I won't say I was wrong, but I will say I have changed my way of thinking.
When the weather turned cool, a couple of coworkers and I started talking about vests. They were fans. I wasn't. My reasoning-- your extremities lose heat first. Why leave them exposed? The other side of the argument is that vests keep your core warm.
Being a fair and open minded individual, I ordered a couple of vests from that big on-line company. One puffy, one fleece. Black. Basic black.
I have to admit I like them. They are comfortable in which to drive. I've worn them on photography expeditions. Great mobility. Big pockets. I love that.
Of course, they work when the weather is moderate, not really freaking cold. I'll have to layer something over them when it goes well below freezing.
I will have to call my initial vest experiment a success.