BROOCHES ARE MAKING A GRAND COMEBACK!

History has no shortage of famous brooch wearers. Queen Elizabeth rules in this domain as gatekeeper of an extraordinary array, in diamonds, rubies, sapphires, turquoise, and emeralds. 

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, whose eclectic pin collection (from flea market finds to diamond and gold talismans) numbers in the hundreds and who brilliantly began co-opting the accessory as diplomatic weaponry.

Brooches are definitely enjoying a revival. And, most importantly, they are shedding their reputations as being reserved for women of a certain age. They’re no longer your grandmother’s accessory. Men have been leading the pack. At the 2020 Oscars, Timothée Chalamet pinned a vintage ruby and diamond Cartier to his Prada bomber, while Antonio Banderas decorated his satin lapel with diamonds. This year, Regé-Jean Page, Jared Leto, Trevor Noah, and Anthony Anderson followed suit at various events. And let's not forget Lady Gaga at the inauguration, for which she crowned her Schiaparelli Couture number with a glorious, symbolic, and giant, gilded dove.

Brooches, though, have been a sartorial staple since the Bronze Age, when they were used as a practical means for securing clothing—and they have become ever more versatile over time. The Belle Epoque, for example, saw the rise in large stomachers and high jewelers consequently came up with elaborate brooches to adorn them. In the 1920s, the trend was to pin brooches on the era's popular cloche hats. "Brooches had evolved into staple statement pieces for everyday life, not just for special occasions, which added flair, drama and wit to even the simplest ensembles,

Nowadays, anything goes. There are no real rules when it comes to wearing brooches, they look the coolest when styled unexpectedly. Placing them on your lapel is perfectly fine, but I love to use them as a closure for a sexier top, or to cinch the waist of a skirt. Or, put them on a white t-shirt."

But this being the season for maximalism, do take the ‘more is more’ approach. Why stop at one when you can have several? - A cluster of brooches is the new charm necklace."