In the past, patches were utilized for covering different holes in clothes, as well as labeling individuals who are wearing uniforms such as in the army or police. However, a few decades ago, that completely changed when wearing them became all about making a statement. How did they enter the world of fashion?
Well, during the 1960s, thousands of people came out on the streets in order to protest the Vietnam War that was happening at that time. And after that, people created a new culture that you might know by the name ‘Hippie movement’. Meaning that they now protested with flowery headbands, peace signs, colorful clothes, and of course – they chose to wear patches.
Hippies were obtaining second-hand clothes, as well as different uniforms that they decorated with embroidered pieces of fabric. They often featured different icons of the movement and they were often completely funny, radical, and in fact, quite beautiful. It happened again during the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90 and they are back again, but this time, they are here to stay.
If you are thinking about purchasing some of them and decorating your jacket with them, you might be also wondering – how can I actually style them and where should I place them? Well, luckily for you, this article might be able to help. Let’s take a closer look at some cool ways that you can style the patches you purchase:
1. It is All About That ‘Hippie’ Look
No article on patches is complete without mentioning the movement that started it all. If you are looking for an authentic ‘60s look, you should choose to place them on your denim jacket. Keep in mind that you’ll want to place them on the front of your jacket and also, keep it cute which means that you’ll want to buy patches that feature rainbows, peace signs, unicorns, lollipops, and so on.
2. For The Metal Lovers
You might be heading to a concert of your favorite metal band and if so, you should go with the traditional ‘80s metalhead outfit. This means that you’ll want to decorate your leather jacket with a lot – let me repeat that – A LOT of them featuring different bands, symbols of the entire metal movement, and so on. Do not forget studs and a dog tag necklace!
You can literally place them everywhere on your jacket, especially since it will allow you to have that authentic look. Now, some of the bands might not produce official merchandise in such forms, and if so, you should know that there is a wide range of patch makers online such as the one feature on gs-jj that offers you the chance to create your own pieces.
3. If ‘Punk’ is in Your Blood
When someone says ‘punk’ the first things that might come to your mind are the Misfits and their famous skull patch. And if so, you should definitely choose to place it on your jacket! Of course, creating a punk look does not mean that you should dress as they did in the ‘70s and ‘80s, instead you could create a modern twist to it.
Hence, apply different models such as the anarchy symbol and other symbols of the entire movement to your denim jacket or even better a studded vest, skinny jeans, a black or white bandanna, and of course, do not forget to wear jewelry such as a lot of earrings and naturally, a leather wrap bracelet.
4. Less is Sometimes More
One of the least complex ways that you can decorate your jacket or vest is to be minimalistic. What does this mean? Well, you do not need to place a lot of them on your clothes, instead, you can, for instance, purchase 2 alien heads that you’ll place on your shoulders. Simple, yes, but it’ll definitely attract attention to what you are wearing.
5. Military Style is Always Fashionable
As mentioned earlier in the article, patches were first used by the military, hence, place them where they are created for being – on your military-style jacket! These jackets are usually green and if you want to make yours a bit more fun, choose to add a wide range of colorful ones on it or you could choose to place a few on the sleeves or pockets.
6. Do You Want to Wear a Blazer? No Problem!
If your goal is to make a true fashion statement, you can opt for placing your patches on your blazer – one that you can wear to work, as well as for a night out. Now, you’ll need to choose suitable models such as some colorful stars, hearts, or flowers, and ensure that you carefully place them along the button line. Besides making a fashion statement, people will definitely ask you where you purchased the blazer.
What to Consider Before Making a Purchase
Before you buy the patches you want, you should consider a few things, including:
- The Size – they do come in a wide range of sizes, hence, the first thing you’ll want to check is how large it actually is. You do not want to order several of them just to be completely disappointed by their size when they arrive. So, before anything else, think about the size you want.
- The Type – there are various types that you could opt for. For instance, if you are planning on changing them often, you might want to choose ones that need to be sewed on the clothes, but if not, you can choose to buy ones that can be applied with an iron – which is also easier.
- The Price – you’ll find various online stores that sell patches, as well as offer you the chance to make your own, hence, you might want to consider the prices too. When searching, you should compare the prices offered by different online stores in order to ensure that you do not overspend for the same thing.
Conclusion
As you were able to read and learn, you can actually style your patches in a wide range of ways. Depending on the patch type you choose to purchase, you might actually be able to change them. This means that you can wear specific ones for one day and then change them to something else the next.
Hence, now that you know what you can and definitely should choose to do, you might not want to waste any more of your time. Instead, go back to the beginning of this article and choose a style that suits you best. After that, you can start browsing different stores in order to find the patches you are looking for or create your own if you cannot find something that you like.
