Your First Brooch or Pin: How Should You Wear It?

The origins of the brooch date back to ancient Greece and Rome. Said to have first been used as a practical tool for fastening clothing, the brooch is now one of the accessories many people enjoy simply as a fashion item.

Lately, more and more people have been incorporating brooches and pins into their outfits, enjoying them much like badges or patches that can be customized to suit personal taste. Even so, many people still consider necklaces, earrings, and rings their go-to accessories, and may not know quite how to work a brooch into their look. Here, we'll introduce some easy ways to enjoy wearing brooches and pins, along with tips for attaching them in a way that minimizes damage to fabric when the pin is inserted. 

Types of Brooch Pins and How to Attach Them

Even though we simply say "brooches" or "pins," there are actually many different kinds, including stole pins, rotating pins, hat pins, and tack pins. Stole pins and hat pins, for example, were designed for use with specific accessories, and each has a distinctive shape and length. 

The two most representative types are probably the "tack pin" and the "rotating pin." The tack pin is what's commonly referred to as a "pin badge"—a type with the decorative part and the clasp separated into two pieces, where the pin is pushed through the fabric and then inserted all the way into the clasp. To remove it, pull the tab on the back and then draw out the main body. 

The rotating pin is a type where the sharp tip of the needle can be tucked away while in use, making it safer since there's less risk of accidentally pricking a finger or having it catch and come loose from clothing. To remove a rotating pin, twist the clasp around to align it with the groove, which releases the pin's tip. 

Try Wearing a Brooch or Pin

How to Attach It to Clothing

The classic way to use a brooch or pin is to attach it to clothing. The standard placement is just below the left collarbone, right under the collar's opening on either side, though attaching it to the collar of a jacket or coat works nicely too. Choosing a larger brooch gives it a striking presence as an accent piece, while combining smaller brooches or pins creates a cohesive, playful look. On a cardigan worn over the shoulders with the top button fastened, you can also layer a brooch over that top button to cover it.

How to Attach It to a Hat

Attaching a brooch to a cap, hat, or beret takes your style up a notch, giving you a look that's a little different from usual. Placing it near the base of the brim, at the spot that lands just above your ear when you put the hat on, gives a stylish finish. Since hats tend to come in basic colors, they often end up looking similar to what others are wearing. Adding a small pin lets you subtly enjoy a style that's uniquely your own. Whether you attach just one simple pin or layer multiple pins in different sizes, both approaches work well. Wearing your favorite motif makes heading out in a hat all the more enjoyable.

How to Attach It to a Stole

After wrapping a stole around your neck, fasten the brooch just above your collarbone. This is a handy trick, as it holds the stole together while keeping its silhouette from falling out of shape. A brooch fits naturally with a fairly voluminous stole.

How to Attach It to a Bag

For a casual way to wear a brooch, try attaching several to a backpack. To balance the look, combining several pins in different sizes, large and small, works well. Beyond backpacks, attaching one to a canvas tote bag is another way to create an original touch. 

How to Attach It to a Jacket or Outerwear

For a jacket with a collar, attaching the brooch to the collar keeps things balanced. It suits formal occasions like entrance ceremonies, graduations, and weddings, while a playfully designed brooch might make you want to incorporate it into everyday outfits as well. Attaching one to a casual outer layer also adds a stylish touch. This too is a brooch you can enjoy combining in various ways, mixing different materials and sizes to express your own personality.

How to Attach a Brooch with Less Strain on the Fabric

When you use a brooch or pin, the pin inevitably creates a hole as it pierces the fabric. Depending on the material, the hole may not be very noticeable, but if you think about a hole appearing in a favorite piece of clothing or a stole, you might hesitate to use a brooch at all. Here, we'll introduce ways to attach a brooch that reduce strain on the fabric, along with how to care for it afterward. 

Use a Scrap of Fabric or Felt as Backing

If the fabric where you're attaching a brooch or pin is thin, the weight of the brooch tends to pull on the fabric, making the hole even larger. One solution is to place a scrap of fabric or felt underneath and push the pin through that as well. 

Pass the Pin Through Like a Running Stitch

Even when pushing the pin directly through the fabric, there's a trick to reducing the strain from the brooch's weight. If the pin is long, passing it through the fabric like a running stitch distributes the weight and helps prevent the fabric from stretching.

Use a Seam in the Garment

If you're worried about a needle hole showing, another option is to pass the pin through a spot where a hole is less likely to stand out in the first place. A garment's seams, where the threads overlap, are thicker and relatively sturdy. That means even if a hole appears there, it's hard to notice from a distance.

If the Hole Still Shows

Of course, even with the method above, you're still piercing the fabric with a needle, so a hole remains regardless. With thin, delicate materials, the needle hole may remain clearly visible after removing the pin. In that case, try holding a steam iron just above the fabric (without touching it) and applying steam—this will make the hole less noticeable. 

Caring for Brooches and Pins

Always remove brooches and pins after use before putting them away for storage. If left attached to clothing, hats, or stoles, the hole made by the pin will gradually widen, putting more strain on the fabric. Also, let the garment you wore the brooch or pin on rest for a few days afterward, so the fabric can settle back into shape before you wear it again.

As with other accessories, whether your brooch is made of precious metal or beads, the basic care rule is simply to wipe it after use. Brooches and pins tend to have many metal parts, such as the pin itself and the catch, so please be careful not to snag anything while cleaning them. 

▽See the full lineup of brooches and pins here