The Timeless Accessory You Shouldn't Overlook

Brooches are creeping back into the mainstream.

Whether they're plucked from the family archives, sourced at a local flea market or reimagined for 2022 by your favorite brand, brooches have re-entered the sartorial chat — an easy way to make a bold statement.

I admit, for most of my life, the only time I had ever noticed a brooch was when my paternal grandmother would take me out to club lunches with her girlfriends, the ornate accessory never exempt from their outfits. To 10-year-old me, it became synonymous with pretentious older women (i.e., the Queen herself). As I got older and started to play with my maternal grandmother's collection of vintage costume pieces, I realized the range brooches truly had. Then came a series of strong convincers: Lady Gaga's massive Schiaparelli dove at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration, Austin Butler's minimalist brooch at the premiere of "Elvis," Carrie Bradshaw sporting a floral pin.

In many ways, the brooch renaissance feels a lot like the grown-up version of putting buttons representing your favorite things on your backpack or denim jacket. Just as those nostalgic pins do, brooches represent something completely independent from your outfit. It could be a sign of peace (like Gaga's dove), or something as simple as an artistic statement. Perhaps the most beautiful part of this is its neutrality — it's not an accessory typically attributed to one kind of person; it's for anyone who wants to embrace storytelling through embellishment.

Now's the time to dive back into your family archives, scour your local flea markets or even shop contemporary riffs on brooches for your wardrobe. We've rounded up some of our favorites in the gallery below to get you started.

View the 16 images of this gallery on the original article

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