacket, but unfortunately it exceeded my budget at the time. I then began looking at their range of cropped jackets and waistcoats. While the cropped Lola jackets have been on my ‘one day’ wish list since I discovered Walker Slater, I was continually drawn back to this single-breasted Iona Waistcoat in grey donegal shetland tweed, and decided that it was the perfect wearable tribute to our little girl – one that could be styled with many of my existing reproduction vintage pieces and would be versatile enough to see lots of wear.

I was blown away by the quality of this waistcoat when it arrived. Having stalked their instagram hashtag for months prior, I expected an expertly made garment. Being relatively new to the world of slow fashion and completely out of my depth with the tailored suits, I was unprepared for garments the likes of Walker Slater. The meticulous detailing of this 100% shetland wool waistcoat had me instantly hooked. The cut and length are perfect for high waisted vintage style skirts and trousers. Ordering online from new brands is always a little stressful, but after looking at their sizing chart I opted for my standard dress size (a UK8 – see my measurement details below) and it fits perfectly. The back of the waistcoat is an elegant old-world silk-look fabric and features an adjustable strap to nip the waist in and hug your frame. The rounded ‘low-V opening’ design together with thin stepped lapels creates a very flattering fit. Two internal / jetted pockets slanting in towards the centre of the body add to the sophisticated presentation of this waistcoat. It looks sharp.

I strongly recommend this waistcoat to any woman who is drawn to the androgynous or tweed suit aesthetics. I suspect this is just the first of many Walker Slater pieces to be added to my wardrobe in the coming years. I may no longer be headed for that exciting, successful life of a DOP, but I can still look the part!