Get Pinned: Safety Pin Jewelry
Safety pins have crossed the boundary between useful tool and front-and-center focal. Found on runways, fashion ads and Pinterest boards, these once-hidden items are taking their turn in the spotlight. Read on to discover the origins of safety pin fashion and the newest ways to incorporate them into your jewelry.
Where Did It Start?
Perhaps one of the earliest uses of safety pins in fashion was the 1970s punk movement. Based on its usefulness rather than looks, safety pins were used to attach patches and hold together the ripped, ragged clothing many punks wore. As they became synonymous with the anti-establishment, DIY sentiments of the genre, new uses for such a handy little tool came to light, including jewelry components, earrings, and even pierced through the cheek or nose.
Modern Interpretations
Safety pins still embody an edgy, industrial element in modern jewelry, but it is frequently balanced with softer-looking designs. Pins strung with seed beads, crystals or cheery plastic beads are often used as earrings or the centerpiece of chain necklaces. Use alphabet beads to spell out a name or meaningful phrase, or string gold-tone safety pins with pearls for a free-spirited yet refined look.
For an edgier look, "stick" safety pins through elegant strands of pearls, creating haphazard-looking spikes. Safety pin bails are perfect for stringing with seed beads, Czech pressed glass and other exciting beads. For a more punk-esque look, use kilt pins to create personalized brooches full of charms, chains and beaded dangles to show off your sense of style.
Since their introduction into fashion, safety pins have symbolized freedom of self-expression and unique style. With the number of pins, beads and other materials we have available, there's no limit to what you can create!
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