Jack Wills Gilet: A Review

A champion of the Jack Wills craze

During the cooler days of the year, it's a common sight to see my fellow BAMMJ buddy, Devon Francis, in her hooded navy gilet - a pink bird with a cane and top hat prominent on the breast. But she's not the only person I've spotted wearing this piece of designer outerwear at Bournemouth University. In spite of the £98 price tag, the sleeveless jacket has also been a common sight on numerous other students, which leads me to the obvious question: what makes the Jack Wills gilet so damn popular?

Devon Francis sporting her Jack Wills gilet

But before that can be answered, there's a more basic question that needs examining... How did these young people afford it? Because the last I heard, students are poor and would probably starve were they to spend their month's budget on a single, expensive, sartorial pleasure rather than the basic necessity we call food. In Devon's case, her gilet was given to her as a gift, and perhaps it's the same case with everyone else. But no matter who bought the gilet, someone bought it, so what about this Jack Wills jacket is worth delving down into the hidden depths of your pockets?

Kirkbridge Classic (Source: jackwills.com)

Bampton (Source: jackwills.com)

First of all, they do look good for outwerwear. Unlike other gilets which tend to be rather puffy and/or come in lucid eye-grabbing colours, Jack Wills' are slimmer and don't go overboard with vivid shades. In addition, a stylish check pattern features on the inside of the jacket and a fur-lined hood is an option should you choose the Kirkbridge Classic.

However, don't let the lack of bulk on these jackets fool you. With a thick layer of duck down feathers in between the fabrics, the Jack Wills gilet is very effective at keeping the wearer warm and snug. So although the gilet may not look like hiking or rambling material, it can certainly hold back the wind and chill.

So in terms of both appearance and practicality, I feel the Jack Wills gilet rates as a high quality jacket. Nonetheless, does this designer gilet deserve its designer cost? One could argue that being higher in quality doesn't necessarily have to mean a higher price, but in this case, Jack Wills appears to disagree. Personally, I am too conscious of my finances to spend nearly £100 on just one item of clothing, but regardless of spending habits, such a cost is still perhaps a little too steep. Yet unfortunately - as with any designer clothing - you don't just pay for the quaility, you also pay for the label. And although the label might not be as pronounced as the in-your-face branding of Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, that small grandiloquent birdie says everything you need to know.

All in all, if you're looking for a well-made and well-styled gilet, I would certainly recommend Jack Wills, but whether you think £98 is worth its designer warmth is entirely up to you.

(For a more critical review, visit the East Sea Axe Originals blog by Adam Fisher, or to visit the Jack Wills website, click here)

On campus, Bournemouth University

A ribbed vest and black jeggings are the underlayer for this simple yet stylish look,
in which brogue shoes and a chunky knit bring the outfit to life. I especially like the
cardigan's large collar and warm colours.

A down the rabbit hole fantasy

Those who have had the privilege of entering my bedroom at Purbeck House will know of the Mad Hatter poster stuck to the door of my en-suite shower room. The reason his face stares at me every single day is not because I am a secret exhibitionist, but because the crazy attire of Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter is something I genuinely admire.

As soon as I saw the trailers for Tim Burton's modern take on Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter immediately inspired me. His dress - an infusion of extravagancy and the apparel of costume drama - appealed to me from the instant I laid eyes on him. I agree he is an odd source of inspiration, but although the Mad Hatter may be an embodiment of unconventionality, his look is also particularly classy - at least in my view anyway.

During last summer, I yearned for an Alice in Wonderland style picnic in the gardens of Windsor Great Park, for which I could dress as my inspirational figure. But alas, there came to be no fancy tea party among the rhododendrons. Perhaps this year, I shall fulfil my little fantasy with a top hat perched upon my head and a blanket beneath my bottom. Would anyone care to join me?