August 13, 2023: Gen Con Battle Jacket Roundup

Battle jackets (or cutoffs, depending on your community and region) have long stood as a sartorial staple of a slew of subcultures. And as the TTRPG zine community has seen more aesthetic and community overlap with punk/metal/DIY music scenes (in large part thanks to the influence of Mörk Borg and others in the OSR), battle jackets have been cropping up at conventions with increasing frequency.

 

The Stockholm Kartell team model their iconic matching battle vests.

 

The DIY elements of this style especially work for gamer geeks, as we tend to have multitudinous hobby skills just waiting for unique applications . . . such as unique appliqués! These easily adapt to adding patches, whether professionally embroidered, hand painted, heat-transfer-vinyl-ed, or cut from old tees; embellishing with studs, spikes, and grommets; or altering the base jacket itself with fabric dye, paint, or hand embroidery.

 

Here is a selection of jackets I spotted at Gen Con this year. I love the mix of gaming, music, and other inspiration that goes into these unique pieces!

 

 

And of course this article wouldn't be complete without me flexing my own pride and joy, my monochrome acid-wash denim jacket with UV-reactive neon green stitching and custom embroidery . . . oohing and aahing is encouraged, folks!

 

 

First the lively lanyard discussion, now this? Is the Daily Illuminator becoming a geek-chic publication? Only time can tell! If you've got any other hot con-style topics for us to cover, send them my way!

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