Bring the Brooch Back!

Throughout history, fashion trends have had an ebb and flow like ocean waves.  However, one of the fashion trends which I feel has not come back around often enough is the brooch.  Brooches have a long and distinguished history that began the moment us humans needed something to keep our loin clothes on.  But, as our loin clothes became more decorative, so did our brooches.  But as fashion would have it, the brooch soon went the way of the pantaloon and hoop skirt.

Hofer Antikschmuck knows how to use an amazing antique brooch to dress up a simple white blouse!

In recent years, brooches have seen a surge in popularity if only for their ability to be converted into a ring, pendant or earrings.  Although I love the idea of finding new uses for older, unused or unsalvageable pieces, I miss the idea of brooches.  I miss the subtle stories they tell.  I miss the way people would use them to change the drape of their clothing or to turn a classic button down blouse/shirt into a something chic and fashion-forward.

The amazing Erika Comtois, @la_comtoise, demonstrating how to wear an antique sepia brooch in a decidedly modern way!

Personally, I long for the days when a good brooch could change the entire way an outfit looked - dress it up or dress it down.  They could be a fashion statement and a political one (see Madeleine Albright).  I love that
 designers, stylists and celebs are being fashion forward by looking to history and bringing back the brooch!  Red carpets in recent years have given us a plethora of sublime examples.

So dapper!  Even men can dress up a plain suit with the perfect brooch like Shree Balaji Diamond!

Personally, I love the idea of wearing it as a hairpiece or to draw attention to the particular drape of a dress.  Put two on your lapels to dress up a simple button down.  Use one to group a bunch of beaded bracelets together to create a wider cuff.  Add a group of smaller brooches to a plain sweater to create greater visual impact.  Put one (or more!) on your blue jeans to dress them up for a night out at the club.

This amazing grouping of brooches from Park Avenue Antiques just sends me!  What a perfect was to dress up a plain blazer!

I feel as though brooches just haven't been given the recognition they deserve as a wardrobe workhorse.  In a world where dangly earrings become annoyingly inconvenient when donning and doffing your face mask multiple times a day (hour?), the brooch gives its wearer the opportunity to think creatively.  Heck, why not put a brooch on that face mask!

This Martin & Stein customer certainly knows how to jazz up a classic black face mask!

What other ways can you think of to bring back the brooch?  Use the hashtag #bringthebroochback to tag your ideas on Instagram and we'll feature some of our favorites!

The Le Marquis de la Mahieu is a man who knows how to wear a fabulous brooch!

Be sure and follow Inspired Antiquity on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InspiredAntiquity, Twitter: @NpiredAntiquity, Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tkmb & Instagram: InspiredAntiquity

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts