Pin it on you: 16 brooches, badges and stick pins to add instant personality to outfits

By Ingrid Schmidt

Sept. 10, 2015 5 AM PT

Dust off those vintage brooches and lapel pins. Whether a flea market find, a family heirloom or a new treasure from the likes of Chanel or Louis Vuitton, decorative pins are back as the accessory of the moment for both ladies and gentlemen. They come in numerous shapes and forms: badges, brooches and stick pins in classic bows and crests, modern florals, animal silhouettes, arty graphics and symbols. For a simple styling trick, pins add instant personality to an outfit, particularly neutral basics, coats and suiting.

And more is more. Wearing them in multiple looks fresh, as does unexpected placement — in the hair (as at Prada's presentation for fall), on a handbag (as at Dolce & Gabbana) or on both jacket lapels (as on the Dior Homme runway). Beyond ornamentation, brooches function as pretty fasteners on pieces such as the season's cool new capes.

Dolce & Gabbana leather clutch with brooch trim, $3,995 at Dolce & Gabbana in Beverly Hills, (310) 888-8701, www.dolcegabbana.it

Louis Vuitton brass and plexiglass Solaris Brooch, $875 at Louis Vuitton in Beverly Hills, (310) 859-0457

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Free Plan by Napoleon Merana mirrored plexiglass acrylic animal pin handcrafted in Los Angeles, $12 exclusively at LACAUSA in Silver Lake, (323) 906-9956.

Free Plan by Napoleon Merana mirrored plexiglass acrylic animal pin handcrafted in Los Angeles, $12 exclusively at LACAUSA in Silver Lake, email to [email protected]

Vhernier 18-karat white gold Scorpione brooch with green mother of pearl, diamonds and rock crystal, $63,700 at Vhernier in Beverly Hills, (310) 273-2444

Oscar de la Renta resin and crystal ivy brooch, $390 at Saks Fifth Avenue stores, (877) 551-7257

Fausto Puglisi gold brass Iconic Sun pin, $290 at Curve in West Hollywood, (310) 360-8088.

Fausto Puglisi gold brass Iconic Sun pin, $290 at Curve in West Hollywood, (310) 360-8008

Les Copains dragonfly brooch with beads and crystals, $365 at Saks Fifth Avenue stores, (212) 262-8556 and on Sept. 30 at lescopains.com

Les Copains dragonfly brooch with beads and crystals, $365 at Saks Fifth Avenue stores and starting Sept. 30 at www.lescopains.com

Alexis Bittar crystal-encrusted Black Cherry Broken Heart Pin with golden pin detailing, $295 at Alexis Bittar boutiques in Venice, Malibu and West Hollywood, www.alexisbittar.com

Erickson Beamon brooch with vermeil, Swarovski crystals and Japanese glass pearls, $593 at Laura Gambucci boutique in La Jolla, (858) 551-0214

Chanel resin, plexiglass and golden metal chain brooch with strass crystals and glass pearls, $2,550 at Chanel in Beverly Hills, (310) 278-5500

Hermès brooch with rainbow jasper, dumortierite and palladium metal, $435 at Hermès in Beverly Hills, (310) 278-6440, hermes.com

Gabriella Kiss drusy quartz leaf pin with 18-karat gold branch and beetle, $2,400 at August in West Hollywood, (323) 653-2600, augustla.com

Dior Homme natural dried flower pin with palladium finish, available in 14 styles, price upon request at Dior Homme in Beverly Hills, (310) 247-8003, diorhomme.com