Why Brooches Are the Must-Wear Accessory for Men in 2025
Once dismissed as a relic of bygone eras, the brooch has returned to menswear as one of the most compelling and culturally rich accessories of the moment. Across runways, red carpets and street style, brooches are no longer niche curiosities. Instead they are making a powerful statement about identity, heritage and audacious personal style. Historically, brooches were utilitarian fasteners and symbols of status long before they became decorative pieces. From Iron Age fibulae to ornate Celtic designs worn by elites in early medieval Britain and Ireland, brooches have always held cultural meaning beyond mere ornamentation. These pieces conveyed allegiance, rank and craftsmanship, bridging the functional with the expressive.
Today, the accessory’s return is not accidental but part of a broader revival of classic menswear aesthetics. Designers and fashion houses have embraced elements of dandyism and ornamentation, elevating menswear beyond minimalism and understated tailoring. The trend dovetails with a wider 2020s fashion movement that blends nostalgia for historical motifs with contemporary creativity.
A defining moment in the brooch revival came at the 2025 Met Gala, where male attendees wore statement pins and lapel brooches with confidence and individuality. At the gala celebrating “Tailoring Black Style,” brooches punctuated tailored looks with flourish and meaning. A$AP Rocky, one of the evening’s co-chairs, wore an intricate high jewellery brooch that lent sparkle and distinction to his suit. Formula One icon Lewis Hamilton also embraced the trend with aplomb, pinning vintage and bespoke brooches to his lapel and hat with elegant precision. The effect was not merely decorative but emblematic of a modern masculine jewellery language that values thoughtful adornment.
It is notable that the resurgence spans beyond red carpet exclusivity. Street style photographers have captured brooches on everyday menswear, worn with denim jackets, overshirts and even caps. This reflects a shift in how men think about accessories, not as optional additions but as integral to their personal narrative.
Culturally, this trend also signals a break with rigid conventions about what is considered masculine in fashion. Brooches offer a way to blend the historical and the modern, the subtle and the striking. Whether crafted from diamonds, pearls or enamel, these pins elevate traditional tailoring while opening menswear to broader interpretations of adornment. In a time where fashion increasingly celebrates individual expression, the humble brooch is reclaiming its place as a marker of sophistication and identity. From red carpets to city streets, this once quiet accessory is now making a bold statement about the evolving language of men’s style.
Image Credits: Vogue and Getty Images
