Today Juliet, Elizabeth and I have a fun idea to inspire you to wear your holiday pins or brooches that may be stored away just waiting for their moment to be loved again. ‘Tis the season of sparkle, so trot out those lovelies you may have collected or inherited! Last year we started a little fun on our Instagrams using a hashtag and this year we are doing it again!
I started wearing the pins that I inherited from my mom and grandma a few years ago. I have to say it’s given me a lot of joy, sparked many nice conversations with random people, and keeps them close to my heart, especially at this time of year.
I encourage you to do the same if you have inherited pins or start your own little collection. You can buy new or vintage, but it’s nice to have some sparkly bits to bring out at the holidays and it needn’t be for a party. You can just pop them on your everyday wear..
My grandma and mom would wear their pins at work, or to holiday parties or on their coats. I have at least one of my pins on my coats all December. Yesterday at the grocery, I had the nicest chat with a women about my Weiss cabochon pin, which was my grandmas. You can see it below.
I also have one Max bought me another Weiss one for Christmas last year that is vintage. He found it on EBay.. I just wore it to my wreath making class last week with Kristin and her mom at Eataly, on my blue coat..
My favorite brooch may be this one which was my great grandmother’s. It is also my oldest and has mother of pearl. I love pins on fuzzy sweaters or faux furs. I think this is supposed to be a snowflake pin. I treat it like one!
Here I am wearing it with my dear friend Elaine, ( we call her E), who inspires me so much with her personal style. We both have holiday pins on here a few years ago..
E comes to all holiday gatherings or even a lunch with brooches! Many are her moms. I snapped this photo of her a year or so ago with her cute cape and fabulous holiday pin. I just love her faux fur trimmed cape!
I have my mom’s pins are the Christmas bell that I remember her wearing so much as a child, and two crystals brooches. This is her and I circa 1966. I’m sure she has a pin on you just can’t see it. She was expecting my brother Peter who came January 1st!
There are other ways to wear your pins!
You can pin them to a bag like I did with my mom’s crystal brooch on my new plaid bag..
Brooches look great on a jean jacket, or a lapel, holding a scarf wrapped, or a cardigan closed. You can affix a pin to a hairband or a headband for an evening look. Hats are another idea.. Chanel wore brooches on her beret!
I like the idea of multiples on a jacket like this shown on Anthropologie..
You can also play around with them on a t-shirt like this from Bazaar magazine..
Where to find them
I see of them as small work of art! They ares so lovely to me, especially the older ones that are well made. You can’t barely find companies making them any more. So be a collector and curate your own little pile. Just looking at them on a pinboard or on my dresser makes me happy! This cute Etsy shop makes pinboards just for brooch collections.
If you don’t have any brooches I suggest you start looking at vintage. If you don’t have a local resale or charity shop near you, EBAY has good options. Some of the best made brooches were by a company called Weiss like my blue one, and you can find many of their beautiful pieces here and here are more tree pins and here on The Real Real and snowflake pins and below a few that stood out to me..
Anthropologie also has a huge collection of brooches, many vintage inspired and Neiman’s has a nice collection of Ben-Amun and Kenneth Jay Lane brooches.. and L’Agence has this festive brooch blouse...
Please join us to share your holiday pins or vintage brooches use the tag #showusyourbling or #christmaspins on Instagram until December 31…and we will reshare them on our Instagram stories. It was great seeing everyone’s pretty pins last year and the stories behind them. Guys are also wearing brooches now much more and especially on the red carpet. If any guys want to join we’d love to see that too!
Please pop over to Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs and see their bling!
Kim
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
PINECONES AND ACORNS
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Kim,
The memories of those we hold dear are in all of these pieces. How wonderful to have your grandmother, mom, and great grandmother “along” with you as you wear each brooch during the year. These special pieces not only mean something to you but they spark joy in all who see them.
I love seeing you in your beautiful Weiss brooches! I have a couple that my mother-in-law gave to me. Speaking of family pieces, I always remember my mom and my grandmother wearing a sparkly Christmas tree brooch I will have to asks my mom where it is.
The holidays are about so much more than gifts, in fact they have nothing do do with gifts. The gifts of life are family, friends and the love and memories they leave in our hearts to warm us when they are gone.
Thank you for encouraging us to get our bling on Kim!
Have a wonderful day and we will see you Saturday!
xo Elizabeth
Elizabeth so true! They are along with me in a way! I love that you said they spark joy! That’s such a nice way to think of them. I hope you find the tree brooch! Those are so neat and wonderful if it has been passed down.
Thank you Elizabeth for asking us to revive this fun holiday idea. I think it’s going to bring a lot of fun into people’s lives.
xo
Kim, I love this idea! Thank you!
Thanks so much Jennifer! We are trying to have some fun this season!
Love this idea Kim! I wish I had brooches from my mom. I don’t recall her wearing them. Your pics from the 60’s are so nostalgic. I had the same hairstyle as your mom! I think it is great that brooches are trending again, and you are styling yours beautifully.
Karen, I loved that hairstyle! It was so chic and cute. I am excited they are trending again too. Thank you!
Hi Kim,
All of your brooches are beautiful and hold special meaning since they were your great grandmothers, grandmother and your mothers.
The Weiss cabochon pin of your grandmas is gorgeous. The Weiss one Max gifted you on E Bay is a beauty. Looks gorgeous on your blue coat.
I also love the one from your great grandmother, that is exquisite, the intricate feminine details makes it a standout not to mention the deep sentimental attachment.
Elaine’s pin is simply stunning, it looks perfect on her cape.
Seeing your beautiful mom holding you is touching. The Christmas bells are a classic, your mom is smiling down on you always. That pin is forever a treasure. I remember these as a child, my fashionable glamorous grandmother wore brooches. I don’t recall my mama wearing one.
Thank you for sharing your collection.
Katherine you are the sweetest.. Thank you. I know I am lucky and treasure all of them! I do feel closer to them when I wear these. It’s talking about them again and remembering them. You know it’s sort of a way of keeping them close. xo
Kim –
I love this post. As someone who recently lost my mom and inherited some of her brooches, I now how a great way to enjoy them and remember her at the same time.
I love the nostalgic photos as well. It takes me back.
Looking forward to adding a bit of festivity to the everyday. Thank you.
Aimee, Aw I am so glad you saw this and I hope you get to enjoy some of your mom’s pins this holiday! Would love to see them and you know your mom would be so happy you were wearing them xo
Oh wow! I used to collect vintage brooches/pins years ago. I just got rid of them all and sold them for a song!!! Who knew they’d be back in style again? I did save a few of the special ones, though. I used to wear them on my denim jackets as well as sweaters back in the day. They were so funky and buying vintage was very cool. I’ll have to dig some of them out!
Debra, I also got rid of some. I had a lot from the 80’s when I wore them on my denim jacket also!
It’s great you kept a few special ones. Please share them!
I enjoyed this topic last year so I’m glad to see you bringing it up again. I have only a couple of pieces from my mom because she was burglarized at one point and all of her things plus my grandmother’s were taken even though maybe not of high $ value. They would have had so much sentimental value to me. I have some going back to my teen years which could now probably be considered vintage!! Remember Carole Lee?
Wren I was thinking of you! You did share last year. I loved Carolee! Beautiful brooches. I hope you share some of your pins.
I am so sorry about your mom’s loss. That’s the truth isn’t it? It’s not the monetary, but what the things meant to you all.
Kim- Cute! I only have one pin- an oversized Avon bow pin I found at an antique mall. I have rarely worn it, but this post is inspiring me to trot it out this holiday season! I love the idea to cinch a shirt at the side with a sparkly pin and I do like the look of yours on the faux fur- fun! I have also seen people use them in their hair. As a side note- a few weeks ago I saw some red checkered pillows on the Target site and looked at them- they immediately made me think of your cabin style and I just had to say so! They keep popping up as a suggested item for me and I keep having the same thought! I hope the upcoming holidays bring fun and memorable moments for you and your family.
Nicole, I have an Avon cameo that I treasure from my mom’s mom.. I love it. You should get your bow out!
Yes the t- shirt and the hair might be a fun way to wear them.
Thanks for thinking of the little cabin! I am heading to the Target site and look for the pillows.
I hope the holidays are great for you too. You are so sweet. xo
Kim! You win the Bling fling … you have so many beautiful brooches and pins and how lovely to have such a nice collection from your mom and grandma. I wish I had the same … but I’m so inspired by the many beautiful brooches available at second hand stores and online I may end up with too many. It’s so hard to choose from all the beauties. And I love how they range in price, but some of the pretties are also the most affordable. I may take a page from your book and pin one to a bag for the season. I adore your mom’s Christmas bell, so nostalgic. It reminds me of my grandma and hers may have been similar. But who knows, my memory is all wonky. This was so much fun to do with you and Elizabeth and it’s put me in the holiday spirit! xo
Hi, Kim! I think this is so great. I have a rhinestone snowflake pin that I bought at Casual Corner. Remember that store? It must’ve been more than 20 years ago, so I guess that qualifies as vintage! I wear it on the lapel of my camel coat, and have also worn it on a vintage black velvet shell for the holidays. It is missing one stone at this point, but I don’t think that detracts at all. I doubt anyone notices. I have other vintage bling, but am tempted by your ebay links as well! They seem like a great bargain. I also bought a silly pink rhinestone reindeer pin from Talbots recently, and a second one for my daughter.
Keep having fun!
Julia
Julia, I so remember Casual Corner! You have to share you pin if you can. I have some that are missing a stone, but still wear them! People can’t usually notice. I think the pins on EBAY are such a good price for these little treasures.
Pink reindeers sound very cute!
Thank you. xo
Hi Kim … such a great post. I love the sentiment of wearing brooches belonging to family members, especially at this time of year and they look so beautiful on your coats and other accessories.
How special to be the fourth generation of ladies in your family to wear these … and lovely that they lead to conversations when you’re out and about.
All of yours are gorgeous … and so thoughtful of Max to find such a pretty one for you!
I have one that came with a pale grey knitted beret and always feels festive but I only remember my mum wearing a couple of brooches … and now I’m wondering about them and thinking maybe one of my sister in laws have them.
I’ll have to see if I can find one as pretty as yours … thanks for mentioning Weiss brooches, that’s so helpful.
I hope you’re having a good week … keep sparkling!
Rosie xx
Rosie, I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you are right. I love being the fourth generation and hopefully I’ll be able to hand them down too!
Oh the beret with a brooch.. I think I remember seeing that and it’s so pretty.
I think all the women of our mom’s generations wore brooches. Funny how they just went out of fashion for a while.
Yes the Weiss ones are so nicely made!
Thank you so much. xoxo
Kim I’m now down the eBay rabbit hole looking for Weiss pins! I adore your blue on the black ! I don’t own pins but I love a good wrist bling . I remember back in the day JCrew had beautiful Swarovski for JCrew pins and I own a couple pairs of those earrings . Sigh.
Please tell me what brand your classic simple black diamond quilt fitted jacket with the black trim is !!
Off to find a Weiss pin !
Thank you
Thank you.. I know I did the same.. So many beauties out there! Oh yes J. Crew used to do some gorgeous jewelry. My jacket is from Uniqlo and it’s here . I have a black in a size medium. https://rstyle.me/+9Q62mJkFY-8E5RVCdhQw1Q
Good luck with the pin search!
What a fun inspiration to upstyle our holiday looks! My Sister and I were chatting about adding a pin to her new handbag.
Rosemary
Rosemary I love the pins on bags! Aw thanks so much.