On the Radar -- Brooch the Subject

Photo from thestyleumbrella.com

There's one trend this fall I'm super excited to talk about.  The brooch is back!  Personally, for me, it never left.  I have always been a wearer, collector, and all-around lover of pins and brooches.  New or old, one at a time or grouped together, they can make quite the statement!

When I worked in product development, I had to go to the Hight Point International Home Furnishings Market every spring and fall.  It was fun to dress up, since normally the office was pretty casual.  My most memorable day was when I  wore my yellow 60s style a-line dress (I think of Doris Day when I wear it), thick black opaque tights, black ballet flats, and five of my enamel flower pins in black, white, gray, and yellow.  I got tons of compliments on those brooches -- even now, when I look at them I think about that day.

Brooches are easy to find and easy to wear.  Oscar de la Renta's Fall 2012 runway was full of his brooches, but you can get the same look from a thrift or antique store.   At the antique mall where we Blackbird girls work, you can find pins from $1 to $2, all the way up to $200.  And Etsy has over 120,000 listings for brooches in the Vintage section alone.

From Iris Jewels on Etsy

You can wear them one at a time, but I think the fun really starts when you pile on the pins.  And the more whimsical, the better.  Vintage pins can have so much personality, whether they are a Jelly Belly brooch, a Victorian tremblant pin, or a bright enamel daisy.  Why not a butterfly brooch nestled in a field of flowers?  Or a mini collection of owl pins?


If you need some inspiration for ideas on how to wear your brooches, I found this awesome video that Nordstrom just released.  It highlights nine different ways to wear your brooch collection.

More about my brooch and pin collection in a future Junk Love post, but I just can't resist giving you a sneak peek!