So you want to wear a brooch

Let’s start with the manageable

A carefully chosen vintage costume brooch can say a lot about a woman. If she is wearing a Christmas brooch, she has immediately communicated her fondness for the season. If her coat is decorated with a colourful Bakelite brooch, she is signalling her affection for 1930s styles. If her blazer is weighted down by an over-the-top display of floral brooches with faux rubies, emeralds and sapphires, maybe the message is simply to have a bit of fun.

If you were my customers from Where I Was From (yes I used to own a vintage shop), you’d know brooches have always been my soft spot and how enthusiastic I was when exploring creative attempts to style them with you. Sourcing and mixing brooches together is my favourite pastime, but more often than not my palate is brooches with same colour tone in different shapes. I also tend to choose brooches without rhinestones to avoid feeling dressy as most of my customers were saying “brooch is an accessory for my grandmother” instead of themselves when their style were mostly casual and modern. Wait no, it isn’t! Styling a brooch is great fun!

Brooches styling ideas from my previous vintage shop. Love a great mix.

One thing I used to do when buying brooches is to check if they are signed or not. Signed brooches are generally considered more valuable and easier to date especially when associated with costume jewellery producers like Monet and Crown Trifari. Since I kept my entire signed brooch collection at my parents house, the handful pieces I now own are newly sourced and mostly unsigned.

Clockwise: Sterling silver fish brooch (unsigned), Monet round brooch I scored from this vintage car boot sale, Scandi vibe pendant brooch (unsigned), cabochon square brooch with rhinestones (unsigned)

Last week, I unabashedly have to say I received so much compliments wearing this outfit to work —

Using a brooch to pin down blazer lapels and creating high mandarin collar draws people’s attention (highly intentional). See how this monotone look is instantly polished without having to say a word extra?

For signature brooch, I usually go for a 5cm, sometimes 7cm.

Another monotone look accentuated by a cute fish brooch —

I allow myself to immerse in a sea of sameness dressing on a normal work day with extra touch on accessories and shirt placket playing - you can even pin multiple and go further down to the last button!

chrismaido

A post shared by @chrismaido

On days when you feel dragged, you power dress to uplift the mood. Leather and silverware are my reliable twins, adding a brooch pendant is simply chef’s kiss.

When I styled this unsigned pendant brooch the other day, my clumsy fingers broke the pin. So the back pin is now removed and can be worn as necklace/keycharm/bracelet instead. Well, it is what it is!

Who now owns more new necklaces without having to buy them?

Leave your brooch hanging on a plain necklace. Why not? Just remember to check the pin is secured so you won’t hurt yourself.

The Man Brooch Renaissance

These attempts below are what I regard as eye candy *smirk*

Layering necklaces and filling the in-between gap with a brooch in matching colour, my best take so far. Should I play around with more accessories in Part II?

Spring has sprung! Here I am double brooching my vest slightly shorter to show a bit of skin and creating some folds for texture. Highly manageable.

Quick snap before heading out. You see the trick.

1+1 = when a single brooch feels odd and overly formal. Usually I’m not a huge fan of rhinestones but this cabochon square brooch is subtle and cool altogether.

Another possible idea to style is to pin your brooch on shoe straps like this (shoe laces might be too thin though).

Looks fine to me but will bring it to realistic setting during Easter and report back.

Or back to basic basic.

If you consider your style casual and modern, a single brooch outfit without major touchup may be your best way to start if you are now inspired already!

Final note: JUST WEAR YOUR BROOCH!!!!!!

Have a great Easter holiday everyone.

Chris

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Catch up on my previous posts:

WHAT I WORE #03

WHAT I WORE #02

WHAT I WORE #01