Vests

Totally unknown vest, not shown in the catalogues yet bearing a ‘Stars and Bananas’ Mill Valley tag. The padded quilted shooting shoulder is unique. From Depop

What’s interesting about this vest is it was sold in Fall 1988 but it’s label says 1986! It’s the same 1986 Original Design label seen on the Photojournalist Vest. From the Fall 1988 catalogue: “We’ve always felt that vests encompass the best of both worlds: warmth without weight or constraint. We’ve styled a sleek, low-bulk […]

Originally issued in 1985 as item number 3514, the Portable Pockets Vest was redesigned and issued in 1987 as item number 3353. From the 1987 Summer Catalogue: “On the hottest summer days, or in the sultriest climes, even the air seems a burden, never mind extra outergarments. How then to carry the trusty pocketknife, the […]

From Holiday 1987: “As an essential, a leather vest comes somewhere close behind food and shelter. This one’s an all-around tactile delight. Outside is satin-smooth buffed calfskin; inside, a 100% cotton soft plaid flannel lining to keep strictly to yourself. Side-entry pockets are deep enough for the most contemplative of evening strolls. And if the […]

“In this day and age, an outdoor vest that’s not full of feathers is down-right distinguished. We thought of calling ours the No-Down vest, but that sounded like a real estate deal. We’d rather dwell on the uplifting qualities of brushed cotton twill, the wool-knit collar and waistband, teh cabin-cozy flannel lining. Filled with thermal […]

Some vests that we spotted online were not featured in the catalogues as far as I know, but were made during the catalogue era, based on the tag.

Introduced in the Fall 1985 catalogue: “There comes a time when a bush vest calls for something harder than cotton. In search of a suitable material for harsher, colder climes, we went everywhere from the wind-whipped pampas of Argentina to the sandblasted Outback of Australia, scrutinizing calfskin and cowhide, pigskin and peccary, kidskin and kangaroo. […]

From 1984, this Leather Bush Pilot Vest preceded the Leather Bush Vest. From the catalogue: “Bush pilots are a special breed–they’ll do somersaults to thrill the passengers, free falls in canyons just for fun. They’re rough, tough, worldly-wise and think they’re indestructible. Like it’s fearless namesake, this vest has the look of having rounded the […]

The writing for this sheepskin vest is really neat, as it takes the opportunity to talk about the founding days and philosophy of the company in the 1983 catalogue as expansion was in motion. They describe this as a popular item, but I don’t find it in pre-1983 catalogues other than once in 1980 listed […]

The Hooded Bush Vest was a real workhorse for Banana Republic. The design was first introduced in 1982, pre-Gap purchase and ran until 1988 and then beyond into the post-Safari era. Today they are ubiquitous and plentiful as they were big sellers for men and women at $39. Image from the Holiday 1982 catalogue. There […]

The Photojournalist Vest was staple of Banana Republic until well-past the catalog era. What’s most surprising to me is that there were catalogs when it WASN’T included. (Spring-Fall 1986) It is ubiquitous on eBay to this day, as many were sold and they never wore out. Version One Version One of the vest debuted in […]