Difference Between Waistcoat and Nehru Jacket

Waistcoat and Nehru jackets are two upper garments that are worn for formal occasions. Although there are some similarities between the two, there are also many variations in the style and design of these two garments. The key difference between waistcoat and Nehru jacket is their collar style. Nehru jackets always have Mandarin collars whereas waistcoats don’t have collars.

What is a Waistcoat?

A waistcoat is a tight-fitting sleeveless coat that is part of men’s formal attire. Waistcoats are typically worn over a dress and under a coat. This is worn as a part of a three piece suit.

Waistcoats are usually worn with matching trousers and jackets. They can either be single breasted or double breasted though single breasted waistcoats are popular. Waistcoats also have an opening at the front which can be fastened with buttons. They also have revers or lapels depending on the style.

Although waistcoats are traditionally worn as formal wear, nowadays they are also worn as casual wear by both men and women. These modern waistcoats are in different colors and patterns and are either closed or left open. They are also worn with casual wear such as jeans and t-shirts.

For formal daywear, waistcoats with contrasting colors are sometimes worn, but waistcoats worn for black tie and single tie are different. White tie dress code requires a white low cut waistcoat whereas black tie dress code requires a black low-cut waistcoat.

What is a Nehru Jacket?

A Nehru Jacket is a tailored coat with a Mandarin collar (a type of standup collar). It is named after Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India (1947 to 1964), and fashioned after the Indian Sherwani he often wore.  Although many people assume that Nehru jacket is the jacket style worn by Nehru, he never wore this type of coat.

Nehru jackets are typically shorter than traditional Sherwanis; they are typically hip-length coats. There is an opening at the front which can be fastened by buttons. The collar of this jacket is always a stand-up collar. This jacket is typically worn with matching trousers. The shirt worn beneath the jacket is not visible to the outside, except at the cuff links, or collar. This jacket is not very different from a suit jacket.

This garment was first created in India during the 1940s and was named Band Gale Ka Coat which literally meant coat with a closed neck. However, this jacket began to be popular in the west in the 1960s. Although this type of jacket is not very common in the Western fashion, they are very popular in the Indian subcontinent, especially as the top part of the outfit worn for formal occasions.

What is the difference between Waistcoat and Nehru Jacket?

Image Courtesy:

“Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh meeting former Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff” By Roberto Stuckert Filho/PR – (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia

 “Waistcoat” (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia