How about pinning on a brooch?

 

What kind of an antique store would we be if we didn't start by looking back in history. One of the earliest brooches was discovered in Tutankhamun's tomb, and it is truly unique: it is scarab-shaped and decorated with a yellow quartz glass stone in the centre. This was created when a meteorite hit the Libyan desert 29 million years ago, melting the sand and turning it into silicate glass.

 

 

The Ancient Romans then invented the closure on the principle of the safety pin (so called fibulae). The Vikings and Celts also used brooches (buckles) to fasten their clothing - for example, the Tara buckle found on an Irish beach in 1850. It is estimated to date from 650-750, made of silver and gold, and decorated with amber, glass and enamel.

Brooches were very popular during the Baroque period, and have decorated us ever since.

 

I brooches also vary in style and purpose.

Soldiers used to present their sweethearts with love brooches when they went to war. The motive was of course love, there was a quote on them and most often they were silver.

Mourning brooches commemorated the deceased person. In the past, orders for mourning brooches for the survivors were often even part of the will. They could bear the name, initials, date of birth or death, but also the image of the deceased. They could also be provided with a space for storing a small memento - for example, a lock of hair.

Grand Tour brooches served as beautiful souvenirs of visits to upper-class holiday destinations in the 19th century. These included Florence, Venice and Rome. They are small, usually glass and colourful, with motives of animals, flowers or landscapes.

Cameos, small sculptures carved in glass, shell or stone, usually with profiles of women, soldiers or gods.

Aigrettes, lat brooches inspired by birds, sometimes in the shape of a small bird. The feathers tend to be slightly loose so that they flutter slightly.

A brooch A brooch can turn even a simple outfit into a classy one that makes you stand our. Thanks to it, you can express your personality as well as your mood or opinions at the time. After all, that's what many prominent women did and still do to this day. Madeleine Albright worebrooches as a "secret message" and her collection of brooches (měla jich asi 280!) served as her "personal diplomatic arsenal". Similarly, Queen Elizabeth II was able to masterfully send coded messages through her choice of jewellery - and brooches in particular. For example, when she pinned the one given to her by the Obamas as a token of friendship at her meeting with Donald Trump...

So, if you can't or won't express your opinion quite openly, say it with a brooch. You just need to know a little bit about the symbolism, for example...

Horseshoe, a four-leaf clover or a piggy bank symbolize luck.

Elephant symbolizes wisdom, strength, friendship and a great memory

Anchor is a symbol of business success and security

Star brings hope, excellence and eternal life

Heart is a symbol of love, courage and warriorism

Butterfly symbolizes transformation, freedom, joy and creativity

Grape is a symbol of abundance

While it may still seem to some that they belong more on grandma's sweater, as with everything, it depends on the specific piece and the specific personality to get the perfect result. You can really accessorise anything with a brooch - from a conservative suit to a ripped denim jacket.

Sometimes you may only want to accessorise with a brooch for a particular occasion - perhaps a wine tasting, a visit to a horse race or for Christmas. A brooch is the perfect accessory because of its variety of shapes, colours and materials

 

Where to pin the brooch ? Preferably in the lapel of a jacket or coat collar, on a sweater and dress. You can also wear a brooch as a replacement for the top button of a shirt. Similarly, you can also use a brooch to accessorise a handbag, the top hem of your boots, a scarf, a belt or an elastic band, or a hairband.