Fall Sewing - Sweater Vest Dress Inspiration

I've been dancing around doing fall wardrobe planning, and instead just getting random isolated ideas.  Hey, it's sort of worked for me for years, so I'll stick with it!  I recently watched the show LA Frock Stars on Amazon, which is about a vintage store in LA, and I immediately perused their website.  I can't stomach the price tags on the vast majority of it, but it's great inspiration!

Prime example - this fabulous sweater vest/dress at a cool $695.  While I love the color objectively, it's not a good color for me, so I've been plotting out how to reinterpret it.

I bought this blue knit, which I think will work well, but it's on the lighter-weight side, so I might end up doubling the fabric.

I've been thinking about all the different ways I can wear it, including as a dress, and as a vest.  I've been toying slightly with the idea of making it so I could wear it either front or back, so I could wear it as a dress with a low button-down back.  The only hiccup with that way is that I would have to leave off the pockets (or at least make them inseam pockets, not patch), but I think they add so much to the vest!  What are your thoughts, pockets or no?