Brooch brooch city bitch

Population: 80+ vintage brooches

Quick heads up that this is an insanely long post with 80+ vintage links. It will get cut off in email inboxes, so I highly recommend reading it in the Substack app or in a web browser.

Am I aging myself with this Tyga reference? Probably. But I’ve been sitting on it for weeks, so here we are.

Greetings from a quintessential fall New York weekend. Kendall Flavin and I started it off with 4+ hours on Friday at Manhattan Vintage, and damage was done. (I went in hunting for two things and left with six.) An update on everything I tried on, bought, and then went home, searched, and bought for half the price is coming for paid subscribers this week.

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New here? Hi! Four months ago I started PMLF as a running record of what I’m hunting for, how I plan on styling it, and a few other creative pursuits sprinkled in. My goal is to make vintage feel approachable and wearable.

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But back to the city we’re discussing today: Brooch City™! I’ve been slowly working on this brooch masterpiece (perhaps some of my best work yet, imo) for a few weeks and promised myself I would finish her up so she could greet you for the week ahead.

Brooches are one of the more underrated tools to have in your wardrobe, given the numerous ways you can wear them. I’ve been doubling down on my collection and this edit of 80+ is what happens when you save every brooch search for months: I sorted them by style, flagged sizes wherever I could, and kept the range wide. (Personally, I think it’s handy to have a few different sizes and styles to play with.)

Floral brooch (use code PERMYLASTFIND) and read more about the shop here

similar vintage mini concho brooch / similar iris brooch

The brooch came about during the Bronze Age as a safety pin, called a fibula, that held cloaks closed. The Victorians made them sentimental (Queen Victoria wore mourning brooches for decades after Prince Albert died). Since then, they’ve gone in and out of style, which is why there are so many (!!) good ones waiting for us.

Beyond the fact that brooches are fun to hunt for given how many different directions you can go, they can take on almost any job needed.

For example, the classic use case is to dress up a simple dress or top:

However, they can also give pizazz to a coat or jacket in the winter (similar to my red floral one on leather above):

Or adorn a boxy sweater:

Or perhaps cinch an oxford and dress up pants:

And of course keep a shawl or scarf in place (the original job!):

There are 80+ vintage links below (112+ in my ShopMy collection), and I categorized them by style.

The most important thing to pay attention to is size. Listing photos are taken so close up that a one-inch pin and a four-inch pin look the same. So I do what I’m calling the quarter test: a quarter is just under an inch across, so hold one up to the listing measurements (or grab a tape measure) and make sure you know what you’re buying.

I have a variety, and different ones come in handy for different things: a big flower can be the outfit, while I treat something small and flat (like my mini concho) more like jewelry.

Also think about how you plan to wear it, and how much it weighs. One of the massive sterling ones would destroy a silk blouse (you’ll need something like a wool or denim/canvas coat).

Welcome to Brooch City™ friends. Here’s your neighborhood map.

Flower District

1. Big cheery enamel flower pin ($49) Hand-painted 1960s, almost four inches across, and free shipping!

2. 1970s leather flower brooch by Daphne ($30) Small (1.5”) and worn, which at $30 is charm

3. M&S Schmalberg cheetah brooch ($102) Handmade and family-owned in the Garment District since 1916. Shop small NYC!

4. TRR Valentino flower brooch ($695) An heirloom brooch — pin her on black velvet for every holiday party

5. 1950s leopard enamel flower ($75) Leopard and a flower, 1950s New York

6. 1950s black fringe brooch ($45) Such fun texture to add to a plain turtleneck (or layer on a pattern or velvet!)

7. Mauve leather rose ($46) I love my leather Iris and would love a larger leather floral

8. By Malene Birger Henna brooch ($80) Not vintage, but the tube hinge spares delicate fabrics (love her on Sierra Goodhue)

9. Orange enamel flower brooch ($50) There is some amazing color scheming going waiting

10. M&S Schmalberg silk chrysanthemum ($72) This is the one I have!

11. Chan Luu tulip feather lapel pin ($490) Expensive but a piece of art and so sculptural—no two are alike

12. Silk thread tulip brooch ($44) I love the silk thread and overall shape

Glam Hill

1. Jan Leslie sterling flower lapel pin ($1,295) I included this to give you a gauge of new vs. vintage

2. Oscar de la Renta floral brooch ($150) + 1960s PELL flower brooch ($23) Similar vibes and great texture

3. Mexican sterling lily brooch ($183) This needs a baking soda bath but love the shape

4. 1970s BSK 3D flower brooch ($20) Great way to dip your toes in Broochville

5. Vintage sterling flower brooch ($75) I’m really tempted by her! Love the mixed metals

6. Nº21 floral-motif brooch ($303) Not vintage, but on sale and the long stem is so elegant

7. Carolina Herrera calla lily brooch ($590) One gold calla lily on a black dress, please (also modeled by Sierra Goodhue)

8. Hector Aguilar Taxco orchid brooch ($675) Aguilar trained under Spratling (check out my Taxco post), so will hold value

9. 1960s BSK rhinestone wing brooch ($52) Not a flower, but I made an exception

10. Zina modernist sterling flower ($180) Like floral firework, and so good

11. 1950s Park Lane fringe brooch ($90) Fringe on a brooch is always a yes

12. Huge sterling flower brooch ($99) Over four inches of sterling for under $100!

Sterling Heights

1. 1990s sterling modernist brooch ($75) Small (3.5 cm), but the curves make up for it

2. Mexican sterling woven brooch ($40) Like basket weave in silver, and on sale

3. Star brooch with pink stone ($79) Low key I think she would be great pinned on the arm hem of a jacket

4. Sterling knot brooch ($68) Super versatile

5. Taxco sculpted sterling malachite drop ($62) Loveeee this one (another here)

6. Old pawn Navajo concho pin with coral ($157) If concho belts aren’t your thing, maybe a brooch!

7. 1980s Mexican sterling three-stone brooch ($70) Onyx, lapis, and rose quartz, and almost 3” across

8. 1970s Nordisk Kokusai silver pendant ($176) Swedish and so cool

9. Taxco sterling loop brooch ($80) Simple and sculptural, an easy one to wear daily

10. 1960s handmade sterling and amber brooch ($166) Modern and refined

11. 1950s Navajo turquoise concho brooch ($228) Very similar to mine

12. Sadly this sold before I could post, but a very similar one here

Downtown

1. Victorian goldstone dangle brooch ($280) Circa 1880 and basically art

2. 1930s Bakelite cascading hoop fur clip ($350) This is INCREDIBLE

3. TRR 18K enamel bug pin ($1,645) Just for fun

4. 1930s Bakelite butterscotch horse ($203) I am so into this. Could have been in the Bode roundup below

5. 1970s Lea Stein flower brooch ($96) Signed Lea Stein Paris, and very collectible

6. 1960s green Lucite waterfall brooch ($48) That olive green goes with all of fall

7. Speckled stone brooch ($13) Dalmatian stone and can’t beat the price

8. Bakelite black and butterscotch brooch — sadly sold (it’s so good!!)

9. 1980s Liz Claiborne faux tortoise brooch ($34) Love the tortoise

10. Pearl and mother-of-pearl flower brooch ($115) Good value (2000s)

11. TRR Rebecca Collins serpentine brooch ($356) + Victorian dendritic agate brooch ($98) Love the colors in both of these

12. 1930s amber Lucite flower dangle ($165) So much movement!!

Uptown

1. Oscar de la Renta crystal fish brooch ($625) Two things you never thought of together: goldfish with crystals

2. Vintage gold-tone dangling bar pin ($55) I think I need this

3. From Sirra Archive (all sold out but a great new brand to watch)

4. Liz Claiborne black cab bar brooch ($37) Reads antique, but under $40

5. Vintage gold cheetah pin ($68) Pop a jacket collar and pin her on the lapel

6. 1930s French rhinestone rondelle brooch ($200) Every rondelle is hand-wired!!!

7. Marie Ferrà pink and gold brooch ($76) Okay, fun! Sass for a black tie dress?

8. 1980s gold-tone cabochon bar brooch ($35) Oh she is good and free shipping

9. 1950s Crown Trifari leaf brooch ($44) Signed Trifari and in good condition

10. 1980s wrapped candy brooch ($21) Just so fun. A great gift for a cool friend

11. Vintage Oscar de la Renta Etruscan brooch ($165) Dress her up or down

12. Miriam Haskell Gripoix dangle brooch ($55) Holiday without being too holiday

Bode Headquarters

1. 1940s carved wood bucking bronco brooch ($88) Hand-painted!!!

2. 1940s celluloid La Conga maraca brooch ($38) So much charm for $38

3. 1940s sequin horse brooch ($90) + 1940s sequin and bead horse brooch ($32) These are basically exactly what they are selling rn for $180

4. Vintage cowrie shell beaded brooch ($29) SO FUN I might need her

5. 1940s Elzac-style carved wood steer brooch ($30) Lucite horns and a flower behind his ear come on

6. 1940s WWII Buddies soldier sweetheart brooch ($68) Kitschy but Bode will be selling a version of him in a year

7. 1940s celluloid and wood acorn dangle brooch ($85) A barn coat is calling it’s name

8. 1940s signed carved wood cowboy boot brooch ($107) Almost 3” tall and needs a moment

9. 1940s carved wood Scottie dog brooch ($26) I can’t stand it. Put them on a tweed handbag please

The Park

1. Mid-century sterling swallow brooch ($48) So much motion in one little bird!! I love her

2. Old pawn EPW Worthington sterling fish ($79) Signed old pawn under $80, and she takes offers

3. Vintage sterling prancing horse brooch ($49) Tempting tempting

4. 1970s Mexican sterling fish with onyx eyes ($185) The scales!! Very into this guy

5. Vintage sterling trotting horse trio ($25) Three horses for $25, which is my kind of math

6. Monique Vedie Talosel resin fish pin ($688) A piece of art and will hold value

7. 1950s Beau sterling galloping colt ($25) Small but cute and a great price

8. 1940s Casa Prieto sterling angelfish ($70) Mexican repoussé from the ’40s

9. R. Gibson sterling modernist bird ($75) Barely a bird, which is why I love it

And just to conclude the tour, an iconic brooch wearing Carrie (it was very difficult to pick just four moments).

I hope you enjoyed your tour of Brooch City™! As always, share the outcomes of your hunts, it makes my day.

Finders keepers,
SN

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Some of these links may earn me a small commission, which I appreciate as these posts take a lot of time (and love!!). Each week(ish) I’ll be sharing things from across home, fashion, travel, and littles…mostly wherever my vintage hunting and rabbit-hole deep dives take me. Thank you for the support <3

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