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Say it - whatever it is - on a badge. Marian Buckley reports on fashion's current craze for button badges. |
| Badges float in and out of fashion at varying intervals so it's no surprise that these metal message boards are trendy once again. Of course, as any collector or fashionista will tell you, the trick is to scout around for quirky messages, political statements and defunct band badges. If you want to jump on the badge wagon big time, car boot sales, charity shops, local community fairs, jumble sales and junk shops are the best hunting grounds. More and more independent fashion shops are getting into badges so have a nose around your favourites and see what they've got. Earlier this year Burro showed a denim jacket covered in badges at their Paris catwalk show and during December 00 Burro's Carnaby shop (6 Newburgh Street, London W1, tel: 020 7437 1487) will display a huge collection of badges previously on show at their Tokyo store. | |
| Badges were first produced back in 1870 when celluloid was invented. Button badges first became really popular in the 1950s when holiday camps like Butlins advertised their family holiday on them. Then in the 60s a new psychedelic generation got into slogan badges, and when punk hit in the late 70s, badges were again youth culture collectibles. The early 80s saw an explosion in political button badges but since then, button badge manufacturing has gone into steady decline. | |
| Badge expert and founder of UK badge collectors' club, The Badge Circle, Frank Setchfield admits that while there is a new buzz about button badges "only about 1% of our 550 members collect them - other types of badges, metal and enamel pins for example, are much more popular." Frank is the main man when it comes to cool slogan badges. His personal collection includes a selection of original anti-Thatcher, anti-Nazi League, CND and Rock Against Racism button badges from the 80s. | |
| Traditionally, badges are worn on your lapel. But badges are meant to be subversive, anti-establishment accessories and they can be worn literally anywhere. Try covering a clapped-out bag in them, pin some randomly across a scarf, pop a couple on a denim wrist band, pin a line of them onto a skirt or pair of jeans - even place one just above your cleavage on a ripped T-shirt. Badges are the quickest way to customise your favourite clobber and how you do it is only limited by the size of your badge collection and imagination. | |
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