Soon, the United States will have a new First Lady, who will bring her fresh new influence on fashion, including, of course, an influence on preferred styles of jewelry.
While pearls have long been a mainstay of professional dress in the political world, brooches have come into prominence during the 2008 campaigns. Both presidential candidates’ wives have worn brooches prominently as part of their style statements.
Cindy McCain regularly wears two crystal brooches that spell out “USMC” and “NAVY” in large letters. According to Monica Corcoran of the Los Angeles Times, these $45 crystal pins pay tribute to the branches of the military chosen by McCain’s two sons. Above the bling, she often also wears the “Blue Star” pin, traditionally worn by those who have a family member in active duty. She has also been seen in a “McCain 2008” brooch in crystal letters and has been spotted wearing all three of the sparkling brooches at once.
McCain consistently wears the brooches to the upper left side of her jackets, so that they appear to the right as you look at her. This is a traditional style of wearing brooches, on a jacket near the face. What is worth noting is that, even though Cindy McCain is a slender woman (who wears size zero jeans, according to Vogue magazine), she can easily carry off multiple brooches. This look can be enjoyed by virtually any woman.
Michelle Obama uses brooches even more creatively, often wearing one single large brooch at the center of the bodice of a dress or pinning together the sides of a sweater. This style of wearing a brooch, which is an Obama signature look, is best for a woman with symmetrical features.
Obama also uses brooches in creative clusters, on one occasion wearing three different but related style brooches at the right, left and center of a scoop neckline, creating another symmetrical look. On yet another occasion, she chose an asymmetrical cluster of three starburst brooches at the bottom right of the neckline of a dress.
Unlike Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama does not obviously wear brooches to send a message other than that of enjoying the targeted embellishment provided by brooches.
With the trend toward wearing multiple brooches, now is a great time to have a brooch event and encourage your customers to bring in the brooches they already have in their wardrobes so they can add a second and maybe even a third brooch to create clusters that work together to create a powerfully stylish look.
Whatever your political position, right, left or center, one thing we can all agree on this political season is brooches.
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