The 90s are back and better than ever! The standard square fabric patches have adapted into colorful, personal patches that are placed on jean jackets or faded skinnies. What I love most about the trend is the fact that there’s a certain element of nostalgia associated with it: Girl Scout unfiorms, 1960s hippie denim, and now, of course, The City Slicker Abroad. Another thing I love? It’s a DIY (Do It Yourself), so you can customize your jacket as much as you’d like.
1. CHOOSE YOUR JACKET WISELY
Yes, you can make a vest from any type of material, but you want it to last for years. So I suggest denim. Denim holds its strength with age, when you add studs it holds up to its weight and the contraction.
2. PATCHES
Whether you decide to make your jacket full of memories or just for fun, it’s up to you! But either way, you will have to pay special attention to the patches you decide to pick. I would HIGHLY suggest embroidered patches because they have plastic backing that adds stiffness and support to the patch, allowing it to stay flat over time while still leaving the patch thin enough to be sewn onto a garment. This was something I hadn’t even thought of as I was abroad and collecting my patches from each place I went to. But thanks to Bundle of Fun, they took care of it for me!
3. CREATING YOUR MASTERPIECE
Firstly, place badges on the jacket so you have an idea of what looks good together and where you would like them to be positioned. Take snaps with your phone to see what looks best.ew badges on using a secure cross stitch technique. Feel free to double up or even overlap badges to achieve your desired effect. Remember, you don’t need to be an expert at sewing, here is a helpful beginners guide.
I can’t believe the jacket that I had been planning for all semester is finally complete – 22 patches later. But with each patch I collected, I also collected memories from each of those cities and countries. When I look at my Prague patch, I see this unbelievably unique city full of buildings that look like a fairytale. When I look at my Berlin patch, I see this city and country that is full of history and importance. When I look at my Dublin patch, I see this beautiful place full of the happiest and friendliest people I’ve ever met. The same theme goes with all the other 18 patches. I not only learned about parts of the world, but I also learned about the people who live there. Most importantly, I learned about myself.
