DIY Denim Part Deux: The Patch Jean Jacket

Photography by Theresa Wingert

I love all the cool embroidery and patches that are on outerwear this year, particularly denim jackets. I wasn't really in the market for one that had emoji style patches and after searching in vain for what I really had in mind, I decided once again to take the DIY path.

I have two denim jackets; one is a Paper Denim & Cloth one with a mandarin style collar that has been a wardrobe staple for me, no matter what the season. The other jacket is a cropped, distressed AllSaints piece that is my go-to when I want an edgier look, and I decided that this would really be the perfect style jacket for my project.

Nancy's Sewing Basket on Queen Anne is a great fabric store, a locally owned family business that has been around for 38 years. Nancy's has a stellar staff, beautiful fabrics, and even a "ribbon room" that holds some of the most beautiful ribbons, silk and fur flowers and other cool notions. I went there looking for patches, and a staff member and I ended up digging through boxes and boxes of vintage pieces. I bought several vintage patches in silver and black that I thought would be great with the distressed denim. Treasure hunting!

Checking out the photo shoot results

After several attempts at actual sewing, I purchased a tube of Unique Stitch Fabric Glue from Nancy's, a liquid fabric adhesive that works like a charm. Mark your area with a pin where you want the patch to go, cover the back of the patch well with the glue and apply, allowing a couple of hours to overnight for drying. While I chose to do a patch on each jacket shoulder and front pockets, I have yet to do the back of the jacket. I have ordered a large black and silver dragon to add to it, and will post a picture if I like it enough to add it. I am usually an instant gratification kind of girl but on this project I am doing it in stages to get it right. I love how it turned out so far, and I especially love that the vintage patches make it a unique piece.

Hipanema Bracelets 

Since being in Paris in June, I have been obsessing about finding a metallic pleated midi skirt and was happy to find this Zara one. The rose gold is a bit distressed and the fabric has a heavier feel that makes it appear more high end than it is. This cool skirt will be great paired with boots and a chunky cropped sweater in the fall. For now, I paired it with my new Grocerie's Apparel black tee from Mercer, and a pair of Céline wedges. To play off the blingy patches I added a stack of sparkling bracelets from Hipanema, the ultimate summer bracelets.

This is honestly one of the easiest DIY projects ever, it just is a matter of finding the right things to embellish your jacket. If you are wary of sacrificing a beloved piece to a DIY project than buy a inexpensive but trendy denim jacket to experiment on. It is worth taking the time to find patches and embellishments that you love, and the result is a on-trend jacket that is uniquely yours.