Women are relatively consistent about what jewelry they wear. There are typically those “standard” everyday rings, a necklace or even bracelets to match every outfit they own. However, an often forgotten piece of jewelry is the brooch.

When a woman thinks of a brooch, what usually comes to mind is an awkward, bejeweled, small animal pin (lizards, usually, if you’re from the Southwest) that your grandmother used to wear on her old Ralph Lauren suits for special occasions. Surprisingly enough though, brooches are coming back in a big way this fall and winter.

Fall is big on larger, more extravagant and “shiny” types of jewelry, which should make every woman happy — because who doesn’t love the opportunity to wear shiny things?

Brooches have been quite popular in Vogue (this month’s issue primarily) and at red carpet events this year. Some of the adventurous brooch designers are Alexander McQueen, Oscar de la Renta and Tory Burch, just to name a few. These pins have been used lately in pretty unconventional ways to revitalize the jewelry and look, too.

Sure, you can still wear a brooch on a lapel of a blouse or blazer, but try thinking outside the “jewelry box.” You can wear one as a hair accessory, most notably pinned to your hair in an up-do.

Additionally, you can also pin them on head scarfs to add some flash to a fall fashion standard. You can also put a brooch on a neck scarf, on either side of the neck, to add some visual interest. And finally, try wearing your brooch on the waist of a dress or skirt around the belt line.

Keep in mind that you can wear more than one brooch at once too, but be sure to go off-kilter and think in odd numbers. Although, if grandma doesn’t want to share her extensive jewelry collection, the thrift stores on Fourth Avenue always have brooches, and be sure to check close to campus at Buffalo Exchange as well. Maybe next Easter you and grandma will even match.

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