How to Wear Brooches to Work: 5 Professional Styling Ideas for Office Outfits
Let's talk about something that stops so many women from wearing brooches: the fear that they'll look too formal, too old-fashioned, or too "dressed up" for the workplace. I hear this concern constantly, and I'm here to tell you that brooches absolutely belong in professional settings. In fact, they might be one of the smartest styling moves you can make for your work wardrobe.
The secret? It's all about how you wear them. A brooch on a blazer isn't your grandmother's power suit moment anymore – it's a modern style statement that says you pay attention to details, you have confidence, and you're not afraid to stand out (in the best possible way). Today, I'm sharing exactly how to incorporate brooches into your professional wardrobe without looking like you're trying too hard or, worse, like you raided a costume department.
Why Brooches Work Brilliantly for Professional Settings
Before we dive into the how, let's talk about the why. Brooches solve some very real workplace fashion challenges that busy professional women face every single day.
First, they make outfit repetition completely invisible. You know that navy blazer you wear twice a week? With five different brooches, suddenly you have five distinct looks. Nobody notices you're wearing the same jacket constantly because their eye goes straight to that beautiful pin catching the light on your lapel.
Second, brooches add polish without requiring extra time. Unlike complicated scarves that need tying or statement necklaces that require coordinating with your neckline, a brooch takes literally ten seconds to fasten. Pin it on, walk out the door, look incredibly put-together. It's the busy professional's secret weapon.
Third, they work with the conservative dress codes many offices still maintain. Your workplace might frown on bold patterns or attention-grabbing colors, but a classic gold brooch on a traditional suit? That reads as sophisticated and appropriate while still letting your personality shine through.
Finally, brooches create visual interest above the shoulders, which matters enormously for video calls (because let's be honest, that's where we're all living now). That brooch on your blazer lapel draws the eye upward toward your face, making you more memorable in virtual meetings.
The Foundation: Choosing Work-Appropriate Brooches
Not every brooch belongs in the boardroom, and that's okay. Here's how to identify pieces that work for professional environments:
Size Matters: For most office settings, you want brooches between 1.5" and 3" in size. Too small and they look insignificant; too large and they can read as costume jewelry or evening wear. Our Large Gold Filigree Lion Crystal Brooch at 2.25" x 2.75" hits that sweet spot – substantial enough to make an impact but not so large it overwhelms professional attire.
Metal Tones: Gold, silver, and rose gold all work beautifully in office settings. I particularly love Gold brooches for professional environments pair beautifully with neutral palettes like Cloud Dancer and photograph well in video calls and work with warm-toned blazers (navy, camel, charcoal) that dominate most work wardrobes.
Design Sophistication: Save the super whimsical pieces for weekends. For work, look for brooches with classic motifs – florals, geometric patterns, animals rendered in elegant rather than cartoonish styles, or abstract designs. The Cherub Angels Red Heart Brooch walks that line perfectly – it's romantic and charming without being too casual or cutesy.
Crystal and Rhinestone Considerations: Sparkle is absolutely allowed at work! Just make sure the overall design reads as refined rather than costume-y. The multicolor crystals in our Lion brooch catch light beautifully without looking overly flashy because the design itself is so substantial and well-crafted.
Professional Styling Idea #1: The Classic Blazer Lapel
Let's start with the traditional placement that never goes out of style: the blazer lapel. But here's where we modernize it.
Instead of centering your brooch exactly on the left lapel (which can look dated), try positioning it slightly higher and more toward your shoulder. This creates a more contemporary, editorial look that feels intentional rather than conventional.
The Large Gold Filigree Lion Crystal Brooch is absolutely perfect for this placement. That lion design with its fleur-de-lis crown sends a subtle but powerful message about confidence and leadership. I call this my "important meeting brooch" because I wear it when I need to channel extra authority and presence.
Styling tips:
- Pin it 2-3 inches below the shoulder seam, angled slightly upward
- Works beautifully on structured blazers in solid colors (navy, black, camel, charcoal)
- Keep other jewelry minimal – simple stud earrings, a watch, maybe a delicate necklace
- The brooch should be your focal point
Best for: Client presentations, leadership meetings, job interviews, speaking engagements, any situation where you want to project confidence and professionalism
What to wear: Pair with tailored trousers and a silk blouse, or wear over a sheath dress for a complete power look
Professional Styling Idea #2: The Cardigan Closer
Here's a genius styling trick that works for business casual offices: use a brooch to "close" a cardigan worn over a dress or blouse.
Instead of buttoning your cardigan (which can pull or gap) or leaving it open (which can look sloppy), drape it closed and fasten it with a beautiful brooch at the collarbone or just below. This creates clean lines while adding visual interest.
The Love & Luck Brooches Set of 5 gives you amazing versatility for this styling technique. Monday you might use the pearl poodle, Wednesday the crystal rose, Friday the jeweled bee – suddenly your three cardigans feel like an entirely new wardrobe.
Styling tips:
- Position the brooch where the cardigan edges meet naturally when you hold them together
- This works best with lightweight to medium-weight cardigans (not chunky knits)
- Choose brooches that aren't too heavy or they'll pull the fabric down
- The romantic pieces in the Love & Luck set are perfect weight and size for this
Best for: Business casual offices, creative workplaces, days when comfort matters but you still need polish, client-facing roles that allow more personality
What to wear: Cardigan over a fitted dress, cardigan over blouse and pencil skirt, even cardigan over a simple tee with tailored pants for elevated casual
Professional Styling Idea #3: The Dress Neckline Accent
If your office allows dresses (and most do), adding a brooch to your neckline transforms a simple sheath dress into something memorable and polished.
Place your brooch just below one collarbone (not centered – asymmetry is key for modern styling) to draw the eye upward and create a focal point. This works especially well with solid-colored dresses where you need to add visual interest without wearing a necklace.
The Cherub Angels Red Heart Brooch is ideal for this placement. It's romantic without being overly sweet, substantial enough to register in video calls, and that pop of red adds just enough color to enliven neutral dresses. At $34, it's also an incredibly accessible way to start incorporating brooches into your professional wardrobe.
Styling tips:
- Pin about 2-3 inches below your collarbone on one side
- Works best with crew neck, bateau, or modest V-neck dresses
- Skip the necklace when you style a brooch this way – choose one or the other
- Pair with simple stud or small hoop earrings to keep the focus on the brooch
Best for: Presentations where you'll be standing, video calls, networking events, professional luncheons, days when you want to look polished but approachable
What to wear: Solid-colored sheath dresses in navy, black, burgundy, or jewel tones work beautifully. Add classic pumps and you're done.
Professional Styling Idea #4: The Work Tote Upgrade
Not all brooch styling happens on your clothing. Your work bag is prime real estate for a beautiful pin, and this placement is actually incredibly practical for office environments.
Adding a brooch to your tote bag instantly personalizes it and makes it easier to identify (helpful when everyone has similar work bags!). Plus, if your office has strict dress codes, your bag might be the one place you can really express personality.
The Parisian Chic Brooches Set of 7 is absolutely perfect for bag styling. Those whimsical designs – the vintage camera, the bicycle, the airplane, the artist's palette – add personality without being unprofessional. I love pinning the camera to my work tote (perfect for someone in a creative field) or the airplane to my travel bag for business trips.
Styling tips:
- Pin to the front pocket or main body of your tote where it's visible
- Leather bags can sometimes be tricky – you may need to pin through a seam or reinforced area
- Canvas or fabric totes are easiest to pin brooches onto
- Swap brooches weekly to keep things fresh
Best for: Conservative office environments where personal expression is limited, commuters who want to add personality to neutral bags, anyone who carries the same tote daily and wants variety
What to wear: This works with literally any outfit since it's on your bag, not your body. It's especially great for very casual Friday looks where you might not wear a blazer. Adding a brooch to your tote bag instantly personalizes it, and pairs perfectly with a statement clutch for after-work events.
Professional Styling Idea #5: The Subtle Scarf Pin
For workplaces that allow scarves, using a brooch as a fastener is both functional and stylish. This technique works beautifully for adding a pop of color and pattern to neutral work outfits without the scarf slipping around all day.
Simply drape your scarf loosely around your neck and secure the ends or overlap with a brooch positioned off-center (usually just left or right of center at your collarbone). The brooch keeps everything in place while creating a polished focal point.
Any piece from our Love & Luck Set works beautifully for this purpose, but I particularly love the crystal rose or the bee with chains for scarf fastening. That little bit of movement from the chains on the bee adds visual interest without being distracting.
Styling tips:
- Use silk or lightweight scarves for this technique (heavy scarves are too bulky)
- The brooch should be visible with about 1-2 inches of scarf visible around it
- This works great with solid scarves, subtle prints, or small patterns
- Keep your other jewelry minimal – the scarf and brooch combination is your statement
Best for: Professional environments with dress codes that allow scarves, cold office buildings where you need an extra layer, jobs requiring client interaction where polish matters, creative or fashion-forward workplaces
What to wear: Solid-colored blouse or sweater, tailored trousers or pencil skirt, classic pumps or ankle boots. The scarf adds the pattern and color, the brooch adds the personality.
Building Your Professional Brooch Wardrobe
If you're just starting to incorporate brooches into your work wardrobe, I recommend this strategic approach:
Start with One Statement Piece: Invest in one substantial, high-quality brooch that works with your most-worn blazer or suit. The Large Gold Filigree Lion Crystal Brooch is an excellent first investment because it reads as both powerful and polished – perfect for professional settings. Wear it to your most important meetings and watch how it affects your confidence.
Add a Versatile Set: Once you're comfortable wearing brooches to work, add a coordinated set that gives you variety without requiring you to make dozens of separate purchasing decisions. The Love & Luck Set of 5 offers romantic, vintage-inspired pieces that work across multiple styling techniques. You can rotate through them weekly, ensuring your look never gets stale.
Include a Go-To Daily Piece: You need one brooch you can grab without thinking on busy mornings when you're rushing. The Cherub Angels Red Heart Brooch fits this role perfectly. It's affordable, works with everything, adds polish without being intimidating, and requires zero styling confidence to pull off. This is your "default" brooch for days when your brain is already full.
Consider Bag Brooches: Finally, add pieces specifically for your work tote or laptop bag. The Parisian Chic Set excels here because those playful designs feel appropriate for bag styling even in conservative offices where you might not wear them on clothing. Keep 2-3 brooches permanently pinned to different bags and you'll never have to think about it.
Set of 7 Parisian Chic Brooches
JuJu Loves also offers pretty Tweed Pouches with the brooches included. This means you are ready to wear this trend without any effort! The Bejeweled Black Tweed Tassel Pouch will go with so many outfits and add just enough chic flare.
With these four categories covered, you'll have brooches for every professional situation without overwhelming yourself with choices.
Workplace Dress Code Considerations
Let's address the elephant in the room: what if your workplace has a strict dress code?
Corporate/Traditional Offices: Stick with classic designs in precious metals. The Lion brooch, pieces from the Love & Luck set (especially the rose and pearl poodle), or single brooches in gold or silver will read as appropriate. Wear them on blazer lapels or bags rather than in more creative placements.
Business Casual Environments: You have much more freedom here. All of our brooch collections work in business casual settings. Feel free to experiment with cardigan closers, dress necklines, and scarf pins. The Parisian Chic set's whimsical designs are perfect for these workplaces. For more creative brooch placements perfect for casual Fridays, check out our guide on how bag brooches are replacing bag charms in 2026.
Creative Industries: Go wild! Cluster multiple brooches together, mix metals, try unexpected placements. Fashion, design, marketing, advertising, and similar fields often reward personal style expression. This is where you can really have fun with brooch styling.
Conservative Industries (Law, Finance, Traditional Healthcare): Keep brooches small to medium, stick with precious metal tones, and use traditional placements (blazer lapels primarily). Save the more whimsical pieces for bags or Friday casual days.
When in doubt, look at what senior women in your organization wear. If they're accessorizing with statement jewelry, you have a green light for brooches. If accessories are minimal across the board, start conservatively with one classic piece and gauge reactions.
Common Professional Brooch Mistakes to Avoid
After years of wearing brooches to work, I've learned what doesn't work:
Wearing Too Many at Once: Unless you work in a creative field, limit yourself to one brooch per outfit in professional settings. Multiple brooches can read as cluttered or costume-y rather than polished.
Choosing the Wrong Weight: Heavy brooches pull fabric, creating unflattering puckers. Make sure your brooch is appropriate for the weight of your garment. Lightweight fabrics need lightweight brooches; structured jackets can handle more substantial pieces.
Forgetting About Video Calls: In our Zoom-dominated world, test how your brooch looks on camera before an important virtual meeting. Some pieces that look perfect in person can appear strange or distracting on screen. The Lion brooch and Love & Luck pieces all photograph beautifully in video calls.
Positioning Too Low: A brooch placed too low on your torso can make you look shorter and draws attention to your waist rather than your face. Keep brooches at or above the natural waistline for the most flattering effect.
Wearing Damaged Pieces: Check your brooch's pin back before each wear. A loose clasp not only risks losing your brooch but also looks unprofessional. Invest in repairs for pieces you love – it's worth it.
The Confidence Factor: Owning Your Brooch at Work
Here's what I've learned about wearing brooches in professional settings: they require confidence, but they also create confidence. It's a beautiful cycle.
The first time you walk into the office wearing a statement brooch, you might feel self-conscious. Will people think you're trying too hard? Will they find it old-fashioned? Will anyone even notice?
But here's what actually happens: people compliment you. They ask where you got it. They share stories about their grandmother's brooches. And you realize that far from being a negative, your brooch has become a conversation starter and a memorable detail that makes you more approachable.
I've closed business deals while wearing my Lion brooch. I've given presentations where people remembered "the woman with the beautiful pin on her blazer." I've made professional connections that started with someone asking about my jewelry.
Your brooch becomes part of your professional brand. It's that detail that makes you memorable in a sea of similar-looking business attire. And in a professional world where standing out (appropriately) can make all the difference, that's incredibly valuable.
The JuJu Loves Approach to Professional Style
At JuJu Loves, we believe that professional doesn't have to mean boring. Dressing up is self-care, and that includes how you show up for work. When you take time to add thoughtful details like a beautiful brooch to your professional wardrobe, you're telling yourself that you matter, your presence matters, and you deserve to feel confident and put-together.
Our brooch collection reflects this philosophy. Whether it's the powerful Lion brooch that channels authority, the romantic Love & Luck set that adds charm, the approachable Cherub Angels that works with everything, or the playful Parisian Chic collection that celebrates personality – each piece is designed to help you show up as your best professional self.
Making Brooches Part of Your Morning Routine
The key to actually wearing brooches to work (rather than just owning them) is making them part of your getting-ready routine.
Keep your work brooches in a designated spot – not buried in a jewelry box with everything else. I keep mine in a shallow dish on my dresser next to where I get dressed. This makes grabbing one as automatic as putting on earrings.
On Sunday evening, I look at my week's calendar and mentally assign brooches to outfits. Important client meeting Tuesday? That's a Lion brooch day. Casual Friday? Perfect for one of the Parisian Chic pieces on my tote. This five-minute planning session means I'm never rushing to decide in the morning.
Finally, rotate your pieces regularly. Don't fall into the trap of wearing only your favorite. Make yourself try different brooches each week. You'll discover new favorites and get maximum value from your entire collection.
Final Thoughts: Your Professional Styling Journey
Incorporating brooches into your professional wardrobe is about more than just looking polished (though that's definitely a benefit). It's about showing up intentionally, expressing personality within professional boundaries, and creating a signature style that makes you memorable for all the right reasons.
Start with one piece and one styling technique. Maybe that's the Lion brooch on your blazer for important meetings. Master that, build confidence, then experiment with additional placements and pieces.
Remember: every woman you see wearing brooches confidently had a first day where she felt uncertain. The difference between them and everyone else? They did it anyway.
Your professional brooch journey starts here. Choose your first piece, pin it on, and walk into your workplace with the confidence that comes from knowing you look absolutely put-together. The compliments will follow – I promise.
Ready to elevate your professional wardrobe with statement brooches? Shop our complete collection at www.jujuloves.com/collections/new-arrivals and discover pieces that help you show up powerfully in any professional setting.
For more styling tips check out more of our Tips for Styling Brooches.
Not sure which brooch to start with? Let us curate the perfect pieces for you with Surprise Me JuJu, our personalized styling service.
Follow our professional styling journey on Instagram @shopjujuloves and @juliannetaylorstyle, and explore our complete collection of jewelry and accessories at JuJu Loves.