PIN Up Girl

Brooches are something which I never imagined I would ever be interested in or want to wear. I thought brooches were old fashioned and naff but I since realised that the brooch is one of the simplest and most subtle ways of adding some classic style to an outfit. The world of brooches is so varied and there are so many unusual and inventive styles to choose from its just a question of pinning down a style you like. I recently purchased a lovely black coat in River Island and I discovered that the little green and white diamond guardian angel pin I have is perfect on the collar just to give it some sparkle. Brooches can be worn on bags, scarves, coat lapels or work really well at the top of a buttoned up shirt collar.

I have a soft spot for cameos as they are so delicate and feminine looking. They have a really classic and antique aura about them. Cameos are one of the most simple styles of brooch available and they work well with most looks and are especially nice with pastels. If the traiditional cameo sounds a bit to prim and proper and you are looking for something a little more egdey these skeleton cameos(above) are available on etsy.com €20.82.

Another one of my favourite type of brooch is the animal brooch. Bumble bees like the one above or butterflies, lizards, snakes and birds in brightly coloured diamante are lovely with block coloured outfits. Wooden brooches are also widely available in various animal shapes including foxes, horses, rabbits and deer. I found a fantastic make for animal themed accessories in Spitalfield market in London called titiMadam. Their website titMadam.com has some very cool trophy head necklaces, skulls and plain old cute animal jewellery. Also if you are looking for cheap and cheerful pieces Rua boutique on Capel St has a large selection of animal badges for less than €10.

There is a lot of fun to be had with brooches. There is such a vast selection of types and materials used. You can even have a stab at making your own, all you need is a safety pin and a good imagination. Buttons, coins, beads, old phone charms, skeleton keys, pieces of lego...they can all be used to create a beautiful bespoke brooch.