How to choose a brooch? Here are the things you should know before choosing a brooch and advice on how to wear it ♦
For a long time they have been little considered. The broochs were reminded of the jewels of the grandmother, because once the brooch was an inevitable element of a scarf or pinned to the dress of a lady. Sure, there have been pieces of sublime jewelry but, in general, the pins were left in shadow. Now, however, the broochs are back. Of class or simply amusing, they can be a creativity more element in clothing: in winter to stop the wool scarves, in summer to pinned on cotton clothes or on a hat, or to enrich in the lapel of a jacket.
An ancient history. On the other hand, that the brooch was not destined to go down it’s also indicates by its long life: the ancient Romans called it fibula, it’s an ornament that has been appreciated for millennia. And not only by the ancient Romans: the fibula (fibulae to plural) was a closure used to stop the fabrics also by Greeks, Germanic peoples and the Celts, up from the early Bronze Age. The buckles and oldest pins were made of bones, then it was the turn of the bronze, iron and gold.
The shapes. In general, the pins are composed of four elements: the body, the pin, the spring and hinge. The body is the part decorated, one immediately visible. The other elements, instead, used to make practical the locking mechanism, both in the case that the jewel will serve as a simple ornament, is that its use is practical, that is, to secure the cloth of clothes.
Evolution. From simple fibulae in antiquity, the brooch has evolved especially since the Middle Ages, with the introduction of more complex shapes. The two most common from 1200 onwards are the ring brooch, with designs square and lobed, or with flowers. Have been introduced, in addition, the flat pins (badges), which reported figures of people or animals. These pins are also used as instrument of recognition or belonging to a class or category. The badge of the pilgrims or service workers in stately homes were simpler and poor materials, such as lead. The pins were then also used to report the honors and, in this case, are obviously more elaborate and composed of noble materials.
Styles. The pins have followed the evolution of style jewelry. There are so elaborate brooches old Victorian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco style, geometric designs, with animals, human figures, flowers, fruits: there is no limit to what can be represented on a brooch.
How to choose a brooch. A pin can draw attention to the person wearing it, but it should be carefully chosen. Better not to wear a pin that does lay eyes on one side of the not perfect fit body. Nothing pins too close to a large neck: in this case better wear a brooch on the hat, or down on the lapel of his jacket. A large brooch is a brilliant idea if it is not disproportionate to the wearer: the size must be proportional to the size and shape of the body. An unexceptional dress can be revitalized by a pin, as long as the jewel does not stress a poor fabric. Make a distinction between the daytime pins (the liveliest) and those for the evening: they are two completely different jewelry. They are ok, however, for the pins that indicate a group identity or social identity, which contain a message, an attitude or a hobby. In short, a pin can also be a nice business card to show who you meet.
