Brooches and Personal Style: Finding Your Signature Look

Brooches are a fantastic way to bring personality and self-expression to your outfit. 

This year Brooches have made a big comeback - and the reason they feel so up-to-the-minute is that they enable us to get creative and develop our signature style.

Brooches have been named by Red Magazine as a hot accessory for the season... "The Fashion Set are obsessed with brooches, and it's easy to see why..." Jan 20th 2026.

The current approach is to wear brooches in unexpected places or ways, to add personality to your look. 

As you can see here, adding an animal brooch (like our dragonfly brooch) to your favourite beret certainly gives a classic hat a playful twist. You can choose your favourite motif to transform your beret into a statement piece that unmistakeably communicates your signature style. 

The joy of it is, there are so many other ways brooches can bring a playful twist to your wardrobe, and I'm excited to delve into some of them with you here!

Have brooches been used to communicate a message in the past?

Throughout history, and into the modern day, brooches have been used to communicate a personal (or even diplomatic) message. 

Queen Elizabeth II carried 98 brooches in her jewellery collection, according to Leslie Field, author of "The Queen's Jewels", and often chose her brooch to give a particular message.

According to British Vogue, for example, she is thought to have worn a snowflake brooch - gifted by The Canadian Governor General - to show support for Harry and Meghan when they chose to move to Canada.

Madeleine Albright, the former US Secretary of State, famously wore a snake pin to a meeting with Iraqi officials, after the poet-in-residence of Saddam Hussein called her "an unparalleled serpent".

Ms Albright knew a thing or two about dressing for power, and as you can see above, our very own serpent brooch does add a striking element to your outfit, if your signature style involves a little drama!

Lady Brenda Hale, the former Head of the UK Supreme Court, named her autobiography "Spider Woman" after becoming known for wearing a sparkly spider brooch, whilst announcing Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament as unlawful.

Our spider brooch might be a little smaller than Lady Hale's famous accessory, but you can see from the photo above that adding a sparkly spider brooch to your lapel does most definitely whisper "watch out!"

So you can see the powerful messages brooches can convey. 

How can I develop my Signature Look with Brooches?

I am a firm believer that the key to a stand-out personal style is about embracing your unique attributes, and being bold in expressing them - and what better way to do that than with a brooch. 

You can choose an unusual motif like an animal brooch, or even an insect brooch - communicating your personal style in line with our feminists Elizabeth II and Lady Hale.

Or you can experiment with different ways to wear your favourite classic brooches. I can think of at least 7 Modern Ways to Wear a brooch that you can try!

Whether you love changing the motif according to your mood, or experimenting with brooch placement, just keep the QueenMee Mantra in mind: Believe in your own style, and celebrate your inner Queen!

Now let's get specific - what type of Queen are you? You may have one favoured style, or it may depend on the occasion and the day. 

Brooches for the Vintage-loving Queen

If you adore vintage glamour, then Brooches are a natural addition to your outfit. 

Vintage brooches (or vintage-inspired, as ours are) add a touch of nostalgia, whilst empowering you as you express yourself. 

Our Pearl drop fan brooch is a great example, and the movement of the pearl drop makes it a statement piece. 

This fan motif has a rich history - not only were fans beautiful and practical objects, but they were instruments of a secret language, from as early as the 18th Century.

In the 19th Century Parisian fan-maker Duvelleroy, who supplied Queen Victoria's fans, distributed the information on individual cards. "The Language of the Fan" stated that twirling in the left hand meant "we are watched" while twirling in the right hand signalled "I love another".

This secret sign language helped women to express themselves when they were not able to use their voices. The QueenMee fan brooch is a colourful symbol of female self-expression. 

Get expressive with how you wear your Vintage Brooches too - you can wear at the collar of your shirt, like we've styled this silver brooch with 1920s vibes.

Or add your brooch on a bag, to add an unexpected twist to your outfit. 

Our sunflower brooch with pearls adds a glamorous touch to a plain bag, and is the perfect individualised finish for a Vintage Queen!

It takes less than 5 minutes - just answer these 7 fun questions!

Brooches for the Colourful Queen

 

For the Queen who loves colour, brooches can easily add extra colour - even a number of colours -  to your outfit. 

Butterfly Brooches are a joyful motif, and a natural way to combine uplifting colour with an uplifting message. 

Try our multi-coloured, large crystal Butterfly Brooch to add extra colour tones to your outfit - maybe to coordinate with your bag or shoes. 

If you are a more-is-more kind of Queen, you could even layer multiple Brooches to maximise the effect.

As you can see above, layering our Large Butterfly Brooch in Crystal with our Pink Turtle Brooch and our Ladybird Brooch adds a riot of colour to a plain jacket. 

I've created a cluster of brooches by colour (in this case, they all have pink tones, my favourite!), but you can cluster by blue or green, or whichever colour you want to wear that day.

Brooches for the Animal-loving Queen

It's not only about corgis! We all have our favourite friends in the animal world, and Animal brooches are a great tribute to our beloved furry companions or maybe our favourite sea creature. Or choose an animal brooch that evokes a precious memory.

Our Blue turtle brooch is one of our personal favourites, as it reminds me of an amazing evening I experienced on a beach in Barbados. Hundreds of baby turtles hatched around my feet in the sand, and this was not even a turtle sanctuary or an event I was expecting. I will never forget it!

Did you know that turtles symbolise wisdom and knowledge? This is the perfect motif for when you reach a season where you have gained hard-earned wisdom.

It is a sweet, small size, and a wonderful choice to add delicate shimmer to your outfit. If you prefer an understated look, try styling your Animal Brooch with a scarf or jumper that matches the brooch colour, as we have here, in a light blue. 

Or even add your brooch to a denim jacket, for an off-duty look. 

Brooches for the classic Queen

 

Or maybe you are a Classic Queen, who likes to keep her style understated and chic.

If classic resonates with you, then our Pearl Brooches are the perfect choice.

Pearls are timeless and always in style. They ooze Audrey Hepburn-esque allure, and yet allow you to add your signature touch to your classic outfit. 

How about our Gold Pearl Pea Brooch for smooth lines and gentle shimmer? It is the perfect mix of pearls with gold, a classic combination. 

Style your Pearl Brooches on many different items, from your coat lapel to your favourite bag or beret. Have fun experimenting to develop your signature brooch style. I can't wait to see how you style yours!

If you've enjoyed these ideas - I'd love you to take my quick Brooch Queen Quiz, so I can share personalised Brooch styling tips with you...

It takes less than 5 minutes - just answer these 7 fun questions!

With love, Amanda X