My grandmother’s brooches sit at the bottom of my mother’s jewelry box — we wouldn’t dare get rid of them, but we’d also never wear them. For too long, the word “brooch” would conjure up images in my head of older women putting on their Sunday best. I’d think of Victorian-style lady cameo brooches pinned on blazers at the Salvation Army. Then I stumbled upon #BroochTok, where (mostly young) women share their thrifted collections and top tips for styling brooches. There, a brooch can be anything you can put a pin through or throw a magnet on. Similarly, brooches can also be styled any way you like: from pinning them onto a vintage headscarf for a Chloé-inspired look to clipping one to expose your bra straps.
We chatted with eight experimental brooch wearers to find out fresh ways to wear and source brooches.
Michelle Li, the writer of Good Fantasy, started wearing brooches last fall:
“I found myself gravitating toward brooches because they sit between jewelry and a functional accessory, like a belt.”
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
I love my little silver-apple brooch, which I found on eBay. There are so many cool vintage brooches on there by jewelry designers like Georg Jensen and Elsa Peretti. I got this big butterfly brooch while I was in Thailand — it’s a super-strong magnet! I also have a big white fabric flower brooch from Alexa Chung x Madewell that I love.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
I use brooches to hold things in place or bring attention to a part of my outfit that I love. I’ve clipped them onto my bra strap so that it’s clear that the exposed-strap styling is intentional. I like to use it to pin up my T-shirt if it feels too long or the sleeves if I want to show another layer.
Nancy Cavaliere, an interior decorator and stylist, started wearing brooches after seeing the Schiaparelli fall 2021 show:
“I pinned a few onto the lapel of a thrifted wool coat and kept adding to it piece by piece. Now, the entire front of the coat is fully covered, transforming a plain wool coat into a total piece of art.”
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
I have so many great brooches, it’s honestly hard to pick a favorite. Two of my favorites live on my brooch coat: One is a vintage nude female torso brooch that I thrifted for $5 at the Salvation Army about ten years ago, and the other is a vintage locket brooch I found at the Chelsea Flea market for $10 that I filled with photos of my daughter. I’m a New York City girl through and through, so my absolute favorite place to hunt for brooches is the Chelsea Flea market. Estate sales have the best prices since you can usually buy them in bulk and make a deal. For online, I search eBay and Poshmark using terms like “brooch lot” and filter from low to high. But honestly, the most underrated place has been Facebook Marketplace.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
I use them the same way I would use any accessory — to level up an outfit or transform a plain piece. Placement is what makes them feel modern. Add them to shoes, sweaters, coats, hats, and even socks. Literally nothing is off-limits in my book, including brooches in my hair. I love clustering them. One brooch can look intentional, but three or five is where the magic happens. The more the merrier. And if it feels slightly “too much,” you’re probably doing it right.
Weslei Thomas, an actress, started wearing brooches in the fourth grade:
“I went to this Montessori school, and we had to wear uniforms, so I was constantly trying to figure out a way to infuse myself in the uniform that felt distinct. I thought this little flower brooch adorned with bright-pink crystals would be a great differentiator, paired with a tie and tutu that lined my khaki skirt.”
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
I surf through eBay or Etsy or take a visit to any perfectly hidden antique malls. Never sleep on the antique malls! Also, a major pro tip is to look through Pinterest. Whenever I find something I like, I sift through the related pins or shop links for something vintage that catches my eye. My favorite brooch is this silver spiraled starfish brooch I found through my Pinterest shopping method and purchased on Etsy. I also have this cool tennis raquet that I got from Long Beach Antique Mall II. I’m saving it for a future U.S. Open or something.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
It’s been cold lately, so I’ve been wearing sweaters more often. It’s always nice to gather the bottom part of the sweater and add a brooch, especially when I want to add some shape to the outfit. My favorite is adding them to tank tops. I like to cinch at the strap, because it brings a little flavor to an everyday basic.
Amy Shaw, a content creator, started wearing brooches after finding one at a vintage market in London:
“I love old-world details, but I wear quite modern, simple clothes, and they just feel like the perfect in-between.”
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
I have one from a small brand called On Brash that I adore. And the High Street is doing some really sweet ones at the moment too. I’ve picked up one from River Island and another from COS. I have a tulip brooch from River Island that feels very Carolina Herrera–inspired. It’s sculptural but feminine.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
My two favorite ways are really simple. First, I clip one to the side of a jumper hem, just lifting it slightly so you get a little peek of a white tee underneath. Second, I use one to fasten the top of a wool coat, almost turning it into a funnel neck. It adds shape and makes a classic coat feel a bit more interesting.
Zoe Grace Smith started wearing brooches after finding a large four-inch tiger brooch at a store in Dallas:
“I got into brooches a few years ago, during a particularly cold winter where I was wearing a ton of coats and sweaters on repeat and couldn’t find a way to accessorise with jewelry over all the bulkiness.”
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
I have a few fabulous grandmas and aunts who have added to my collection. I have a multi-stone brooch from my nana, and I love my animal brooches because they feel like pets. All of my brooches have come secondhand or vintage from Poshmark or consignment shops. The funkier the better.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
My favorite way to style a brooch is cinching in an oversize sweater at the waist. It’s a good way to mix in my fun animal brooches. I also love adding a brooch to the neck of a turtleneck where a necklace would get lost or wouldn’t fit. I never leave the house in a coat without a brooch added to the lapel.
Lana Antwan, a content creator in Detroit, started wearing brooches from a mystery jewelry bag:
“It was a large, minimalist silver bird, very Picasso-inspired brooch. I remember being completely drawn to it. I kept it displayed on my vanity for a while before wearing it, but when I had three or four sitting together on my vanity, I realized how beautiful they looked as a group.”
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
Some of my favourite brooches in my collection are the Mexican Taxco pieces, the modernist ones from the late 1940s, and some 1970s Brutalist brooches with bold architectural shapes. I don’t really seek out specific brooches or shop for them; I actually find it overwhelming to search for one exact piece, so I don’t force the search. I prefer discovery. Most of my brooches have been collected over a long time. They come from estate sales, thrift stores, and specifically mystery jewelry bags.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
I tend to use brooches functionally before I use them decoratively. I usually add one when I need it. One of my favorite examples was when I was a bridesmaid wearing a satin pink maxi dress with a very low neckline. The dress kept opening at the chest, and I needed something to secure it without altering the garment. I used one of my oversize silver modernist brooches to close the gap at the center of the neckline. It didn’t only hold the dress together, it transformed it.
Jazmine Brown, a creator in Brooklyn, started wearing brooches in 2024 after finding one at a stoop sale:
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
I have this DIY rosette one, where I pinned this thrifted baby headband with a safety pin onto everything. I got a floral one from a stoop sale for $3. And an Alexis Bittar one has become my new prized treasure; it’s so eye-catching. I predominantly source them secondhand, either brooches created as intended or created by just attaching something with a safety pin, but I also love one that I got from We Go Far.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
I love styling them the traditional way onto my coats to fill in empty space. But I’ve also pinned them to my hats and recently pinned them to my sweater and skirt to create this fun layered, draping effect.
Jen Azoulay, the founder of Jen Wonders Studio in Los Angeles, started wearing brooches three years ago:
“I wanted to rework classic vintage blazers and transform them into something truly one of a kind.”
Where have you found some of your favorite brooches?
One of my favorites is a curved gold brooch with cabochon stones. It has a beautiful bean shape that makes it incredibly versatile and easy to place anywhere. I source them everywhere: flea markets, antique fairs, estate sales, and online platforms like eBay and Etsy. When I search online, I often use specific brand names like Monet to narrow down high-quality vintage pieces. It’s a mix of treasure hunting and very strategic searching.
What are the unexpected ways you’ve styled brooches?
For my Brooch Blazer collection, I remove the original buttons and replace them entirely with brooches, using them as functional buttons. It completely transforms the garment.
Lately, I’ve also been using brooches to close the collar of a coat instead of buttoning it traditionally. I love placing them at the low back of a sweater to subtly snatch the waist. My biggest tip is to not treat brooches as delicate or old-fashioned. Think of them as architectural tools.