With a slight submission from the House of Chanel (in whose jewelry aesthetics the brooch plays the same iconic role as sautoir and studs), this piece of jewelry has never been categorically out of fashion. Yes, in the early 2000s, against the backdrop of the flashy shine of sequins and Swarovski crystals, the popularity of this seemingly conservative jewelry faded slightly, but in the last few years the brooch has again taken its place on the lapels, shawls and headdresses of the main trendsetters. What models are relevant today and how to correctly integrate them into everyday wardrobe, - we tell in our material.
Brooch history
The first prototype brooch jewelry dates back to the Bronze Age and represents a needle with a ring, called a fibula.
The brooch was made of metal and most often looked like a circle with two holes through which a massive curved pin was threaded to hold the fabric together. Over time, the model has acquired many design varieties.
The fibula was especially popular among the ancient Romans, it helped them fix togas and cloaks on the body. With the onset of the Iron Age, the fashion for brooches spread throughout Eurasia.
Since the middle of the XNUMXth century, brooches, in addition to their decorative function, acquire an additional meaning - they become secret signs that convey this or that information to a certain person. During this period, floral and floral motifs are relevant, which is not surprising, because floriography is widespread in society - the method of encrypting messages using the "language of flowers".
Each plant had its own meaning and symbolism. The brooch could be made in the shape of a certain flower or a basket (they were called "Tussie Mussie"), into which, like a boutonniere, they inserted live buds - messages.
Another type of brooch that was widespread at that time was in the form of a bow with a pendant. It was invented by the French writer and socialite Madame de Sevigne. She considered the excessive decor on the dress vulgar, and why is it needed if there are brooches that can be changed at least every day and pinned to the place where you want to pay special attention. In honor of this Frenchwoman, they later named a bow brooch.
In the XNUMXth century, brooches with all kinds of pendants and volumetric elements appear, they acquire variations and ways of wearing them: as decoration on skirts, sleeves, in hairstyles, and in the XNUMXth century, another Frenchwoman, Coco Chanel, returns brooches to world catwalks.
Chanel had no doubt that the brooch should be in the wardrobe of absolutely any girl. She suggested wearing this jewelry not only on the chest, but also on the belt, blouse collar, jacket lapel, pockets and headdresses, as well as using a brooch instead of a pendant or a button - it's amazing how relevant these fashionable precepts are now ... It was at Chanel shows for the first time brooches appeared to decorate the hem of the skirt. After some time, all fashion houses have included such models in their collections.
Actual images with brooches
In the current season, brooches can be combined with almost any clothing. And if earlier they were mainly attached to the left, just above the chest to a shirt or a classic dress, today one, two or even a whole scattering of brooches adorn the lapels and breast pockets of oversized jackets and woolen coats, felt caps, berets and even shine on fabric clutches.
But be careful, blouses and shirts made of light fabrics may not support the weight of the jewelry, and therefore it is better to attach it to a denser collar or neck fastener.
Street style at Paris Fashion Week
Moreover, modern designers have unanimously decided that brooches can add charm not only to a woman's image, but also to a man's. Why not? Such an element looks original and incredibly elegant. Not surprisingly, last year Oscar ceremony actors and directors walking on the red carpet showed vintage brooches or diamond butterfly brooches through one.
Types of brooches
The classification of brooches is quite diverse, they are grouped both according to the decoration technique and design, but the main division occurs according to the type of attachment to clothing and the location of the jewelry.
Brooch pin - decoration in the form of a safety pin with decorative elements. Along with pins, it is especially popular in punk culture.
Brooch pin attaches like a clip to the edge of clothing, this decoration is also used as a hair clip.
Brooch-pin-rod fixed by balls that are screwed on both sides, it is mainly considered a collar decoration.
Brooch-chatelain - decoration in the form of a clip with falling chains. Most often it is not one, but a pair of brooches connected by chains of different lengths.
Corsage brooch attaches exactly in the middle of the chest. Corsage brooches are usually bulky, with several pendants repeating the V-shape of the bodice.
Brooch dress clip - the legacy of the Art Deco era. According to legend, this jewelry with a folding clip, which is tightly attached to clothing, was invented by the House of Cartier in 1928. It was popular from the late 20s to the 50s.
Brooch-boutonniere - traditionally male costume decoration with one or more flowers fixed on a buttonhole or in a special base.
Tie brooch - a pin with a decorative top for fixing a tie or neckerchief to a shirt. At the end of such a pin there is a fastener that holds the decoration on the clothes.
Hat pin - decoration for fixing the headdress to the hairstyle. It differs from a tie pin in the size of a needle - a hat pin has a longer one.
Brooches for scarves
Brooches for scarves and shawls can be attributed to a separate category of jewelry. They differ among themselves in the type of fastening mechanism.
Brooch-clip (ring) easy to operate. The ends of the scarf are threaded into the ring, raising the brooch to the desired height.
Brooch-clip (clip) has a similar design: both ends of the scarf are threaded into a ring and, raising the brooch to the desired height, they attach it to the scarf with a retainer. With this decoration it is convenient to attach scarves made of thin, sliding fabric.
There is still brooch-clip, consisting of three rings... The ends of the scarf are threaded into the side rings and, holding with one hand, they raise the brooch to the desired height. Ideal for large stoles.
What to wear with brooches
In the current season, scarves, shawls, scarves and stoles are present in all their diversity, acting as almost the main accent in any autumn-winter outfit, so the options for using the brooch are limited, perhaps, only by your imagination.
Oversized knitted scarves with long thread fringes were seen in the collections of Dolce & Gabbana, Boss and Michael Kors. Cozy cashmere stoles are from Givenchy, Giorgio Armani and Jil Sander. There are many variations of wearing such stoles: as a scarf, a headdress, as a hood or a cape on the shoulders.
The super trend of the season are puffy down and sleeve scarves from the collections of Moncler, JW Anderson, Maison Margiela.
Which style to choose
For brooches in the new season, combinations of metal of different shades (silver and gold), floral and animalistic motifs, contrast of gold and bright stones, catchy decor, large geometric or intricate shapes, brand symbols, multi-layered decorative elements, baroque and vintage styles are relevant.
In fact, the brooch is one of the most versatile pieces of jewelry wardrobe and a great way to showcase your original taste without the use of deliberately eccentric details.
