How to Use Brooches

Brooches, once a mainstay of every woman’s wardrobe, now come and go for many in the same manner as other jewelry trends. It is, however, easy to make a positive case for this sophisticated piece of jewelry. It is, after all, more versatile than any other jewelry item. Brooches can be used the standard way: as an accessory to fashion. But that is by no means their only use. They can also be used on clothing accessories as well as in the hair.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Brooches
• Hairpins
• Hair combs
• Hair barrettes
• Headband
• Handbags and/or clutches
• Scarves
• Clothing accessory pieces like shawls or shrugs
• Hat
• Clothing
• Magna pin
• Pin converter
• Jewelry pieces like beads, large chains, omegas

1. Purchase one or more brooches, if they are not readily on hand.

2. Use the brooch on clothing. Attach a brooch to the high neckline of a blouse, dress or jacket. Use one or more brooches (in a cluster) on the lapel of a suit jacket or place one or more on the shoulder of a jacket or dress. Pin several small brooches over the buttons of a blouse or dress to liven up the clothing or show off a collection. Try using smaller pins as a substitute for cuff links on a blouse by just pinning the brooch over the cuff's button.

3. Hook a brooch through a “magna pin.” This converts the brooch to a magnetic closure, thereby doing away with the need to stick the pin part of the brooch into fabrics that could otherwise be damaged by the process. This makes it simple to use the brooch on heavy fabrics like boiled wool, suede or leather.

4. Utilize the brooch to help securely attach an accessory to clothing such as a scarf, a shawl or a shrug.

5. Attach a brooch to a hat to feminize it or give it a touch of pizzazz.

6. Pin one or more brooches onto a handbag or clutch to convert a daytime look to evening chic. Use a magna pin for heavier fabrics, suedes and leathers.

7. Convert a brooch to a pendant by attaching it directly to a thick necklace chain, omega or collar. Hook a pin over a string of beads or double them up, pulling them together around the neck. Close with a brooch to create a unique choker.

8. Use a pin converter to turn a brooch into a standard necklace pendant.

9. Turn a brooch into a piece of hair jewelry. Attach a pin to a headband. Using wire or thread, attach a brooch to a hair comb or barrette. Run the pin of a brooch through the elastic of a ponytail holder for a top knot accent piece. Attach a brooch directly to the hair (or a wig).

Tips & Warnings

• Be creative and think of new ways to use brooches to accent and spice up clothing and accessories.
• Invest in brooch converter accessories that allow brooches to be used in even more ways.
• Avoid sticking pins through delicate fabrics or materials where the "holes" will remain after the brooch has been removed. Such fabrics include silks, satins, chiffons, suedes, leathers, velvets and more.
• Avoid using expensive brooches to jazz up accessories unless you can afford to lose them in the process. Sometimes the pin or closing mechanism of brooches is not secure. While it is often easy to see loose items on clothing, that isn't the case with accessories, making the loss much more probable.