diff --git a/examples/README.md b/examples/README.md
index 3c9cd88e91..61a4383ae9 100644
--- a/examples/README.md
+++ b/examples/README.md
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ This directory contains a collection of examples that demonstrate the use of the
     debug a server under load in production.
   + `journald`: Demonstrates how to use `fmt` and `journald` layers to output to
     both the terminal and the system journal.
+  + `toggle-layers` : Demonstrates how Layers can be wrapped with an `Option` allowing
+    them to be dynamically toggled.
 - **tracing-futures**:
   + `spawny-thing`: Demonstrates the use of the `#[instrument]` attribute macro
     asynchronous functions.
diff --git a/examples/examples/toggle-layers.rs b/examples/examples/toggle-layers.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f4cbe4b222
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/examples/toggle-layers.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#![deny(rust_2018_idioms)]
+/// This is a example showing how `Layer` can be enabled or disabled by
+/// by wrapping them with an `Option`. This example shows `fmt` and `json`
+/// being toggled based on the `json` command line flag.
+///
+/// You can run this example by running the following command in a terminal
+///
+/// ```
+/// cargo run --example toggle-layers -- json
+/// ```
+///
+use clap::{App, Arg};
+use tracing::info;
+use tracing_subscriber::{prelude::__tracing_subscriber_SubscriberExt, util::SubscriberInitExt};
+
+#[path = "fmt/yak_shave.rs"]
+mod yak_shave;
+
+fn main() {
+    let matches = App::new("fmt optional Example")
+        .version("1.0")
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("json")
+                .help("Enabling json formatting of logs")
+                .required(false)
+                .takes_value(false),
+        )
+        .get_matches();
+
+    let (json, plain) = if matches.is_present("json") {
+        (Some(tracing_subscriber::fmt::layer().json()), None)
+    } else {
+        (None, Some(tracing_subscriber::fmt::layer()))
+    };
+
+    tracing_subscriber::registry().with(json).with(plain).init();
+
+    let number_of_yaks = 3;
+    // this creates a new event, outside of any spans.
+    info!(number_of_yaks, "preparing to shave yaks");
+
+    let number_shaved = yak_shave::shave_all(number_of_yaks);
+    info!(
+        all_yaks_shaved = number_shaved == number_of_yaks,
+        "yak shaving completed."
+    );
+}
diff --git a/tracing-subscriber/src/layer.rs b/tracing-subscriber/src/layer.rs
index 01b111aad3..e3609c9b18 100644
--- a/tracing-subscriber/src/layer.rs
+++ b/tracing-subscriber/src/layer.rs
@@ -808,6 +808,102 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+impl<L, S> Layer<S> for Option<L>
+where
+    L: Layer<S>,
+    S: Subscriber,
+{
+    #[inline]
+    fn new_span(&self, attrs: &span::Attributes<'_>, id: &span::Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.new_span(attrs, id, ctx)
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn register_callsite(&self, metadata: &'static Metadata<'static>) -> Interest {
+        match self {
+            Some(ref inner) => inner.register_callsite(metadata),
+            None => Interest::always(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn enabled(&self, metadata: &Metadata<'_>, ctx: Context<'_, S>) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            Some(ref inner) => inner.enabled(metadata, ctx),
+            None => true,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn max_level_hint(&self) -> Option<LevelFilter> {
+        match self {
+            Some(ref inner) => inner.max_level_hint(),
+            None => None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_record(&self, span: &span::Id, values: &span::Record<'_>, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.on_record(span, values, ctx);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_follows_from(&self, span: &span::Id, follows: &span::Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.on_follows_from(span, follows, ctx);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_event(&self, event: &Event<'_>, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.on_event(event, ctx);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_enter(&self, id: &span::Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.on_enter(id, ctx);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_exit(&self, id: &span::Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.on_exit(id, ctx);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_close(&self, id: span::Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.on_close(id, ctx);
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn on_id_change(&self, old: &span::Id, new: &span::Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
+        if let Some(ref inner) = self {
+            inner.on_id_change(old, new, ctx)
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[doc(hidden)]
+    #[inline]
+    unsafe fn downcast_raw(&self, id: TypeId) -> Option<*const ()> {
+        if id == TypeId::of::<Self>() {
+            Some(self as *const _ as *const ())
+        } else {
+            self.as_ref().and_then(|inner| inner.downcast_raw(id))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(feature = "registry")]
 #[cfg_attr(docsrs, doc(cfg(feature = "registry")))]
 impl<'a, L, S> LookupSpan<'a> for Layered<L, S>