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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to consider wearing a brooch? Do you wear brooches? (Title edited by MNHQ at the OP's request.)

130 replies

Suchevilforebodings · 15/09/2026 11:44

I've never worn a brooch in my life, I am almost 40.

Do you ever wear a brooch? are they only for old ladies who run village fetes?

I am currently looking for new jewellery to go with autumn outfits and keep seeing pretty brooches but I really don't know if I would wear one or could pull it off

OP posts:
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7
Boomer55 · 15/09/2026 17:45

I like either really nice ones, or quirky ones. But, only on winter jackets or coats.

TheBayHorse · 15/09/2026 17:45

I have some - mainly gifts from DH. I don't wear them much but do sometimes to brighten up very plain outfits (I often wear minimalist all navy blue clothes). The last time I did this at a posh work event lots of people said how much they liked it.

Divebar2021 · 15/09/2026 17:49

I lost a favourite brooch… its was a vintage gold leopard prowling ( hard to describe ). I wore it on a navy velvet jacket and unfortunately lost it somewhere in Fortnums at Christmas. It was very graphic and slightly out of the ordinary.

Sartre · 15/09/2026 17:54

I associate them with the Edwardian / interwar generation so my great grandparents. My grandparents don’t wear them.

maxslice · 15/09/2026 17:57

Sometimes I do. It depends on the outfit. I love jewelry and work for a jeweler a few times a year. He pays with things out of his display cases. If I like the way something looks, I wear it. Trendy or not.

Crispynoodle · 15/09/2026 18:00

We called them broaches back in the day! I’m 60 and love them! Especially insect ones! I often wear many at once to create broochscapes but always only on the left as per tradition

Neuronimo · 15/09/2026 18:01

Divebar2021 · 15/09/2026 17:49

I lost a favourite brooch… its was a vintage gold leopard prowling ( hard to describe ). I wore it on a navy velvet jacket and unfortunately lost it somewhere in Fortnums at Christmas. It was very graphic and slightly out of the ordinary.

That has reminded me I bought my Mum one similar to yours, from a vintage shop in Paris. She must have hated it as it was never seen again and I have helped her declutter her jewellery recently. I bet she put it in the charity bag 😆

sweeneytoddsrazor · 15/09/2026 18:12

Just remembered we have a regular customer who wears berets with a brooch on them. Looks fab.

Gengha · 15/09/2026 18:14

The only people I know of who wear them are old ladies and Nicola Sturgeon

Ilovelurchers · 15/09/2026 18:20

I have lots, and love them. I am in my late 40s now but have always warn them. My understanding was that they were becoming more of a thing among younger people too.

But anyway, I don't think it matters if things are fashionable or not, these days. Wear what you enjoy!

Neuronimo · 15/09/2026 18:27

Hmmm! think I'd rather look like the late Queen than Nicola Sturgeon to be honest!

Thinkofnewthings · 15/09/2026 18:29

I don’t think it matters whether brooches are fashionable or not. It’s about style, and if you think they are stylish or not. I definitely do, especially if worn in a certain way. If they were fashionable, I’d be less interested.

Londonmummy66 · 15/09/2026 18:35

I have lots - the most useful are art nouveau bar brooches as you can use them to fasten a jacket edge to edge where you want the fastening to be. I wear a lot of v necks so they look good aligned to one side of the V or along a turn back collar. I have some large 1950s enamel flowers which jazz up a plain dress or a bardot neckline. I have some smaller vintage ones for pulling a too low neckline together or as a group on the lapel of my grey tweed coat. Finally I have some brutalist pieces that go anywhere from a jacket collar to embellishing a belt.

If you want to start with brooches I'd look for a bar in a colour that works with most of your wardrobe and a big statement brutalist piece. Both can be picked up cheaply on ebay
eg art nouveau bar https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267685910327?_skw=art+nouveau+brooch&itmmeta=01M2K1KR83Y22QDBY47AARSYP1&hash=item3e5352d737:g:bnwAAeSwuXJpD7pq&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA8GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xCSgEqGmcRB3uzoTM86m6nTG6ibHc39NbiBvZJ1Ofva25OfyWLl8JmAeuEQB2H4iExRxwm7sPUqSdyWnBtTJ9rzir4dO59AFZz3H0wpZ7yLq%2BExO8HxUXit%2FY7EDtsIUmN3ST2QGdKZEQcOQU7l9aSnoZ4Busu1ZTKwe%2Fp0QaKEdqxx9g85ZdyY8I%2Bmgl7LeK6Q%2Bz0UNqPYF7ZjQPvhYGcCfC8UtiOBUWFtibxGpu%2B6CG75pRDFOmonKo7M8g%2BN%2BpII37FqNT0kXiT9QnHnH%2BVGc2B%2FcE3MkQZio1jf5v6q7g%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMsoTP4ZRo

brutalist https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/178475816398?_skw=brutalist++brooch&itmmeta=01M2K1WX1HP2WHX3BQVJGWNESJ&hash=item298dfcd5ce:g:3NMAAeSwT-hqnom0&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA8GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xD6ysC%2FdBjsIsELLwFGSQoRCIsbRP4i9DKXNtmJ2liq4qwdOv2eQe1tFZRusycA4Hnp%2F2U3Iq6IFkxxRX4pD%2Btuw5ti8hRESTxBh8tJFw%2F5TvUzRcXGjWCyA%2BAyEqV5rXOdIRYklD5R2m8J6%2Bqe23Re7rYvPRiAGr4dxd43hsuh1U%2F95o4MG%2BjxHJgJ%2BAD3qB%2BFt54S1y7dH5xWtfLdJzDPYu04DZ6K4yudFyTJwiZ3VKIhYNcGEq10XUyWO9qMIZWoZzTpKF5iM12hpUo09bHUgIUdbH%2FCnLTTmcecZgW%2FQQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMtNHz4ZRo

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/800657305668?_skw=brutalist++brooch&itmmeta=01M2K1ZP65SMDGJ2PHJVD9PM9J&hash=itemba6ae4f044:g:bG0AAeSwG11qPtMf&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA8GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xAMCA0oByvdAEF8ucoGrJe2CcjGlp8UriZfOhMiXuvDdKEizMC3A%2FYtVFwKVmk2H8cVG95qwvdsYm2cHvZkV0q8A3G5Z9CzaEMI22vuRWSXce8yMQl84415lnjrvcDYubaOLIQSfeY2XUjHiqTA0aRTdwsYkKPOHkYqKrsLUM9DgxVYwyWQ3px6fh4yVPNg%2FXn9puRqiVY6%2F%2BHv%2FT6JX8ABQlm4CuEswSGGt%2FgJrG6UuxCNKy2%2BAIfyWXK1%2BtZmTyFaiivn8OJhQijeKnCL3UlfYcT7OvGwIH%2BmiPR7TJCWhQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR7Tj_uGUaA

Growlybear83 · 15/09/2026 18:36

I’ve worn a brooch almost daily since my mid teens. I have a huge collection and don’t feel dressed without one.

TheProvincialLady · 15/09/2026 19:02

I have a few brooches, some of which I have worn since my early 20s. My favourite are the trashy Victorian silver ones with my name on them.

TheProvincialLady · 15/09/2026 19:05

Like this….but my name isn’t Florrie!

https://ebay.io/m/BhlCji

ThaTrìCaitAgam · 15/09/2026 19:28

I’m in my late 40’s and I have approximately 250 brooches. All Erstwilder. They are quirky and fun.

PrettyLittleRose · 15/09/2026 20:28

I wouldn't wear one myself, (I'm early 50s) but it's up to you if you want to wear one. Not my style to wear a brooch, and like many others I would worry about tearing my clothing. I don't even like putting a poppy on my clothing in November as I don't want holes in my clothes, so I just stick it in my hair, or on my bag.

spritzwiththat · 15/09/2026 20:35

I wear them often on my blazers at work. Love a brooch.

hurtandconflicted · 15/09/2026 20:55

i sometimes wear several scattered on a man’s tie with an open collar shirt. Lots of people comment how good they look and no damage to clothes.

SaraHoliday · 15/09/2026 20:59

I have a few! I only really wear one on a specific coat in the winter. I like them but my favourite ones are sentimental to me.

DreamingOfGeneHunt · 15/09/2026 21:05

Neuronimo · 15/09/2026 17:37

I have a couple of those. I have been a bit scared to wear them. Are they relatively robust?

Show quote history

Yes! You have to drop them with quite some force for them to chip. I've accidentally washed them in things before and only had slight damage. The pins on mine are very sturdy and they're all over 50 years old.

Thechickenhasmypillow · 15/09/2026 21:10

I have my Nan's silver brooch collection, I wear them on coats.
2 spider ones live permanently on my favorite long black coat, people often compliment them. (Apart from a lady at my hairdressers that gets a warning so she doesn't have to touch the coat in the cloakroom 😁)

MrsMillyFluff · 15/09/2026 21:13

I love brooches, I have a few, one on my denim jacket, a little rainbow. Go for it!

justasking111 · 15/09/2026 21:27

DelphiniumBlue · 15/09/2026 11:56

I have a few, pinned onto denim jackets, but don't often wear them. I have a collection from the 80s.
However, I notice that they are being stocked again in lots of shops, so I think they are having a come back.

They're on trend again as are pearls. I'm wearing a forget me not brooch today. Wore pearls last week. Modern brooches are much lighter these days so don't drag on fabric.