Two years ago, I saw someone wearing a pair of quilted liner pants—paper-bag belted—on Bowery, with a shrunken white tee and loafers. The entire outfit was noteworthy, but what stood out was the quilted material’s stitching pattern (not least because the pants were pretty utilitarian, the military style you can find on Etsy). A year or so later, re-worked quilted jackets began to flood my Instagram Explore page. These were re-worked jackets—some made from pieced-together old quilts, some from a patchwork of fabrics—and I have since considered quilted material a category in itself, much like leather or denim. A fabric category I’ve completely neglected.
While there are designer quilting brands—like Bode, which makes epic quilted jackets—I want to spotlight the vintage brands and independent upcyclers who embrace quilting. Here, see their work on three of my fellow quilting enthusiasts, including my dear co-worker Amalie, whose collection includes a very special custom jacket by the brand Psychic Outlaw. If you can get one of your own, it’s a very cool item to invest in.
Scroll on to see how all three style quilt, and why they agree it’s a great option for fall dressing.
Amalie
Deputy editor at Repeller and ardent quilt and patchwork enthusiast, prematurely diagnosed cat lady, village elder.
I ordered this coat from Psychic Outlaw back in February. Psychic Outlaw, which I seemingly can’t stop talking about, makes fabulous coats out of vintage quilts that either they source or YOU source. How cool?
I’ve credited her in the past, but Ruby Redstone initiated my intrigue with the coat she had made from her grandmother’s quilt and wore while emulating S/S 2018 Simone Rocha. I knew I wanted to snap one up before everyone flooded their inbox, so I commissioned a coat from a quilt they had sourced and opted for a hip-length, snap-closure number. It’s very mint leaves and pea salad vibes, but I’m going to wear it in any and all transitional weather.
I have… more than a few quilted items. I feel like quilting/patchwork is inherent to my style DNA. Since I love print mixing and am unafraid of looking like a craft project, I feel like these pieces work hard in my closet. I have a pair of pants, another jacket from B Sides x Bode that I scored on major sale from Opening Ceremony a while back, a Ralph Lauren blazer, a Tyler McGillivary top… I wear them all frequently. I know what I like! And I always want the colors to be right for me. I have a pretty specific color palette, most of the time, which involves a lot of what I guess I would call “hunting colors.” (Think: forest green, beige, navy blue, red, burgundy.) But I also have a secondary color palette that is a little more vibrant: mint, lilac, pale blue, sea green, yellow. It’s a whole jumble of things. But when I see a patchwork garment I like, it largely has to do with the interplay of colors.
Since this jacket is very “spring chicken,” I’ll probably want to make some stylistic elements feel a little heftier for the season. I plan on wearing it with a pale blue turtleneck underneath, some straight-leg, dark-wash jeans, and loafers. It needs the right things to go with it, from a color and silhouette perspective. I’d definitely call it more of an “occasion” coat, in that I need to plan my outfit around it, but it’s one that I looOoOove having in the rotation.
There is literally not one single item on this earth that I would not enjoy in a quilted form. You will catch me at age 80 in head-to-toe patchwork, waving my cane on my porch in Maine with a lobster tail hanging out of my mouth.
Avry
Avry is 28 years old, lives in North Carolina, and has a cute and tiny colorful home. She also owns an online vintage shop, where she curates cute vintage wearables inspired by her wardrobe.
I’ve owned these pants for a little over a year now. I found them while thrifting, and at that time I was looking for quilted items like CRAZY! I was super excited when I found this pair.
I own three vintage quilted items. Two of them will be for sale at Nxcvintage Shop very soon! The other I’m too obsessed with right now to let go of. I normally look for pastel colors in quilted garments because that’s my aesthetic—I’m not picky about the lining, design, or material.
While I won’t be wearing this piece for the fall—since it’s coming to Nxcvintage Shop—I also own a vintage quilted trench coat in lilac that I plan to wear with flared pants, a T-shirt, and chunky boots. I’ve styled this in the past with a tucked-in lilac blazer and heels for a more dressed-up look. They are extremely comfortable and can be worn almost everyday.
Quilted clothing is so fun, and I love the texture and character they bring to an outfit!
Miriam
A fashion design graduate now working in Finance, Miriam expresses her love for fashion through dressing up in vintage and sustainable clothing.
I got this velvet quilted jacket on Etsy from Butter Vintage Store last winter, after searching for weeks for a quilted jacket that fit my style. I had only found army green or denim, which are two things I never wear—but eventually I found this brown velvet jacket! And shortly after, a black velvet and a silk, wine-colored one. I was ecstatic because these are fabrics I always seek out for their durability, expensive look, and texture. I always look for fabrics that are natural fibers and these had silk or cotton lining, which was a big bonus. This is my most-used quilted jacket since it’s my favorite!
I typically wear it with a sweater underneath and trousers or high waisted pants so I was excited to style it with a dress and booties for fall today!. I plan on wearing it with dresses and boots this fall since fall in California isn’t that cold.
It’s such a versatile piece that I wore it everyday when I got it, but because it’s vintage I have to remind myself to be more careful with it and not overuse it. I would love to find a quilted coat, headband, or even a quilted dress would be a fun piece to wear.
