Vintage finds - brooches

I love brooches, they offer such an easy way to spruce things up. I wish shops would sell more brooches, because most shops rarely do. Thrift shops however, oftentimes are small treasuries when it comes to vintage brooches. This is probably due to the fact that brooches (in the Netherlands at least) are oftentimes worn by the elderly and relatives probably do not want to keep this part of their inheritance (I'm sorry for putting this so bluntly). Luckily, the brooches are appreciated by the people who discover them amongst the clutter and get a new life on the jumpers of their new owners.



This is my first and favourite brooch. My grandmother gave it to me because I collected frogs when I was little (I know, 1 why frogs and 2 this is not a frog). This is not the only turtle she gave me for my frog collection:

 She was the best grandmother and it was so kind of her to buy frogs for my collection, so I never said anything about this whole frog/ turtle mix-up. And I love my turtle brooch, so everything turned out fine (not sure if I had worn a frog brooch).

 I once saw someone wear a dinosaur brooch and thought it was lovely. Dinosaurs are a great subject for brooches. Alexa Chung aptly put it in writing:

“I like dinosaurs like a nine year old boy likes dinosaurs. I’m not quite sure why but I just love them.”

Alexa Chung, 'It'

Sadly, dinosaur brooches are scarce. However, I saw this brooch on Marktplaats (a kind of Dutch ebay) and became the happy new owner. It is now on part-time duty, sharing its job with the frogturtle.

This golden M is an heirloom. My aunts decided, after my grandmother (not the lovely co-collector of frogs, but my other grandmother) passed away, that I could have the brooch she always wore because I would wear it as well. This was such a lovely gesture and I really treasure my M, but I am so scared of losing it that I only wear it on very special occasions (preferably occasions for which I do not have to leave the house).

This lovely J.W. Anderson pineapple brooch is on my wish list (and it will probably forever remain there). Alexa Chung is in lucky possession of the pineapple, which is cause for jealousy, but which is also fair because I already have the dinosaur.

Thank you for reading this brooch post!