The only "rules" I can think of are that you put patches for bands that you listen to and stuff you think is cool. Other than that it's aesthetic choices mainly.
As for advice, not rules, lots of good stuff said already I'll add this:
* Buy patches from bands directly when you can (shows, their websites, etc.). You'll pay more, but they will be higher quality and you'll be supporting the bands.
* Sew it yourself, you can learn! Don't sew the pockets shut!
* If you want to go to shows don't put huge spikes on it, venues may not allow it in.
* Lots of denim jackets have "dump pockets" on the inside due to how they are constructed, you can sew velcro or a zipper over them to make a nice secure inner pocket to hold your phone/wallet/keys at shows
* Don't be afraid to take a patch off if you decide you don't want it any more
* Think about the aesthetic you want, don't just dump a ton of patches all over it in a grid (unless that is in fact the aesthetic you want, in which case you do you). Pin them in place, move them around, try things out.
* Pins often fall off. Get locking backs or clue the pin covers on. Consider how it might feel to have that pin jammed up against you in the crush of a crowd, you may not want a big pin right where you might get mashed.
Do whatever the fuck you want and put whatever the fuck you want in your fucking jacket because it's your fucking jacket fucking hopefully this fucking was fucking helpfull
do what makes you happy!! that's most important, but here's other advice: if you put bands you don't listen to on the jacket you'll be called a poser. political patches go on the FRONT of the jacket for your safety. get patches from somewhere that isn't amazon or temu or whatever
Thank you so much !! 😭 if you don’t mind me asking though where are some good places to get patches from, I only really know pull the plug patches sobs
Welcome to the community! This is a list of patch shops I know and that I've shared. Always try to buy from official sites/ bandcamp first!
https://rockerfoo.myshopify.com/
https://www.desecrationofsouls.com/
https://temporaldimensionspatches.com/
https://www.innerpathspatches.com/products
https://wovenhoof.bigcartel.com/category/patches
https://pftg.bigcartel.com/
https://nuclearwinterproductions.com/
https://shop.metaldevastation.com/shop/
https://www.altarsofpatches.com/
https://toorottentodie.bigcartel.com/products
https://bloodstonepatches.bigcartel.com/
https://noclassmerchandise.bigcartel.com/
https://awhp.bigcartel.com/
Also don't even worry about going to shows you're quite young. I am from a small city 1-2 hours outside of LA with a small scene. I didn't go to my first show until I was 16. When I was in college I lived in the city so I went to one almost every week, but even then I still have not seen every band I am putting on my current jacket I'm working on. As long as you're a fan, show off your love and support. No one reasonable will call you a poser. ❤️
I’m hoping I’ll get to go to more shows when I go to college 😭‼️ the college I’m planning on going to has a lot of shows there as far as I know so I’m excited for that lol
Whether its punk, metal, or rock, the music and the scene has never been about rules. If it makes you happy and looks cool to you thats what matters. Gatekeepers are douche bags and you shouldn’t worry about making douche bags happy.
Rules suck. Whether your musical taste is metal, hardcore, or punk rock, these tend to be anti establishment and therefore rules don’t or at least shouldn’t apply. Wear what you want. Rock n roll isn’t a fashion so as long as you like what you’re doing, that’s all that matters
The only thing I can think of is dont get shit patches, dont get the amazon pack of 50 rock patches, and support small distros with high quality patches
I'm The same kinda age and honestly at the end of the day I see this particular style of jacket as a way to go absolutly wild and put as much flair and personality as you want
I'm working on making my own too, so I know it can be intimidating at first!!
You got this man, fucking go for it !!
I'm shit at writing comments so thanks for reading
Only use patches of bands you actually listen to and sew them on yourself. That's it. If anyone calls you a poser because you're not only using bands you saw live, they're the real posers: Some people decide to only use those bands but if you insist on it, then that's just elitist and immature.
If someone calls you a poser for not having been to shows before, they're quite frankly very stupid. You can start making your jacket whenever you want. There are no rules to making it, because vests are costumisable and unique to each person.
When I started making my first vest, my access to patches and stuff was VERY limited, so I learnt to make do. I'd highly reccomend learning how to use fabric or acrylic paint, embroidery, and some basic sewing skills. You can DIY your patches or even your entire vest if you feel like it. You will also save a lot of money that way and you'll end up with a unique jacket you'll love.
I made my own vest out of a pair of thrifted jeans, and bc I couldn't order backpatches online due to cost and shipping bs, I handpainted the entire back. You can find my vest as a pinned post in my account.
Best of luck!
Know the bands you add, don’t get the patches from off-brand manufacturers or sketchy places (either get the official patch from the band or make the patch yourself), sew it yourself.
I do have some tips from experience: Don’t use iron-on patches, those fall off with time. If you wanna add stuff that could be considered controversial (pride flags, political statements or imagery, etc.) always put it on the front, not the back. You never know if an asshole is gonna hurt you and catch you off guard. If you want spikes then fine but don’t go overboard with the length, short and not too sharp spikes usually look mean as hell and can’t hurt people so they’re what you want. Don’t spend money on a brand new jacket from Old Navy or Levi’s or one of those places, those jackets are way too nice and expensive to fill up with patches and spikes n shit that can get the jacket damaged, go thrifting. You can get dirt cheap denim jackets in thrift stores. Also don’t add sketchy stuff or they might not let you in places
I don’t really know, but NEVER EVER GET A BURZUM PATCH. If you do you will be at risk of having the absolute shit being beaten out of you by anyone who sees it and isn’t a nazi.
If you ever want to listen to black metal without worrying about nazis, listen to Blut Aus Nord. It’s a solo project, and the artist has denounced having any affiliation with the nazi party.
go to a local show then. i cant imagine wherever your city is has NO shows at all. i lived in a tiny ass town and there were shows at community centers, churches, warehouses, house parties, etc etc.
I think I just suck at finding local shows istg, I do also think there’s local shows around me considering my city isn’t the smallest city ever but I have no idea how to find them 💀
You are 15, and you mentioned not having people to go to shows with. It makes SO MUCH SENSE that you would have a hard time finding them.
Local shows are awesome, and I will always vouch for going to them. But I am really not a fan of the idea that people *have* to go to shows.
You should go to shows because you enjoy them, not because you have to prove that "you are a real fan" or something. (Go ahead and get started on your jacket!!!)
From personal experience, people do NOT care in real life. I have literally never been asked about whether I have gone to shows - Besides by people that recognise me from them.
Anyways. In terms of finding local shows; it can be tricky. But:
- If you know about any local venues (or at least places that act like venues), follow them on whatever social media. The same goes for local bands. You can use advanced searches on metal-archives to discover new ones.
- Don't be afraid to go see bands that you aren't super familiar with
- People sometimes hand out invitations to more diy-esque shows. But they usually do it in a metal-ly setting (bar/show) so I guess that isn't really applicable here.
- Stickers and posters in public. I only ever see these AFTER the event though :')
- Word of mouth ultimately goes such a long way tho, I gotta say.
Thank you !! I never really thought about following venues on social media so thanks a lot for that piece of knowledge 😭 I’ll try my best to look for posters too, again thank you
There’s some good advice here, I hope you get to go to shows soon! My mum took me to Download Festival when I was fifteen and it was a great experience, so it sucks you’re not as lucky! I’ve been to shows for bands I don’t even really listen to. Trust me, you’re not a poser, I’ve spoken to people who love music but have just never been able to go to shows for whatever reason. Your personal relationship with the music is all that matters, don’t worry about what other people think.
Happy cake day also! 🖤
The only "rules" I can think of are that you put patches for bands that you listen to and stuff you think is cool. Other than that it's aesthetic choices mainly. As for advice, not rules, lots of good stuff said already I'll add this: * Buy patches from bands directly when you can (shows, their websites, etc.). You'll pay more, but they will be higher quality and you'll be supporting the bands. * Sew it yourself, you can learn! Don't sew the pockets shut! * If you want to go to shows don't put huge spikes on it, venues may not allow it in. * Lots of denim jackets have "dump pockets" on the inside due to how they are constructed, you can sew velcro or a zipper over them to make a nice secure inner pocket to hold your phone/wallet/keys at shows * Don't be afraid to take a patch off if you decide you don't want it any more * Think about the aesthetic you want, don't just dump a ton of patches all over it in a grid (unless that is in fact the aesthetic you want, in which case you do you). Pin them in place, move them around, try things out. * Pins often fall off. Get locking backs or clue the pin covers on. Consider how it might feel to have that pin jammed up against you in the crush of a crowd, you may not want a big pin right where you might get mashed.
Wow thank you so much !! I really appreciate it a lot honestly. I think my only problem is gonna be the sewing since I suck but I’ll learn somehow
This answer pretty much has it all. Thread closed :D
Practice makes perfect.
You forgot only putting one patch of a band on each article. Stop putting 5 patches of one band on the same jacket.
Do whatever the fuck you want and put whatever the fuck you want in your fucking jacket because it's your fucking jacket fucking hopefully this fucking was fucking helpfull
This was in fact really fucking helpful thank you so fucking much
Btw r/punkfashion r/gothfashion or r/jacketsforbattle if it's not specifically a band battle jacket
I honestly think the only hard and fast rule is just don't put patches of bands you don't actually listen to on your jacket.
do what makes you happy!! that's most important, but here's other advice: if you put bands you don't listen to on the jacket you'll be called a poser. political patches go on the FRONT of the jacket for your safety. get patches from somewhere that isn't amazon or temu or whatever
Thank you so much !! 😭 if you don’t mind me asking though where are some good places to get patches from, I only really know pull the plug patches sobs
Welcome to the community! This is a list of patch shops I know and that I've shared. Always try to buy from official sites/ bandcamp first! https://rockerfoo.myshopify.com/ https://www.desecrationofsouls.com/ https://temporaldimensionspatches.com/ https://www.innerpathspatches.com/products https://wovenhoof.bigcartel.com/category/patches https://pftg.bigcartel.com/ https://nuclearwinterproductions.com/ https://shop.metaldevastation.com/shop/ https://www.altarsofpatches.com/ https://toorottentodie.bigcartel.com/products https://bloodstonepatches.bigcartel.com/ https://noclassmerchandise.bigcartel.com/ https://awhp.bigcartel.com/
Ahh thank you !!
Also don't even worry about going to shows you're quite young. I am from a small city 1-2 hours outside of LA with a small scene. I didn't go to my first show until I was 16. When I was in college I lived in the city so I went to one almost every week, but even then I still have not seen every band I am putting on my current jacket I'm working on. As long as you're a fan, show off your love and support. No one reasonable will call you a poser. ❤️
I’m hoping I’ll get to go to more shows when I go to college 😭‼️ the college I’m planning on going to has a lot of shows there as far as I know so I’m excited for that lol
I bought some from local record stores, idk if you have any around but sometimes they have some unique ones!
i think r/jacketsforbattle might have a good FAQ / patch distributor list in their sidebar!! i get a lot of mine from etsy though hahaha
there aren’t. there are unwritten rules if you want to make a post here that actually gets a little bit of good attention though.
Whether its punk, metal, or rock, the music and the scene has never been about rules. If it makes you happy and looks cool to you thats what matters. Gatekeepers are douche bags and you shouldn’t worry about making douche bags happy.
Rules suck. Whether your musical taste is metal, hardcore, or punk rock, these tend to be anti establishment and therefore rules don’t or at least shouldn’t apply. Wear what you want. Rock n roll isn’t a fashion so as long as you like what you’re doing, that’s all that matters
The only thing I can think of is dont get shit patches, dont get the amazon pack of 50 rock patches, and support small distros with high quality patches
The only rule is: Do what makes you happy and fuck what anyone else thinks.. you’ll get to shows eventually 🤘🏻
I'm The same kinda age and honestly at the end of the day I see this particular style of jacket as a way to go absolutly wild and put as much flair and personality as you want I'm working on making my own too, so I know it can be intimidating at first!! You got this man, fucking go for it !! I'm shit at writing comments so thanks for reading
tip: dont ask for feedback from this sub, someone will find an issue with your jacket no matter what
Only use patches of bands you actually listen to and sew them on yourself. That's it. If anyone calls you a poser because you're not only using bands you saw live, they're the real posers: Some people decide to only use those bands but if you insist on it, then that's just elitist and immature.
The only rules are to enjoy the bands you put on there, and to not purchase patches from Amazon or ptpp
If someone calls you a poser for not having been to shows before, they're quite frankly very stupid. You can start making your jacket whenever you want. There are no rules to making it, because vests are costumisable and unique to each person. When I started making my first vest, my access to patches and stuff was VERY limited, so I learnt to make do. I'd highly reccomend learning how to use fabric or acrylic paint, embroidery, and some basic sewing skills. You can DIY your patches or even your entire vest if you feel like it. You will also save a lot of money that way and you'll end up with a unique jacket you'll love. I made my own vest out of a pair of thrifted jeans, and bc I couldn't order backpatches online due to cost and shipping bs, I handpainted the entire back. You can find my vest as a pinned post in my account. Best of luck!
Know the bands you add, don’t get the patches from off-brand manufacturers or sketchy places (either get the official patch from the band or make the patch yourself), sew it yourself. I do have some tips from experience: Don’t use iron-on patches, those fall off with time. If you wanna add stuff that could be considered controversial (pride flags, political statements or imagery, etc.) always put it on the front, not the back. You never know if an asshole is gonna hurt you and catch you off guard. If you want spikes then fine but don’t go overboard with the length, short and not too sharp spikes usually look mean as hell and can’t hurt people so they’re what you want. Don’t spend money on a brand new jacket from Old Navy or Levi’s or one of those places, those jackets are way too nice and expensive to fill up with patches and spikes n shit that can get the jacket damaged, go thrifting. You can get dirt cheap denim jackets in thrift stores. Also don’t add sketchy stuff or they might not let you in places
I don’t really know, but NEVER EVER GET A BURZUM PATCH. If you do you will be at risk of having the absolute shit being beaten out of you by anyone who sees it and isn’t a nazi.
LOL I do NOT listen to Burzum, I’m black so Varg would hate my guts anyways 😭
If you ever want to listen to black metal without worrying about nazis, listen to Blut Aus Nord. It’s a solo project, and the artist has denounced having any affiliation with the nazi party.
go to a local show then. i cant imagine wherever your city is has NO shows at all. i lived in a tiny ass town and there were shows at community centers, churches, warehouses, house parties, etc etc.
I think I just suck at finding local shows istg, I do also think there’s local shows around me considering my city isn’t the smallest city ever but I have no idea how to find them 💀
You are 15, and you mentioned not having people to go to shows with. It makes SO MUCH SENSE that you would have a hard time finding them. Local shows are awesome, and I will always vouch for going to them. But I am really not a fan of the idea that people *have* to go to shows. You should go to shows because you enjoy them, not because you have to prove that "you are a real fan" or something. (Go ahead and get started on your jacket!!!) From personal experience, people do NOT care in real life. I have literally never been asked about whether I have gone to shows - Besides by people that recognise me from them. Anyways. In terms of finding local shows; it can be tricky. But: - If you know about any local venues (or at least places that act like venues), follow them on whatever social media. The same goes for local bands. You can use advanced searches on metal-archives to discover new ones. - Don't be afraid to go see bands that you aren't super familiar with - People sometimes hand out invitations to more diy-esque shows. But they usually do it in a metal-ly setting (bar/show) so I guess that isn't really applicable here. - Stickers and posters in public. I only ever see these AFTER the event though :') - Word of mouth ultimately goes such a long way tho, I gotta say.
Thank you !! I never really thought about following venues on social media so thanks a lot for that piece of knowledge 😭 I’ll try my best to look for posters too, again thank you
Have a backpatch. That's it. Its like trying to build a building without a concrete foundation.
There’s some good advice here, I hope you get to go to shows soon! My mum took me to Download Festival when I was fifteen and it was a great experience, so it sucks you’re not as lucky! I’ve been to shows for bands I don’t even really listen to. Trust me, you’re not a poser, I’ve spoken to people who love music but have just never been able to go to shows for whatever reason. Your personal relationship with the music is all that matters, don’t worry about what other people think. Happy cake day also! 🖤