Battle Jacket Battle Plans
The history and practice of stitching a second skin.
By Quinn McClurg with art by Alex Kozak
Paint, patches, and pins? Those are the expected means of customizing any clothing item. But studs, screws, needles, and floss? Those are just a taste of the ingredients included in a battle jacket; all bets are off when it comes to their customization.
Originally, battle jackets were adopted from the “cut-offs” of biker subcultures, which, in turn, were adopted from the flight suits of American pilots during WWII. The customization of these uniforms was intended for identification in personal, social, or organizational settings, and was applied by any means necessary with whatever resources were available (hence, the time-honored floss stitching). Some were even made for utility (many safety pins attached, self-defense tools (rocks, for example) sewed in, etc.).
Today, battle jackets still play the same roles, and are worn as a means of expressing personal identifications with bands, artists, gangs, or political ideologies. The meanings contained in a jacket are as varied as the materials the jacket is made of.
Although people say there are no rules when making a jacket, these are the unspoken ones:
Don’t be a poser. This jacket is your second skin; don’t add something because it looks cool, add something because it means something to you.
No “premades.” Unless it’s from a local artist or friend, a premade jacket is going to lack character and intention; the goal is to have something unique to you, not something mass-produced.
Battle jackets are a labor of love. I will only wear a jacket if I (or someone close to me) was the one to sew it; the time spent putting a jacket together is time spent inserting intention and familiarizing oneself.
Someone once told me, “make it because you need it, wear it because you like it,” and then went on to make a jacket composed entirely of bleeding baby doll heads; I feel as if that statement encompasses everything perfectly: make it carefully, wear it proudly, and feel free to get a little experimental in design. Remember, if you can’t wash your jacket, freeze it; this will kill any pesky bacteria clinging to you from the grimiest depths of the punk scene.
Anyways, see you in the mosh pit!