Looking for an out of the box fashion accessory? Find out how you can make the ultimate fashion statement with the use of an Austrian brooch.
For those of you who are unaware of what a brooch is it is a decorative piece of jewelry that is designed to be attached to clothes. It can be made out of many different metals including gold, silver and bronze. The question is what does Austria have to do with brooches? Well, it is a big producer of some of the finest quality brooches that the world has ever seen.
Austria has been involved in the making of jewelry and decorative items since a long time back in history. The country is known for producing some of the world’s most highly regarded artists along with arts and crafts. Hence when it comes to innovative things from Austria one can be sure that it is going to be something unique.
Brooches have been used since the early Bronze Age. Their use has changed over time. It could have been invented for the purpose of fastening a cloak or other such garments. Today however it is taken as a fashion accessory. And what better way to make a fashion statement than an Austrian brooch.
When one traces back the history of the changing trends in brooches it clearly shows the impact of the trends of those times on the designs of these brooches. The evolving brooches seem to act as chronological indicators for the changing fashion over time.
The Romans had their own version of the brooch which was an ornamental clasp that went by the name of fibula. The Celts and other tribes in Europe were also found making use of the ornaments in the Bronze Age. Initially the brooches used to be made out of perishable building materials such as bone.
The basic function of the fibulae was that of a large safety pin. It was used in order to hold the garments together. Even then the different designs of brooches were taken as a fashion statement and people sought to wear a brooch that would reflect their personality. The brooches would often indicate the ethnic origins of the wearer.
Antique Brooches
It was in the late antique period that the Romans began to produce heavily decorated brooches. This was the real fashion accessory of those times. They also had simpler versions that were incorporated in the military uniform of the Romans.
They had a unique approach to designing these brooches. They would gather all the culturally significant building and decoration materials and stage interplay of these elite objects to come up with something interesting.
The Romans excelled at metal work paving the way for innovative designs that are still highly regarded in the eyes of the world wide public. Once the idea of brooches popularized it just continued to grow even till today. Brooches are no longer used as safety pins rather they are looked up on as fashion accessories.
Today you will find highly decorated brooches that seem to be an amalgamation of the Roman tradition and modern aesthetics. Carved out in different metals these brooches will also feature precious gemstones, crystals and even etched out names or statements.
