Bold & Beautiful Brooches

Okay, be honest, do you know anyone that wears vintage brooches? or brooches of any kind for that matter? And yet I bet every woman has one or two pins sitting in her jewelry box virtually untouched.  I actually have trays of brooches, from turn of the century (20th), to mid-century modern, to contemporary, and I never wear any of them.  Yet, when I come across a brooch I have a hard time restraining myself from buying it.  For one thing, vintage brooches are relatively available, comparatively inexpensive, and usually in perfect condition. In addition brooches are some of the most beautifully designed and detailed pieces of jewelry made.  I have found many ways to display my brooches, I've used them to accent pillows (I recommend alerting your family when you attach a brooch to a pillow) and lampshades and have even clustered them in the base of crystal bowls on my coffee table.  But the point of this blog is to share my experiences actually wearing my jewelry, so today I pulled out my favorite costume brooch, this unsigned rhinestone lion.

 I purchased this amazing lion never intending to actually wear it since it is about the size of a small toy, measuring 2 1/2" x 2 1/4", and heavy. As I later told my husband when I was attempting to justify my purchase, something about this brooch called to me; maybe it was the green rhinestone eyes and white rhinestones in the mane, but it was clear this was not something I could pass up.  After a little research I discovered that this brooch is very similar to ones made by Hattie Carnegie a designer who along with Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli set fashion trends around the world in the 40's and 50's.  All were known for their excessively bold statement jewelry designed to complete an outfit. My dilemma today was not where or how to wear this brooch but on what. In the 40's or 50's this brooch would have graced a lovely structured jacket or perhaps a fur, both of which could easily support the weight of this pin.  My structured jackets disappeared years ago along with my corporate job and its to early for fur (vintage of course).  Since the staple of my wardrobe, a thin sweater, practically stretched to the floor with this pin attached, I opted for a denim jacket.  Probably not what Hattie envisioned when she designed her brooch, but denim turned out to be the perfect choice for 2010.  Not only is it strong enough to support the weight of  a heavy brooch, but the casualness of denim provides a nice balance to this lion's opulent presence. It was a good choice.

Don't see yourself actually wearing that awesome brooch you own why not carry it? Fabric bags like this Vera Bradley micro-fiber backpack are great for attaching pins.  Always remember to make sure your brooch is fastened securely and to remove it from the garment after wearing.