It’s been almost 18 months since I last posted about customising my jacket? What is time?! Anyway, it’s nearly done. For the purposes of Thursday’s spiritual experience Milton Keynes show, it is done. I want to add one or two more things, but we’ll get to that.
So, here and here are where I talk about finding a plain-ish, second hand, cigarette-y jacket back in… 2019. I don’t think MCR had even returned, I think I just liked the look of the thing… Anyway, in 2020 I added an Aglionby Academy patch, my Fun Ghoul patch (purchased circa 2012 haha) and the lovely Little But Fierce rose. I’m still pleased about how well the colours match with one another and the khaki. And this weekend I got more pleased, because…
PINK BEES.
Look how lovely they are! They’re from Batwalk. I’ve had my eye on them for months. Bees are great, they remind me of The Raven Cycle and summer and, you know, a working planet. All motifs I am happy to carry around.
I originally thought they might go on the back of the jacket, because I had a plan for a VERY LARGE patch which, upon measurement, would not fit. So I thought a couple of little bees might work well with some added floral patches? To be honest, I’d wanted to do bees and the VERY LARGE patch, but when I got the tape measure out it was a bit crowded. So I bought the bees and realised they’d look great on the empty front pocket and on the sleeve, covering the slightly-discoloured area where there was an original patch. I suppose it’s the rest of the jacket that’s slightly discoloured? Hmm. Anyway, I was going to sew MCR’s 2001-2013 mourning band on the sleeve, but I a) forgot to bring it to University City and b) it’s huge. Aimed at a large manly arm. I have teeny wee arms. So we’ll re-evaluate what I do with that… one day.
So, the bees went on. Look at them! Love a bee. Thing is, though, a day or so after I purchased them, I realised I was fixating on the LARGE PATCH. I’d also had my eye on it for months. I liked it a lot. I couldn’t commit to anything else, and when you’re going for a slightly hippie-goth look, really liked your original idea and have a budget of twelve pence, you don’t have a lot of choice. So I went back to Batwalk… and purchased:
It’s huge. I love it. It’s also not as big as I thought! I iron-sewed it to the bottom of the jacket to avoid the hood covering it, and there’s enough space left below the hood for… something. I don’t know what, and I won’t find it between now and Thursday, so ideas on a postcard please! Something at the top might make the crystal ball look less wonky, too – it’s not actually wonky, I measured out the layout and the bottom of the patch is centred, but the hands and eye effect are a little dizzying. Hmmmm. We’ll see. The current design is not overtly MCR-themed, but if you get it, you get it. The jacket’s got great pockets too. Look at me, wearing the thing (thank you to T for taking a photo and proving I exist).
So, here we are: one Danger Days-inspired jacket, eleven years after it was cool… but weirdly in time to be cool in a more general, strange alternative style way, going by the reactions to Foundations of Decay. I have had a lot of conversations recently in which being an MCR fan has elevated me in people’s estimations. Someone wrote a Guardian article the other day about MCR’s cultural significance. There’s a less-than-grudging mainstream respect for these weirdos now. I guess if you’re odd for long enough, eventually you become cool.
I’m off to prepare for Thursday. Need to rest my voice and do some preparatory stretches. Oh, while I’m here: commissions are open through end of May. Come and join us at the No. 1 Readers’ Club! And if you see me at Stadium MK, say hi.
Look after yourselves,
Francesca
Want to support this blog and/or enjoy exclusive access to stories and chatter from me? Join the No. 1 Reader’s Club on Patreon! Alternatively, use the button below for one-off support of as much or as little as you’d like (if you’d prefer, you can use PayPal or Ko-fi). If you’re into fairy tales and/or want a brief respite from reality, you can also buy my book, The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes, from most ebook retailers and as a paperback from Amazon. (That link’s an affiliate. Gotta scrape every penny from Bezos, you know?)
Francesca's Thoughts 
I have so many things to say! Firstly: so jealous of you for seeing them in 2 days!!!! I still have 4 days, and have no idea how I will make time go by (that’s a lie, I have no idea how I will get the time to pack and prepare properly, but I want to be there already!). Second, that jacket fit so good in the new color scheme that seem to be around for… something? Only foundations, or something more? I don’t know, but I saw that color on Gee on all the pics from yesterday. Also, the bees! Insects. Swarm. Still don’t know if it means anything more (probably does, this being MCR and everything), but I feel like you were a bit psychic here!
Have to go and celebrate the national day (why? I’m busy celebrating mcr!) but if I don’t talk to you before, have the best of time on Thursday!! And please tell if there’s anything we should be aware of before Saturday, I’m excited yet kinda scared for it, haven’t been with this amount of people since… I have no idea when actually!
LikeLike
Ahh now I think about it, you’re right. At the 2019 comeback show I noticed G in khaki and kinda thought it was funny because we matched… and YES now I think about it, the new merch is that colour! Ha! And omg yes the bees and the swarming. Whelp, I bought them before Foundations released. Maybe I should take this tarot lark more seriously!
I had no idea Norway has a national day. The British don’t. Well, each nation has a saint’s day, but the English don’t take ours as a holiday (the rest of the nations do, I believe. NOT FAIR). Have THE BEST time on Saturday!! I haven’t ever been near that many people, I am very nervous and doing Covid tests for peace of mind. You don’t need to even mask in England anymore… I’m a little nervous. It’s open air, I guess, and I’ll likely mask during public transport travelling (I do anyway). Tbh, getting Covid from an MCR show wouldn’t be the worst way to get it. I will message you if anything pops up you need to know about with Covid or with MCR generally. I’m not looking up the set lists or any footage, I want to enjoy it! although I may not love if they take the swarm thing literally and release a hive of bees. hmmmm….
LikeLike
I’m not gonna spoil any more then, if you’re not looking it up. I’m kinda obsessing to be honest! I think it was good for me to celebrate the national day, to be reminded about what my life is usually about, and how that is a good thing. It’s fascinating, to be honest, cause I have very mixed feeling about. It’s a big day over here, with parades and special games we only do on this day, and kids competing in how many hot dogs and ice cream they can eat. But I’ve never been much for celebrating it. What I’ve done for the last decade or something is taking Mick Mac on a long ride in the woods. And not being able to do that, and remember last year, when I knew his days was up exactly a week from now… at the same time, I went to a bbq with really good friends, that I wouldn’t have made this year if he had still been here. So it’s really bittersweet, missing him, but knowing I have what I have in my life now only because his gone. And now I realize this is heavy stuff for a blog comment, sorry!
I’m not afraid of covid anymore, since I’ve been through it, and I like to think I’m still immune. But this many people make me kinda anxious anyway, we’re trained to avoid that now. But it’s gonna be so awesome, and so worth it!!
LikeLike
No, I get what you mean. Not having dogs meant I didn’t have to worry about going home to check on them and let them out, but the first time I got home and there were no dogs? Horrible. I’m glad you enjoyed your day – it sounds nice, the English should so hot dog eating contests! Fish and chip contests, maybe.
Eee you’re right! Covid still scares me but I’m triple-vaxxed and being careful… and like I said, an MCR show is an okay place to risk a germ. I’d be expecting to catch a cold there at least, there are so many people. I’m a little anxious too, it’s A HUGE stadium. I think excitement will counter it though!
LikeLike