Nobody talks about bridal outerwear, which is crazy because weddings get cold and “Just Married” jackets are awesome. They're the whiskey-soaked cherries atop the ice cream sundae, unexpected and edgy. And yet your window for purchasing them is so tiny! You can’t buy a jacket emblazoned with “Mrs.” three years into matrimony. It’s wacky, kind of like when someone who has been a brunette their entire life decides suddenly at 34 to go blonde and people fixate on all the possible reasons. So, get the full utility out of the jacket, and none of the raised eyebrows, by grabbing it now. You’ll make all your married friends jealous.
1 of 3
Jacket: Gypstitch EmbroideryPhoto: Andrea Godfrey and Stephanie Wood
2 of 3
Jacket: Gypstitch Embroidery
Photo: Lexi Haslem
3 of 3
Jacket: Kimberly George Art
The original "Just Married" jacket
The Just Married jacket is not just a cool trend, but a movement started by Canadian calligrapher Sylvia Wong. Wong hand painted her favorite leather jacket for her wedding in 2016, and then posted it to a local bartering website, to overwhelming demand. Since then, she’s loaned it out to couples all over Toronto for free, and calligraphers in other cities, including Baltimore and D.C., have replicated the model with their own jackets.
So how does it work?
First, claim your date at copperstoneco.com (Baltimore) or postskript.com (DC). You'll get to borrow the jacket from Wednesday to Tuesday of your wedding week, in exchange for a bottle of red wine. Local pick-ups only.
Prefer to customize your own? Things to consider:
- Do you want a leather jacket or a jean jacket?
- What kind of lettering do you prefer — embroidery, vinyl transfer or hand-painted?
- What should the jacket say? Your new last name? A catchy phrase?
We love bespoke designs from Gypstitch Embroidery. The Etsy shop makes the process super easy, allowing you to choose between two of Levi's most popular denim jackets (or if you have a jacket you love and want to use, you can send it to them.)
For a hand-painted design, consider Annapolis-based calligrapher Kimberly George Art. FYI: Unlike Gypstitch Embroidery, many Etsy shops do not sell actual jackets. They charge you for the cost of labor and will either send you a vinyl transfer or require you to ship your own jacket to them for customization. Keep this in mind when comparing costs!
