Street Style Is Bringing the Antique Brooch Back

Emma Childs

Thu, February 15, 2024 at 3:20 PM UTC

3 min read

I distinctly remember the Art Deco-style brooch my grandmother wore to church on a Sunday almost twenty years ago. It was a cluster of emerald stones set in platinum gold, so entrancing that I couldn't pay attention to a single word of the sermon. During this past New York Fashion Week —which, some would say, is another gathering for worship—brooches proved to be quite the distraction yet again.

Everywhere I looked, a street-style outfit featuring a clip-on adornment would catch my eye. On day one, I was stopped in my tracks by an extra large red rosette clipped to a blazer's lapel and a logo pin tacked to a necktie. I was almost hit by a yellow cab on day three—too busy balking at a diamond-encrusted jaguar sitting atop the shoulder of someone's peacoat. My favorite, the one that made me late for the Kallmeyer presentation, was a geometric grouping of '20s-era jewel-toned gems—just like the pins my nana wore.

What I find so compelling about a brooch—aside from its shiny magpie effect—is its capacity to transform an outfit almost seamlessly. An otherwise monotonous, all-black look becomes sharp and stylized when adorned with sculptural silver hardware. Rosettes add as-needed freshness. A whimsical brooch elevates even the most ordinary pieces to playful new heights—when fastened to the collar of a button-down , for instance.

In short, a brooch can turn a good outfit into a great one. The next time you look in the mirror and think your outfit needs something extra, consider taking inspiration from my grandmother and the 13 New York Fall/Winter 2024 street style looks ahead.