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.
Brooches in Street Style
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Emma Childs is the fashion features editor at Marie Claire, who writes trend reports, long-form reported features, and shopping guides. Previously, she was Marie Claire's style editor, and wrote for The Zoe Report, Editorialist, Elite Daily, Bustle, and Mission Magazine. She studied Fashion Studies and New Media at Fordham University Lincoln Center. When she's not writing fashion deep-dives, you'll find her stalking eBay for designer vintage, reading literary fiction on her Kindle, and baking in her tiny NYC kitchen.
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