The brooch is a niche accessory. It is not the most common jewel. So it’s not for everyone. But can be worn by men and women, from head to toe, by day or night and instantly reflect your style and personality.
Due to their versatile nature brooches have been worn on hats, scarves, overcoats, ball gowns, sashes, belts and even as pendants.
Since when I started watching old movies from the 50s and 60s, I fell in love with the protagonists’ brooches and I understood that a classy woman always wears a brooch.
Nowadays, the new generations of women who think of jewelry as more than just bling are shedding a new light on these adornments of the past.
During the past few seasons I have spotted more and more brooches turning up on the runway and the red carpet, worn in many different ways. Apparently the classic lapel accessory is enjoying a renaissance.
A brooch can make any outfit more significant. But, since when is it being used?
Timeline
It dates back to before Bronze Age and is still being worn today – regularly by the Duchess of Cambridge.
Utilized as cloak fasteners and worn by Celts and Vikings, the first Celtic brooches were seen in the Early Medieval period in Ireland and Britain.
In Viking times, brooches were worn everyday by both men and women.
During the English Renaissance of the 16th and 17th centuries, pins became valuable pieces of jewelry, often featuring precious metals and gems, pearls, three-dimensional scenes, cameos (profile carvings) and intricate metalwork.
Entering the 19th century, the brooch embraced the naturalism movement, featuring accurate depictions of objects and figures from nature, such as insects, butterflies and flowers.
The Victorians favored the mourning brooch, which frequently had black enamel and was engraved with the date of the deceased and encapsulated a lock of their hair. The brooch occasionally had a removable glass panel to store the hair.
During the belle époque in France and the Edwardian era in England, in the first decade of the 20th century, these soft, feminine pieces continued to flourish.
After WWI, jewelry saw a dramatic shift. Brooches moved away from the soft, naturalistic designs in the 1920s and art deco picked up steam.
Cartier’s brooches in the art deco period featured geometric lines and strong, high-contrast gem colors—usually in a double-clip style.
With the ’60s came more whimsical brooches and another nod to naturalism.
Brooch lovers of all times
Queen Elizabeth II has a close affinity for brooches. Have you ever seen her not wearing one? I Haven’t!
Brooch-lovers such as Coco Chanel, Wallis Simpson, Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor made the brooch a symbol of the well-dressed woman.
In the political scenario, the most addicted to brooches that comes to my mind were Margareth Thatcher, Madeleine Allbright, and lately Christine Lagarde.
Celebrities like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Nicole Kidman, love to show their personality through unique pins.
In my jewelry collection, I created some very interesting and unique brooches. I separated two to show you. Take a look and imagine in how many different ways they can be used.
If you have a brooch that you love, take a picture and send it to me, even worn in your own way. See you soon!
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Tarantola€ 260.00 -
Caterpillar Brooch€ 220.00
