Have you noticed all the patches on clothing these days? I love how colorful and fun they are and how much they remind me of when I was a Girl Scout working hard on collecting all of those badges. Nostalgia aside, we’re talking about patches, not badges, here.

So, what’s the difference between a badge and a patch? According to one Girl Scout website, badges are given for completing competencies while patches are given for more fun activities. Good to know. The fashion houses and stores are therefore supplying us with patch inspiration. It’s the combinations, colors, sizes, textures, and messages that appeal to us.

This year in particular, many designers have added patches to their clothing or handbags. It’s not surprising to see this trend resurface and likely be with us for a while. In a way, these patches are like the emojis we use in texting and communicating – but they are on our clothing and accessories.

You can buy items with patches on them or you can make a more personal statement by  DIY-ing anything you own like jeans or a jean jacket. If you don’t want to sew or iron anything on, keep it simple by buying a few pins and putting them on a jacket or looking for some pins you’ve collected over the years that you likely have in your drawers.

The top I’m wearing here is from Zara. It’s navy, so I love it for that reason alone. I like the varsity ‘W’ on the front because it’s got a fuzzy, raised texture. And, I like the military chevron as well as the ‘silly lips’ patches on the sleeves. It’s not overly ‘patched’ and is a fairly subtle way to wear the trend. There’s something vintage-y about patches that appeals to me. I’m wearing the top with jeans because it’s a casual top. The front is made of a quilted cotton and the sleeves are poplin.  Because of its two-textured nature, the top looks a bit dressy and works well with plain denim. The chelsea boots keep the look casual.

Have you tried this trend? Have you embellished something in the past that you still treasure? Would you try this trend?

(Top: Zara; Jeans: Velvet; Belt: Marc Cain; Handbag: Rebecca Minkoff; Photos: Lauren R)