Brooch the Subject

Brooches and Pins are back in a big way.

Prior to joining my current team, they started the ideation and strategy of relaunching brooches on Nordstrom. We would sell a couple on our site but never an entire category full. Last week we launched “Brooch the Subject”, a brooch style guide and video and I was beyond inspired.

During one of my weekend visits to Portland, I raided my mother’s jewelry box and stole her entire brooch collection. Or “borrowed” like she so kindly reminds me.

From these brooches and inspired by the style guide, I did 5 days of wearing at least one brooch and to an upwards of 18. I wanted to play around with unique ways to style the pins, similar to the video, but quickly learned that I needed to practice my bedazzling. 

However, wearing a brooch every day made each outfit unique and was a conversation piece no matter where I was. I talked with more strangers in this past week than I have in the last month.

Tips & Tricks:

• Pin the brooches on your clothes when they are off body. Easy enough concept that I didn't learn until Day 3.
• Pin the brooches to your clothing with felt or a coarser material behind it. Brooches are heavy, especially 18, and can weigh down the fabric.
• Don't take yourself too seriously.