Fashion Forward #13 - Badge of Preppiness

Appliques, patches, crests, badges or decals are decorative surface applications of fabric that adds dimension and texture to the background fabric. The term derives from the French word appliquer (and the Latin applicare) that means to join or attach. While its early use was most likely to strengthen worn areas or serve as a patch over holes, appliqué developed into a creative art form used by many cultures over many centuries. (Scribner Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, Volume 1)

Nathaniel Vanderbilt Archibald, wearing the Vanderbilt Family Crest on his jacket

The resurgence of Prep culture and its increased visibility on the runways has brought back wearing crests and patches on one's belonging. It has been customary for old families to display their family crest on suit jackets (as is portrayed by Nate Archibald, a member of the Vanderbilt family on Gossip Girl) as well as Prep School and Ivy League Alums to don badges and patches from their alma maters on suit jackets, sweaters, shirts, duffel bags and nowadays even on their laptops.

Rugby is one of the handful of designer houses that has been reinterpreting preppy elements and bringing them to the general public.

True Prep author, Lisa Birnbach states that being preppy is no longer a distant, veiled and often misunderstood way of life, non-preps becoming ever more fascinated and acquainted with it than when her Official Preppy Handbook came out in 1980. As such, preppy paraphernalia is at an all time high in popularity, and sewing or gluing a preppy crest or badge on one's possessions is one easy way of adding that so desired preppy element.

Chest badges are amongst the most popular.

Placement-wise, there aren't really any rules, however, many of the appliques I've seen were placed very similar to monograms, either on the left chest-side or on the cuff of the shirt, rugby or sweater. With bags or other accessories we truly have freedom of expression, and even going over the top with the number of crests, the sizing of badges or the discordance of colours is acceptable.

A clash of two worlds, the jeans jacket and sewed-on the crest, make for an interesting combination.

Most new appliques are iron-on nowadays, however, many machine-washes or dry-cleaning the piece of clothing can make the glue wear off. The safest and more vintage-looking option is still the sewed on look but if your needle and thread skills are lacking here's a guide to help you stitch an appliqué on successfully

A different assortment of badges and crests, ranging from school-inspired to nautical

You can find some of the appliqués featured above at these different online stores:  

• New York Design Shop (definitely my favourite)
• Family Crest
• 1FerretTreasures
• Laughing Lizards