Who really stole the Oscars? Brooches were men's accessory of the night.
Who really stole the Oscars? Brooches were men's accessory of the night.
Greta Cross, USA TODAYMon, March 16, 2026 at 9:30 PM UTC
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Brooches were the moment during this year's Oscars.
During the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 15, actor after actor took the stage – whether presenting or accepting an award – adorned with a bold brooch that "blinded" viewers, dazzling in the stage lights. New York Magazine cartoonist Jason Adam Katzenstein noted the accessory's prominence in sketch of a brooch with the title, "One Brooch After Another," a play on the Best Picture winner "One Battle After Another."
During the Best Actor presentation, two stars bore stunning brooches. Best Actor winner Michael B. Jordan sported a custom David Yurman High Jewelry brooch on the back of his collar, according to the David Yurman Instagram. And last year's Best Actor winner, Adrien Brody, wore a large Elsa Jin piece titled Ulysses, made with a 20.05-carat sapphire and more than 1,200 diamonds, amounting to 125.84 carats, according to Jin's Instagram. And if one wasn't enough, Jordan wore three other David Yurman brooches during the Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party.
US actor Adrien Brody attends the 98th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2026.
Other actors who flaunted sparkly, eye-catching brooches included Kieran Culkin, who wore a 18K yellow gold piece by Sauvereign, Best Actor nominee Wagner Moura, who wore a custom Andre Lasmar brooch inspired by the Dove of Peace and Joel Edgerton, who wore a Louis Vuitton Les Honneurs brooch featuring sapphires and diamonds.
Michael B. Jordan wears three David Yurman High Jewelry brooches during the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Mark Guiducci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on March 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
In a cheeky Instagram post, global luxury media company Coveteur handed out a few of its own "awards." Hudson Williams of "Heated Rivalry" fame was awarded "Best Brooch" for a Bulgari brooch, a part of the brand's Serpenti Jewelry Collection, Williams' stylist, Anastasia Walker, shared to her Instagram Story on Sunday.
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True vintage
Walker also styled singer and rapper Shaboozey, who made an on-stage appearance during the "Sinners" musical performance of "I Lied to You." Shaboozey wore a vintage Briony Raymond brooch, as shared by Walker and Briony Raymond on Instagram.
Shaboozey wears a vintage Briony Raymond brooch during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California.
Los Angles-based stylist Chloe Takayanagi styled two of her clients, Sterling K. Brown and Kumail Nanjiani, in brooches for the evening. Brown wore a floral-shaped brooch from New York-based jeweler Fred Leighton, Takayanagi shared in an Instagram post. Nanjiani wore a 1940's platinum and diamond brooch curated by Michael Saidian of Unique Vintage & Estate Jewelry, according to Saidian's Instagram.
Comedian Kumail Nanjiani wears a 1940's platinum and diamond brooch curated by Michael Saidian of Unique Vintage & Estate Jewelry during the 98th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2026.Accessories as activism
Several celebrities wore "ICE OUT" and "Artists4CeaseFire" pins on Sunday, including "Bridgeton" star Charithra Chandran, actor Javier Bardem and musician Sara Bareilles.
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Though not technically a brooch, Oscar nominee Leonardo DiCaprio's bumblebee lapel pin also caught attention. The gold Boucheron pin was worn in tribute to Bee:wild, a social movement dedicated to saving bees and other pollinators – a subsect of Re:wild, the environmental nonprofit DiCaprio cofounded in 2021.
Leonardo DiCaprio wears a gold Boucheron pin in tribute to Bee:wild, a social movement dedicated to saving bees and other pollinators, during the 98th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2026.Looking back at brooches: Why are they all the rage?
A decorative piece of jewelry, typically attached on a collar, lapel or shawl, brooches have a rich history. Though brooches are a statement piece of jewelry today, accessories was first used as a simple clasp, like a modern safety pin, to fasten cloaks and tunics. During the Bronze Age, these clasps were called fibulas, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
But over time, artisans began to put their own flare on the clasp, adding gemstones, enameling and pearls. Brooches swiftly moved from just a functional item to a symbol of wealth, New Orleans-based antique store M.S. Rau states on its website.
As brooches began more elaborate, they also began to carry more meaning. Throughout the Victorian era, brooches were worn to showcase mourning, according to The New York Historical.
Perhaps the most modern brooch spokesperson was the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was known for her dazzling collection.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II leaves after the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, eastern England, on Dec. 25, 2019.
So why are brooches everywhere? Munchel's Fine Jewelry in Lakeland, Florida believes the accessory has skyrocketed into popularity for its sustainable style, flexibility of wear and ability to draw out personal expression.
London-based stylist Oriona Robb told Ireland's national television and radio broadcaster RTE she thinks brooches are so popular right now because "we're tired of looking the same."
"We’re not wearing them to look traditional," Robb told the outlet. "We’re wearing them as acts of self-expression."
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brooches dominated men's fashion at the 2026 Oscars. Why?
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