Scrolling through your Instagram feed can be empowering. Seeing fashion girls, models, and influencers fearlessly pull off trends and statement-making styles can make you try out something new yourself, whether it be a bold lip color or a feather-trimmed coat. It can also make you feel completely lost. And it seems like every fashion lover on IG, regardless of personal styles, has one thing in common: A pair of unique, vintage-inspired, one-of-a-kind jeans that not only fit them perfectly, but look like they were handmade for them. Here's the thing, though — you can pull off the patchwork denim trend, and the Insta-famous styles are so much more accessible than you may realize.
In a world dominated by plain skinny jeans and straight-legged silhouettes, patchwork denim is audacious, and well worth bringing into your style playbook; whether you go with contrasting washes, or subtle patched-on details like layered pockets. The look is relaxed yet rough, from the Le Mix jean Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner made famous in 2016 to the patchwork denim dress Coach crafted for 2019. But where do you shop if you aren't a model, and don't have access to a $1,200 Coach dress? Luckily, there are brands — well-known and undiscovered — slinging one-of-a-kind, patchwork styles you can order online (for way under $1,000, too).
Of course, you could scout out FRAME's sold-out Le Mix jean on sites like The RealReal, which has pairs for as low as $24. Or, you could just turn to Madewell. The brand released a sustainable, six-piece collection with ISKO, the largest denim mill in the world, on Feb. 12. The collection nails the '60s-inspired vibe patchwork denim does so well; pick up the $148 Patchwork Rigid Flare Jeans for an IG-worthy statement jean, or the $98 Patchwork Jean Skirt if you were drawn to the leg-baring, feminine look of that Coach dress.
Madewell isn't the only brand offering up custom-style denim to the masses. Size-inclusive denim brand Good American dropped a cropped, multi-tone version of its best-selling Good Legs jean on Feb. 7. Available in sizes 00 through 24 (minus size 15, which is already sold out), the crop jean is a great first step towards the patchwork denim trend if you're feeling unsure about taking it on; the paneled color is similarly unique and eye-catching.
Alright, maybe those jeans you fell in love with on Instagram were one of a kind. That doesn't mean you need to bust out your sewing machine, though: One Of One has your back. The Brooklyn-based company is run by two best friends (and veritable cool girls), and it offers up totally custom, tailored jeans; you can even add on fringe for $125, which is a no-brainer. You probably already know of RE/DONE, too, a company that transforms vintage Levi's into modern denim styles, both patchwork and patch-free. If you see an influencer in perfectly distressed Levi's, it's a safe bet to guess RE/DONE's signature white label may be stitched into the waistband.
After all, the only thing more fun than marveling at clothes online is wearing them. So grab your favorite graphic T-shirt, get your selfie camera ready, and keep scrolling down. Some of the best patchwork denim — one of a kind and not — is ahead.
