Shearling Vests for Women: How to Wear a Shearling Gilet
Shearling Vests for Women: How to Wear a Shearling Gilet
A shearling vest keeps your core warm and leaves your arms free, which makes it the easiest shearling piece to layer. Wear a short gilet over knitwear and jeans, and a long gilet belted over a roll-neck like a sleeveless coat. Lambskin specialist Yves Salomon cuts both in Toscana lambskin, worn wool side out. Browse every style in our gilets and vests edit.
By Gemma Deeks, Coveti Fashion Editor. Updated 20 October 2026.
Key facts
- A shearling vest is lambskin with the wool left on, cut without sleeves
- Toscana lambskin has a long, soft, curly pile
- Short gilets layer over knits; long gilets work like a sleeveless coat
- A belt gives a shearling gilet a waist
- Yves Salomon gilets close with hidden press studs and are lined in silk
What makes a good shearling vest
Look at the pile and the closure. Toscana lambskin has a long, soft curl that gives a gilet real depth, and the best gilets wear it on the outside so the texture shows. Hidden press studs keep the front clean, and a silk lining helps the gilet slide over knitwear. Both new Yves Salomon gilets have all three.
The short shearling gilet
The Sleeveless Toscana Lambskin Gilet sits at the hip with a wide shawl collar and a belt. Wear it over a chunky jumper with straight jeans and boots on cold weekends, then over a shirt dress in town. A short gilet is the most practical length for driving and travel.
The long shearling gilet
The Long Sleeveless Toscana Lambskin Gilet runs to the thigh with a neat stand collar. Belted over a cashmere roll-neck and leather trousers, it does the job of a coat on mild winter days. For a fur version, Yves Salomon also makes knit and fox gilets such as the Belted Merino Knit and Fox Fur Cardigan.
Five ways to wear a shearling vest
Over a chunky knit
The simplest formula: a cable jumper, straight jeans and a short shearling gilet.
Belted over a roll-neck
Pull a long gilet in with its belt for a sleeveless-coat outline.
Over a shirt dress
A gilet adds warmth to a midi shirt dress without hiding the skirt.
Under an open coat
On the coldest days, layer a short gilet under an open wool coat.
With leather trousers
Leather and shearling are a natural pair; see our leather trousers and skirts guide.
Sizing a shearling gilet
Yves Salomon cuts its gilets in letter sizes, XS to XL, which Coveti shows from XXS to XXL. They are designed to go over knitwear, so take your usual size. More in the Yves Salomon size guide.
Our picks
1. Sleeveless Toscana Lambskin Gilet
Hip length, shawl collar, belted.
2. Long Sleeveless Toscana Lambskin Gilet
Thigh length with a stand collar.
3. Belted Merino Knit and Fox Fur Cardigan
Merino knit with fox fur, belted.
4. Short Merino Lambskin Shearling Jacket
When you want sleeves: a short shearling jacket in red.
Shearling, sheepskin and lambskin: the terms
Shearling is a sheepskin tanned with the wool left on. Sheepskin is the broader term for the same material, and lambskin means the skin of a young animal, which is finer and softer. Toscana lambskin, a type the house uses widely, has a long, curly wool pile; merino lambskin has a shorter, denser one.
Wool side out versus suede side out
Most shearling coats wear the suede side outward with the wool inside for warmth. A gilet worn wool side out shows off the curl and makes the texture the point of the piece, as on both Toscana gilets here. Reversible shearling, covered in our shearling coat guide, gives you both sides in one garment.
Caring for a shearling gilet
Shake it out after wear, let it dry naturally away from radiators if it gets wet, and comb the wool gently with a wide-tooth comb if it mats. Store it on a wide hanger in a breathable cover and leave deep cleaning to a specialist. More in our fur and shearling care guide.
Yves Salomon at a glance
| House | Paris fur, shearling and leather house |
| Roots | A family of furriers that settled in France in 1920 |
| Label | Maison Yves Salomon, founded in 1980 |
| Today | Thomas Salomon, the fourth generation, joined in 2000 |
| Lines | Main line, the Army parka line (2005) and the fur-free Meteo line |
| Traceability | Fur pieces show a Furmark label number on the product page |
| Sizes | French sizes, shown on Coveti in UK sizes: FR 36 is UK 8, FR 40 is UK 12 |
Frequently asked questions
What do you wear with a shearling vest?
A chunky knit and straight jeans for weekends, a roll-neck and leather trousers for town, and a shirt dress when you want a skirt. Belt a long gilet for shape.
Is a shearling vest warm?
Yes. Shearling keeps the core warm, and a long gilet covers the hips. It is not as warm as a coat because the arms are free.
What is Toscana lambskin?
A lambskin shearling with a long, soft, curly pile. Yves Salomon wears it wool side out on its gilets.
Should a shearling gilet be fitted?
No. It is cut to go over a knit, so take your usual size and use the belt for shape.
Read next: Yves Salomon shearling coats, Fox fur coats explained, Leather shirts for women.
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