There are some things I never imagined I’d be blogging about―the annual Met Gala, celebrities and Formula One racing are three of them. But this unlikely combo made me realize brooches are making a comeback. Yes, brooches!―those old-timey pieces of jewelry we tend to associate with matching sweater sets, eyeglass chains and lavender perfume.
Now, thanks to the Met Costume Institute’s 2025 Gala fundraiser, we can associate brooches with today’s hottest celebrities including Ferrari’s record-setting Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton.
The extraordinary Met Gala, considered by many to be “fashion’s biggest night”, is an annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. “We exhibit, conserve, study, and house the world’s most comprehensive costume collection, offering an unrivaled timeline of fashion history” states the Met Costume Institute on their Instagram profile. “The Met Gala”, explains Wikipedia, “is a globally renowned, haute couture fundraising spectacle that serves as an opening celebration for the institute’s annual fashion exhibit. … Each year’s event celebrates the specific theme of that year’s Costume Institute exhibition, which sets the tone for the formal attire of the night.”
“This spring’s event” states the February 2025 press release “will mark the opening of the exhibition ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’, a profoundly scholarly show centering an important legacy of Black-led sartorial innovation and creative expression that continues to inspire and shape our world today.” The exhibition “explores the importance of sartorial style to the formation of Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora. The show is inspired by Guest Curator Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, ‘Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity’, and chronicles the ways in which Black people have used dress and fashion to transform their identities and imagine new ways of embodying political and social possibilities”.
“The Gala dress code is ‘Tailored for You’, a nod to the exhibition’s focus on suiting and menswear—from specific silhouettes to various fabrics and accessories—that is purposefully designed to both provide guidance and invite creative interpretation.” I won’t get into the controversies that have surrounded the Met Gala in the past nor would I ever presume to understand all that’s packed into the important messages of the Superfine: Tailoring Black Style exhibition. Instead, I’d like to focus on one small aspect of this year’s fashion extravaganza―the brooch as a fashion accessory.
A brooch, by the way, is defined as “an ornament that is held by a pin or clasp and is worn at or near the neck”. While that may have been true in the past, the Met Gala proved brooches are not limited to being worn at or near the neck. Celebrities pinned brooches on their lapels and hats, placed them over buttons and centered them on ties.
Here are a few examples from the Instagram accounts of singer and actor Teyana Taylor; rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer Chance the Rapper; civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback Colin Kaepernick; Olympic Gold Medal gymnast Simone Biles; and singer and actor Janelle Monáe.
Brooches can be worn individually or in clusters. Here’s a closer look at a few from the Met Gala.
Brooches have a lot going for them. They are available in a variety of different styles and materials. Brooches can add a touch of elegance, luxury, personality, glamour or playfulness to any outfit.
High-end brooches tend to be designed and created by master craftspeople using rare gems, semi-precious stones and fine metals. The “Thistle Stalks” brooch, created by René Lalique circa 1905, is a case in point. This extraordinary brooch showcases a large semi-precious aquamarine stone framed by enameled thistle blooms and leaves.
Here are a few more spectacular brooches created by René Lalique. See my previous blog post, Lavish Lalique in Lisbon, for more of René Lalique’s stunning art nouveau style jewelry.
Not all brooches are as elaborate (or as expensive) as Lalique’s masterpieces. Shown below are a few hand-crafted brooches…
… perfectly suited to enhance a simple hat band.
Unique and interesting brooches can often be found at antique markets and vintage shops. The variety of motifs―from roses to roosters―in this vintage shop display in Newnan, Georgia caught my eye.
Pictured below are two more displays of vintage brooches. These were spotted at the El Rastro flea market in Madrid Spain.
Although I resisted these specific pieces, many other vintage brooches have found their way home with me. I shared this sneak peek of my stash in a previous blog post Curiously Useful Metal Tins Roundup.
Several of the brooches in my collection were found at thrift shops. I’m particularly fond of those with natural themes like birds, flowers and foliage.
In addition to spicing up an outfit, brooches can serve to inspire other artwork. The wreath of leaves brooch shown below is a case in point―it sparked the idea for the ceramic wreath embellished with rolled roses. See Clay Play Days for more information about this particular project.
A few of the brooches I’ve collected have sentimental value. The one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted brooch shown below was a gift from my niece (thank you Rachel!). If I recall correctly, she purchased it from the artist (sorry, artist unknown) at a local craft fair. Earthy-colored beads are skillfully wired over a piece of amber sea glass.
I’ll wrap up with my little tribute to the 2025 Met Gala―a couple of vintage brooches now add a touch of glamour to my sashiko-stitched jacket (see A Denim Jacket with Sashiko Flair)!
More Info
Previous blog posts mentioned in this blog post include:
. Lavish Lalique in Lisbon
. Curiously Useful Metal Tins Roundup
. Clay Play Days
. A Denim Jacket with Sashiko Flair.
The following Met Gala 2025 attendees are mentioned in this blog post:
. Lewis Hamilton — see more on Instagram
. Teyana Taylor — see more on Instagram
. Chance the Rapper — see more on Instagram
. Colin Kaepernick — see more on Instagram
. Simone Biles — see more on Instagram
. Janelle Monáe — see more on Instagram
See the Metropolitan Museum of Art website for information about this prestigious art museum including the Superfine: Tailoring Black Style exhibition. See the Met Costume Institute Instagram account to learn more about the 2025 Met Gala as well as upcoming exhibitions and events.
In addition, the following books and articles were consulted in the writing of this blog post:
. Jewelry Handbook: How to Select, Wear & Care for Jewelry by Renée Newman which is available here on Internet Archives
. Met Gala 2025: Diamonds, Dandyism, and Detailed Elegance article by Maddie Vincent for Springer’s Jewelers
. Brooches Are Having a Moment. Here Are 8 Unexpected Ways to Style Them article by Jaclyn Alexandra for Harper’s BAZAAR
. 11 Fresh Unexpected Ways to Wear Brooches and Pins article by Cindy Hattersley
. Various Wikipedia entries.
Today’s Takeaways
1. A brooch is defined as “an ornament that is held by a pin or clasp and is worn at or near the neck” but the 2025 Met Gala proved brooches can be worn anywhere.
2. Brooches can add a touch of elegance, luxury, personality, glamour or playfulness to any outfit.
3. In addition to spicing up an outfit, brooches can serve to inspire other artwork.
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