Mamas Don't Let Your Jackets Grow Up To Be Cowboys
alt title: *sonny bono voice* a cowboys look is never done
Yeehaw y’all,
NYC fashion right now has gotten very yeehaw right now. At least in my little corner of Brooklyn, people who are turning looks have embraced a very 70s Nashville vibe. I am not sure who to blame, but off the top of my head, it’s Dolly Parton curing covid or Orville Peck somehow.
I was out with a friend visiting from Seatle and we were perusing an overpriced vintage dealer when I fell in love with a sparkly fringe jacket. I have seen a lot of these jackets out and about and while I couldn’t afford this one, I knew I could make something similar.
I started with a $6 thrifted jean jacket and rhinestone mesh. The rhinestone mesh should be available at any craft store. I got a big roll of it for about $10.
Ignore my bruised knees, I fell off a bike.
You will also need a strong glue that can be used on fabric, I am using E600.
Cut a piece of the mesh the same length as the arm and use the glue to attach it right under the arm seam of the jacket. You will have to repeat this process twice more for the other arm and the back of the jacket.
Let the glue dry fully. When it’s set completely, it’s time to start cutting the fringe.
Start from the unattached edge of the mesh and cut the strings that attach the rows of rhinestones together. Leave a couple of the connections intact at the top. Separate each row. This will take a minute. I watched TV while doing it.
I also took some breaks. I cannot stress enough that this isn’t hard, it just takes forever. When I was done I decided the front needed some sparkle too. So I added a couple of scraps to the front pockets.
I then cut the fringe from the front pockets.
You can go back with string and hand sew the back with a whip stitch if you want to make sure it is really secure (I will probably do this myself next week at some point.)
Okay, so maybe it’s a lot. But you got to take some risks sometimes.
For my little note at the end, it’s the Fourth of July weekend and it’s important to think about patriotism and how we want to experience it this year. I know, for me, I have never cared about the Fourth of July, but a lot of people do. Thinking about and engaging with America’s colonist history is a great place to start. If you haven’t read about what is happening in Canada around yesterday’s Canada Day, reading up and standing with Indigenous groups is so important right now.
Stay safe and as always stay crafting