In an unexpected turn of events, brooches have escaped from Granny's jewellery box, climbed out the window and gone clubbing. I have arrived in my brooch era about two decades ahead of schedule. I had brooches earmarked for a later life stage, accessories that would chime with The Archers, gardening, possibly solving the odd crime in the village, that sort of thing.
But in an unexpected turn of events, I am already the correct age to wear a brooch. Not because I'm old, but because brooches have changed. They have cast off their church fete vibe and become cool. Zendaya wore a diamond serpent brooch pinned to the back of her white jacket to last year's Met Gala. At a press conference before the recent Mexico City premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2, Meryl Streep added no fewer than six brooches to the lapel of her pillarbox red Dolce & Gabbana suit. Pedro Pascal wore a silk Chanel camellia the size of a sunflower to the Oscars.
The Brooch as a Fashion Statement
A brooch is the best thing you can do for your outfit right now. It feels fresh and new. Worn right – we are getting to that bit – it is also quite witty, which is always an enjoyable way to dress. It is timeless and elegant, and adds a dash of subversion and intrigue. And it is also fun to shop for: no need to queue for the changing room, no sizing and the real treasures are often to be found as cheap as chips at a car boot sale.
Rules for the Modern Brooch-Wearer
There is just one simple rule for the modern brooch-wearer. To make it crystal clear that you are in the Zendaya-at-the-Met lane rather than manning the tea urn, there should be something unexpected about your brooch. This can be size or placement or multiplication. A brooch centred on a jacket lapel is a badge of correctness. A constellation of brooches scattered across the lapel, or one the size of a dinner plate, or a brooch pinned to a scarf – that's a different story, and a much more compelling one.
How to Wear a Brooch
Start at the lapel. I have two vintage brooches, one gold Schiaparelli disc and one black, lacquered Chanel camellia, and most mornings at the moment I transfer them to whichever jacket I'm wearing that day. The ceremonial moment of standing in front of the mirror getting the placement right is oddly pleasing. I feel a bit proud, like I have won a rosette at the Pony Club. Which sounds eccentric, but that's part of the brooch vibe so I'm going with it.
The weight of a brooch will change the shape of your clothes, depending where you pin it. Use this to your advantage: you want the brooch to make you look interesting, not wonky. So instead of pinning it to one side of a sweater, drape the sweater round your shoulders and fasten the brooch on the knot. Or use it to create shape and interest in a baggy T-shirt or dress by gathering and pinning some of the fabric at the side of the waist. You can even use brooches as ingenious underwear problem-solvers. I have two silver daisies that are handy for pinning at the shoulders to keep bra straps from going rogue under dress straps.
The Deeper Meaning of Brooches
My first love, jewellery-wise, will always be earrings. Earrings are emotional and sociable and a bit flirty. Brooches are more interior, more thoughtful. Think Lady Hale and Madeleine Albright, and the royal tradition of diplomatic brooch-wearing by Queen Elizabeth II and the current Princess of Wales. The brooch may be a fashion statement right now, but it works best when it is a personal statement as well. The six brooches Streep wore for that premiere included pieces crafted from ribbons from treasured awards, including a National Medal of Arts presented to her by Barack Obama and an Order of Arts and Letters from the French state.
A brooch does not scream brand or photograph well. There is something cheerfully chaotic, pleasingly off-centre, about a sharp object you attach to yourself for no good reason, except as a small act of devotion to your mood, to the outfit you have chosen. It is personality over ego, style over fashion. Wear it as a badge of honour.
