Question for Angie

shiny

Angie, in your new avatar, you are wearing that fab statement necklace, with a tie-neck blouse AND what looks to be a brooch.

I am very intrigued by the addition of the brooch. I know brooches are supposed to be "on trend" this season, and I've excitedly pulled out all my old brooches from my late 80s-early 90s phase when I collected interesting vintage ones.

I had been wondering if one can wear BOTH a statement necklace AND a brooch... or is it much-too-much? Seeing your avatar, I'm guessing it is not much-too-much.....

Are there any particular guidelines on this? I've always followed the "take one thing off before you leave the door" rule... but you've got me itching to be more daring and just go for it!

17 years ago

General

10 replies

Latest reply was from shiny

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Good question Shiny! I've been contemplating buying a brooch or two this season because I really like them. I'm not sure how to wear them, though, to make them funky. Do you always wear yours on your lapel?

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I've seen the trend - Jcrew is all over this one - and it's to wear BIG brooches, and several at once, on a sweater.

I have various sized brooches, I don't think I'd wear several at once.... mostly because the ones I have don't really coordinate well. (then again, I guess I haven't really experimented)

But I do like pinning to lapel like in Angie's avatar. Love that look. That is how it was done in the late 80s-early 90s. I always always had a clever brooch pinned to my lapel back in the days of shoulder-padded power suits. I still love the look.

Alternatively, try:

- use to pin a cardi closed (whether at waist or at neck).

- pin to a boat-neck sweater (off shoulder to draw attention to pretty collarbones, or smack in middle)

- Pin smaller ones strategically to make a button blouse stay closed up higher so it's less revealing. (I did this recently - an onyx brooch on the white BR blouse that has black buttons. It looks like the brooch is a deliberately funky button)

Only concern is when you start pinning, your clothes aren't all that happy. Can make holes.

17 years ago

shell

Active Member

interesting question! i have worn a chunky necklace w/ a brooch in the past. i too try to follow the coco chanel mantra of removing one item before leaving the house. so i usually stick to just one stand out piece. i think since brooches are generally small, their impact is less than that of a necklace. so, you can probably get away with it.

great ideas for how to use a brooch in different ways!

17 years ago

Kyle

Veteran

I wondered exactly the same thing, Shiny! I'm already reluctant to wear a statement necklace and earrings at the same time. Will be very interested to hear guidelines for this issue.

17 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Anyone remember that cute video of Angie explaining how to accessorize? I think I remember her saying that you can sport more than one thing at a time, as long as they don't compete (so dainty earrings with a bold necklace, for example). Have one main player and let the rest act as supporting characters.

17 years ago

Amanda

Active Member

I have some costume jewelry brooches from the 1990s in my jewelry box that I haven't thought of for a while. I should get them out and see what I can do with them. Especially now that Shiny's suggestions have given me some good ideas.

I do have a pink pearl brooch that my dad gave my mom when I was born -- she passed it on to me a few years ago. I don't wear it very often but I have a brown sheath dress that I would wear it with -- unfortunately the dress is now too big. I'm always torn because I think it's beautiful and I want to wear it, but when I do I spend the whole time worrying that something will happen to it.

17 years ago

Anonymous

aj, you might see about having your sheath dress taken in. I had one done so far and it was a simple and inexpensive fix to take in the side seams.

I hadn't noticed the brooch trend yet, but am excited to hear it. Back in the early 90's I wore multiple brooches especially on a denim vest. Examples are three American Indian made silver animal pins with turquoise (frog, turtle, and bird), three hearts (or dragonflies or flowers) of different sizes and materials that were not a set, pins all made of wood, etc. I think the secret was that they had some common connection. Now maybe I'll try a brooch on my denim jacket. I've seen a butterfly brooch worn cleverly on the back shoulder of a jacket but haven't been daring enough to try it.

17 years ago

Antje

Veteran

Oh Shiny, I'm so with you on the brooches. What a fun accessory. (And I saw in your Oct 11 post that you're sporting one already.) This summer I had started a thread about brooches, too, since I saw some very interesting modern artsy ones at an art fair, and almost bought one - but just almost, since I didn't really know what to do with a brooch. Later I wanted to kick myself, since of course the YLF gals had great ideas of how to incorporate a brooch into an outfit (e.g. Ana suggested turning one into a belt), and those brooches were really cool. Intersting to hear that they are also totally "on trend" this fall. I have to hunt the artist down...
I do agree with others that it's probably best to keep it to one statement piece in terms of whether to combine a brooch with other jewelry. A simple necklace would work, I think, but I wouldn't pair it with anything dramatic.

17 years ago

Amanda

Active Member

last summer, someone (I think it was Julia) used a brooch to update a classic pearl necklace -- I remember that it got high marks from the forum.

17 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Thanks for the reminder, AJ.... I remember that post now.

(contemplating jewelry box options)

17 years ago

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