How to DIY a Dupe Givenchy Varsity Jacket

Tools and materials:

• Women’s varsity jacket
• Jacket patches
• Clear thread
• Hand sewing needle
• Iron
• T-shirt or tea towel

1. The jacket

I wanted a jacket that would be as much like the one Ashanti wore as possible, so I went with a pink jacket with white sleeves and trim.

I’d suggest choosing one that is thick enough to wear as a jacket and that has enough plain areas for you to add your patches.

2. Choose your patches

I wanted to make my DIY varsity jacket look as much like the Givenchy jacket as possible.

That meant a big patch or two on the back, a few on the front and smaller ones on the sleeves.

I was lucky to be gifted a selection but there are so many available, to sew on or apply with heat.

3. Plan your design

It's really important to plan out your design for each part of the jacket before you attach any patches.

I did the back of mine first, then the front and finally the sleeves.

Lay the patches on your jacket and move them around until you're really happy with the layout. 

4. Attach the patches

All my patches are iron-on ones. My jacket is a polyester-Spandex mix and I wanted to be sure I didn't melt either the patches or the jacket. 

Check the fabric construction of your jacket, but I would suggest using your iron on a polyester setting if you have that, or on medium heat and no higher.

Place a t-shirt or tea towel between the patch and the iron, to protect them both.

If your patch has a plastic top covering, like my Girl Gang one, attach it to the jacket before removing the plastic film.

If you use sew-on patches, you can stitch them into place with your sewing machine, or hand sew them invisibly with transparent thread. 

5. Tack down the edges

Some of my patches have thick stitching around them and when ironed on, the corners and edges may start to lift. 

Use a transparent thread to hand stitch them invisibly into place.

Your stitches don't need to be very close together, but you need to use enough to protect the edges and stop them pulling away when you wash or tumble dry the jacket. 

Always cold wash your finished jacket and tumble dry on the lowest setting!

DIY Givenchy varsity jacket

The lettermen style jackets are so popular now and I’m thrilled with how mine turned out. It has the Givenchy jacket look that I wanted at a fraction of the price!

It’s cute and glamorous and I love that the patches really reflect who I am and aren’t just random additions.

If you’d like to see more designer dupes like this, please let me know in the comments below.

Check out my post on How to Make an Easy DIY Rhinestone Fringe Jacket.