An Interest in Decorative Pins

This set of diamond flower brooches from the Russian Imperial Family Collection came up for auction in London in 2004, part of lot 36, Russian State Jewels. They remind me of the astonishing jewels on view in the Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. My favorite of the collection is not one of the jewel encrusted tiaras or necklaces, but rather a set of antique diamond flower buttons which belonged to a queen– imagine having buttons made of diamond clusters! While we may not have diamond brooches or buttons there are many fascinating pins to be had and just as many ways to wear them.

During a trip to Washington, D.C. my husband bought me a book called Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box by Madeleine Albright, American diplomat, political scientist, and former Secretary of State. The book was published in conjunction with an exhibit of her pin collection created by the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Madeleine Albright collected pins during her travels and looked for them in vintage and antique shops as well as museum shops. When she began wearing them during her diplomatic missions and choosing pins to suit the occasion people noticed and began sending her interesting pins she might wear and use to communicate. This serpent pin is the first she wore to make a statement. After Iraq’s poet in residence wrote a poem about her calling her an “unparalleled serpent” she chose to wear this pin in meetings with Iraqi officials. It did not go unnoticed.

This photo of Peter Neal taken at his wedding to Naomi Biden (the Adventurine) wearing a Tiffany flower pin rather than a live flower boutonniere caught my attention. To me, it looked fresh and new. Reading further in Albright’s book clarifies the wearing of pins has been prevalent for centuries. She includes George Washington and his eagle pin from the French Navy among pin wearers.

My morning review of online journals and blogs reveals many wearing one or more pins to embellish their clothes and express themselves.

Edward Enninful  of British Vogue wearing a Chopard pin at the Cannes Film Festival. (Photo by Dave Benett)

Alister Mackie wearing a burst of insect pins on his blazer. (Photo by Darren Gerrish)

This photo of models at a Dior exhibit of years past captures the joy of wearing multiple pins at once – especially good on a well-tailored jacket.

Tobe Nwigwe at Chanel last winter (Photo John Wessels/Getty Images)

The March, 2023 issue of Vogue included a photo story centered on a Van Cleef and Arpels diamond brooch shaped like a rose; each photo demonstrating a different way to wear the brooch, on a cap, a lapel, on a tie, on a ribbon around your neck, on a sweater, and, as shown here, pinned to the bow tied to your ponytail.

If you are interested in adding some brooches, stick pins, collar pins, hat pins, or any other pin to your collection you might begin your search in the vintage shops in your area or those you see when traveling. Here are some of my own with a few ideas about how you might wear them.

Few straw hats have escaped me! Here is a photo of one accented with vintage black ribbon and a hat pin monogrammed with the letter “E”.

This straw boater came with its own ribbon. I pinned a vintage chrysanthemum pin to the ribbon for an effect similar to the Gucci straw boater that inspired me.

This is a pin found in its original box. It can be worn as a pin or strung on a silk cord and worn as a necklace The garnet bead has been added to protect me from being pricked by the pin when wearing it around my neck.

These blue enamel pins were purchased at the Hendley Market in Galveston, Texas and said to be baby pins. They add a little extra dash to this tailored shirt purchased in a shop at the airport in Rome, Italy.

Small bar pins can be worn on many of our clothes today.

A bar pin from my great grandmother on a white ruffled collar.

These matching gold-colored pins are quite simple in design and add a bit of history to this dove gray linen blouse.

These tiny pearl bar pins belonged to an unknown ancestor. They have been mine to cherish since I was a young girl.

These flower pins from James Avery, a Texas Hill Country craftsman and jewelry maker, were given to me by two different people. I received the second pin as a graduation present and wore them both on the dress under my commencement gown. Wearing them made me feel as if the people who gave them to me were close at hand on that important day.

Sometimes you see something in a vintage shop and think about it for weeks before buying it. If it is still there when you return you might give it to yourself.  The pin on this was originally quite long and had to be cut shorter and re-sharpened so as to be able to wear it safely.

This photo is a torn page from a magazine kept in my idea folder and saved because of the stunning juxtaposition of the diamond snowflake pins on the body-hugging raspberry taffeta moire evening gown.

Rhinestone pins can sometimes be found in vintage shops for a reasonable amount. I began collecting them years ago and at one point covered a Styrofoam ball with ribbon, arranged the pins on it, and rested it in a silver candy dish, imagining the arrangement as a timeless bridal bouquet.

The rhinestone pins inspired me to create a series of mezzotints on copper and bind them together in a blue-black silk cover.

Hoping you find ways of your own to pin one on!