A touch of clasp

Stylish ways to brooch the subject

by Leslie Robarge

PINNING, THE TALE: from top, green daisy with "diamond" center, $15; iridescent green, aqua, and crystal brooch, $12.

Over the past few decades, the brooch has gotten a bad rep. Despite a brief comeback in the '80s -- remember Madonna's outfits in Desperately Seeking Susan? -- brooches seem like a relic of the days of white gloves and linen handkerchiefs. Maybe it's because they're so obvious -- not subtle, like a bracelet can be -- or maybe it's because modern clothing has no use for them anymore.

Or does it? Lately brooches have been popping up all over fashion runways and magazines, including the February issue of Harper's Bazaar, which featured new brooches from designers such as Chanel and Fred Leighton in the $10,000-and-up range.

Not quite ready to sink that much money on a piece of jewelry, we recently poked around the display cases at Antiques on Cambridge Street (1076 Cambridge Street, 617-234-0001) and found a treasure chest of these dated beauties from the '40s, '50s, and early '60s. The prices were a little less than 10 grand -- they ranged from $10 for a simple silver flower to $60 for a peacock (it comes with matching earrings). There are typical faux-gem brooches like a "diamond" sunburst ($12), or a silver bouquet with red stones that dates back to the '40s ($24). And if you want to relive the bad old days, you can even go for the absurd: a gold sailboat ($33) with faux pearls and diamonds on the mast and flags.