This Hot New Jewelry Trend Is Actually Really Old

For years, the brooch has felt a bit stodgy, co-opted by well-meaning grandmothers and relegated to the catchall bins at neighborhood flea markets. Rare was the street style star who opted for a decorative pin on her jacket lapel. But now they've come back with a vengeance, showing up oversize at Prada, in multiples at Dolce & Gabbana, and on runways from Suno to Edun to Balenciaga.

And the timing for this accessory influx couldn't be better. Statement necklaces have started falling to the fashion wayside (they could only get so big before they started causing actual neck pain) in recent seasons, so the real estate around the décolletage has opened back up. Plus, with the influx of capes on the Fall 2015 runways, a good brooch can actually serve its original purpose as a practical fastener. Decorative and functional? Why didn't we think of this sooner?

Take a closer look at the new take on the old jewelry trend, and then shop some of our favorites. Source: IMAXTREE / Matteo Volta/www.matteovolta.com