Once upon a time I was at a heavenly vintage store in London that was basically straight out of my dreams and I stumbled upon a gorgeous denim jacket that was covered in quirky patches. It was too good to be true—until I looked at the price tag. I thought in my head in pure sarcasm, “Well, that’s just peachy.” Then, an idea hit me! If I wasn’t going to pay a fortune for this jacket that I was drooling over, I could just make it myself instead! Flash forward to a couple months later when I thrifted this oversize denim jacket and ironed on patches (for longer than I’d like to admit) and made this one-of-a-kind gem.
Since my denim jacket is the statement piece of my outfit, I toned down the rest of my look by wearing all black. I strongly believe the most versatile piece in my wardrobe is a long sleeve black turtleneck—I wear it with everything. I’m also wearing a pair of cropped black pants that I thrifted (surprise, surprise). When I was in Italy last semester, it seemed like every super cool, Italian it-girl on the streets was wearing these versatile pants. They have quickly become a staple in my wardrobe no matter the weather or occasion.
For accessories, I’m wearing a twisted headband, an eclectic mix of rings, and a pair of black and gold sparkly socks to add a little something to my look. I’m also wearing a pair of boots that I bought in Italy that were also love at first sight. They are leather ankle boots with hair details and an oxford-inspired detail. I like how these go with everything but they also aren’t just a basic pair of ankle boots.
This look is easy to accomplish and is chic in a simplified way. It’s also exceptionally comfortable which is super important for any Fashionista on the go!
Although I’ll be dreaming of that vintage store in London forever, it’s pretty rewarding to make something yourself that can, more often than not, have much more value to you than an item bought at the store. Instead of buying that denim jacket, I purchased a couple of patches from London that now have a special home on the back of my DIY jacket. Every time I wear this jacket, it reminds me of my amazing time abroad and to always just be myself, every day. That, after all, is the most important thing we can strive to do.
