Brooch-ing the Subject

I don't like to judge, but I saw a woman wearing a brooch the other day and it looked ridiculous.

It looked ridiculous because it was a brooch of a friendly bug of some kind, like a little dragon fly or something, and she had it pinned to her shoulder. That's right. Pinned right to the top of her shoulder, as if it had just landed there and decided to stay. But it didn't look whimsical and cute. It looked ridiculous. (Have I mentioned that already?)

So, I got to thinking. How can you wear a brooch creatively? Because perched on your shoulder can't be right. But I have a lovely collection of shiny, vintage brooches from my mother and grandmother and I would love to use them more, while also avoiding the fate of this poor woman. And I bet you would, too.

Can you guess what's coming next?

It's tips! Tips are coming next!

1. Instead of pinning a brooch to your lapel, pin it to a chain and wear it as a pendant. You can also turn brooches into bracelets by attaching them to a cloth wrist cuff (homemade is fine.)

{image from http://www.robincamille.com/}

2. If you are going out for a fancy night on the town (as I am sure you all have hot dates every night of the week), use some bobby pins to attach a blingy brooch to your updo, maybe nestled in a bed of messy curls, as a hairpin in a sleek bob or even attached to the side of a cloth or elastic headband.

{image from http://www.liveweddings.com/}

3. Got a dress that doesn't fit quite right? Gather the extra fabric (under the bust is a great place to do this), and secure it with a large, striking brooch. I have also used brooches to spice up the waistlines of dresses that fit. Other non-traditional placements include at the V of a sweater or shirt, or higher up on the shoulder of a sleeveless blouse or dress. (But, remember, not actually on the shoulder. Because that looks, say it with me, ridiculous.)

4. Another trick I love is using a large, usually round-ish brooch to cover up an ugly button or other closure on a cardigan or shrug. If you have a cover-up with no button at all and you want a makeshift closure, a brooch also comes in handy.

5. You can also ditch the clothes all together and use a brooch to add a little class and bling to an evening bag, a satin belt, a hat or a scarf.

{image from http://www.butterfliesandhurricanes.co.uk/}

6. Also, don't feel like you can only wear one statement brooch at a time. If you have several smaller pins, bunch them together on your lapel or around the neckline of a simple dress or blouse for a new twist on an old favorite.

{image from http://www.jckonline.com/}

Are you ready to pin one on?
What are your favorite tricks for getting the most bang out of your brooch-y bling?