2024: My Year of Brooches and Belts and Babushkas, Oh My

Featuring a vintage 1940s folding photo brooch with a full family inside, a plan to "borrow" my mom's vintage Hermes scarves, and finally wearing all the belts I have collected over the years.

Happy Sunday, my fabulous readers. This particular article took me way too long to put together (for no reason), but it’s finally here and maybe you can enjoy reading this curled up on your couch sipping a cup of coffee before the Sunday scaries kick in. Maybe this will even get you excited for all the styling possibilities this week, and help you avoid the dread of Monday morning in favor of excitement - a good outfit always makes waking up a bit easier. I wanted to post this closer to the beginning of the year, but it just didn’t work out that way. Oh well, let’s just get into it now…

2023 was the year I bought rings. Antique, costume, contemporary, minimal, gemstone, you name it. I felt like a real adult should have a good rotation of rings. And while I love my collection now, I went a little overboard on the stacking. Four or five statement rings on each hand is just a lot. Looking back, I’m realizing it was because I was lacking on the accessories in the rest of my outfit so piling on the rings was an easy way to compensate. I still have my rotation, but it has since been pared down. 2023 was also the year I wore baseball hats. On days when I’m running errands it is so much easier to just throw on a hat rather than blowing out my bangs. And while I will stand by my love for baseball hats and their ability to make everyday outfits feel cooler (ie. a big blazer and a hat, instant coolness), I am challenging myself to take things a step further. I am trying to get out of the mindset that I need a reason to get dressed. Yes, I get dressed everyday, but I mean get dressed. Putting together a full outfit, wearing the clothes I have, rather than saving the “special” pieces for a special event. And what better way to elevate a look than with accessories?

The Scarf (and what to do if you also cannot pull off a babushka)

I always had this notion in my head that scarves were for old ladies (Nothing wrong with growing old, I just thought but I’m too young!). I have a vision of my grandma wearing her Talbots skirt suit with a scarf knotted around her neck and her classic pair of (also probably Talbots) square toe kitten heels. And I cannot name a specific film, but ask me to imagine Old Hollywood movie fashion, and I’ll conjure up a picture of a silk scarf wrapped around the head of a woman riding in a convertible, complete with round or cat eye sunglasses. One, I simply cannot pull off a round or cat eye, and two, I was convinced the look did not work without the full ensemble. I’ve included examples for your viewing pleasure.

All in all, I had resigned myself to the fact that scarves were simply not for me. I have since recanted this self-imposed claim. I currently have one square silk bandana-printed scarf, but let me tell you, this scarf has been working overtime this week. I still think I look ridiculous with a headscarf, but I’ve been playing around with other styling ideas. Novel, right? To give this scarf a break (and use something that actually isn’t black and white), I am currently plotting an elaborate scheme to convince my mother to let me dive into her archive of vintage Hermès. (Mom, if you just read that, no you didn’t!) Everyone wish me luck.

Try things that are unexpected! This is a single strand of pearls, but by folding it in half and tying the scarf I was able to create a layered necklace. I also like this technique because it helps the pearls feel more casual and wearable.

Another way to use a necklace - weave it through a chain.

Bolo tie, meet silk scarf. All I did here was simply thread the ends through a ring, and voilà - you can also do this with a brooch. Either way, it’s a great way to add a bit of unexpected jewelry.

I’m sure by now we’ve all seen the turtleneck-under-button down styling trick. This is taking it one step further - use the scarf instead of a turtleneck - this also helps if you don’t like how bulky layers get.

The Brooch

Another classic accessory that I had filed under “For Classy Upper East Side Ladies Only” is brooches. I had collected a few last year from vintage shops and flea markets, but shortly thereafter they were relegated to the pretty-but-impractical dish on my dresser. I have pulled them out on occasion, and worn them on even fewer occasions, but they were featured far and few between. Brooches are for elegant, classic looks, aren’t they? Aren’t they!?

I have since declared “No longer! I too can be a brooch-wearing girl!” and I have decided they will be a staple in my wardrobe going forward. Just because something has typically always been worn one way doesn’t mean we have to follow these rules. The whole point of fashion is to have fun and experiment with new styling choices. And since I have laced up my boots on the journey towards discovering my personal style, I have been challenging myself to style pieces in ways that elevate my look instead of just add on top of it.

I LOVE this brooch. I thrifted it at Chelsea Flea and then found a nearly identical matching ring. I wanted to add some additional texture to this outfit, and the brooch was the perfect way to do it. I also loved the tie in this look - keep reading to see more of my favorite tie styling.

Nothing particularly special here, but I love the tiny pop of color that this cameo added to this look.

A low quality photo, but I’ve been playing around with adding brooches to necklaces. I especially love this combo.

And look at the inside of this brooch! This is why I love vintage - there is a story with every piece.

The Belt

The next stop on this long trek towards fashion discovery is the belt. I am a belt lover in theory, and I have probably thirty belts. I’m going to ask how many you think I wear, and if you answered probably two or three, you’d be correct. I love a belted jean, but I always keep it safe with a simple silver or gold buckle while I let the truly special ones rot in the back of my closet.

I snagged this amazing find at Manhattan Vintage last year and I think I wore it once - the day after I bought it. So I pulled out all of my waist-cinching, impractical chainmail, and so-wide-this-could-be-a-shirt belts and got to work. And we don’t even need to stick to one belt - I’ve been playing around with layering belts - two, three at a time. Stacking belts might just take over my previous affinity for stacking rings. I will now be a belt lover in practice.

Belts are a GREAT way to add dimension to an outfit. Mixing prints is an art, and adding a belt is an easy way to ease into this.

I have been loving a belted jacket. We usually forget that belts don’t have to be reserved just for pants. This is a Max Mara belt I bought from Cure Thrift over three years ago, and this is the first time I’ve actually worn it.

Look at this belt!

The Tie

As an added bonus, my love for ties is going nowhere. This is one thing I added to my rotation in 2023 that is here to stay. I don’t care if they are “out” now, I love to add a touch of masculinity to an otherwise feminine outfit, or lean fully into the menswear look with a pleated trouser and button down.

A very menswear look - but made casual cool with sneakers and a hat.

I love a tie over a sweater. I layered this zip up sweater with a dickie underneath, and the tie was a great way to pull out the hints of red in the patches.

I also recently saw someone tie it up like a bow, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. Will be trying soon - stay tuned for updates.

A few honorary mentions:

So long, scrunchie, HELLO ponytail cuff.

Jane will forever be a fashion icon, and while I do not have a Birkin, I can have bag charms. Why should keychains have all the fun?

This one would be so cute… and it’s also a compact!?

Or this one if you’re more into the classics.

Coco Chanel famously said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” My outfits are typically more toned down to begin with, so with no offense the great Coco, I say respectfully, I will be adding pieces this year.