With the last days of May ticking by, the garden centers are bustling with people looking to fill their containers, window boxes and gardens with summer annuals. Annuals only live one season, but they spend that short time adding pop and glory every single day, filling the color gaps as their neighbors, the long-lived perennials, come into and go out of bloom. Vintage flower pins are like summer annuals. They pack a lot of pop and color. But unlike annuals, you can wear them forever.

1980s Enameled Flower Pin

Enameled flower pin offered by beautifullybe on Poshmark, $11.

Why it caught my eye: It’s elegant in design with lots of visual movement and detail.

What to wear it with: A madras plaid blazer.

1970s Micro Mosaic Pin

1970s Italian micro mosaic brooch offered at VintageRenude.com, $34.95

Why it caught my eye: This flower pin combines two of my favorite Italian jewelry elements–the micro mosaic (how do they do that) and millifiore glass.

What to wear it with: As something of a traditionalist, I see it immediately on a little summer sheath dress. But it would also work with denim.

1960s Mod Gridded Pin

1960s enamel gridded pin from thepopularjewelry on Etsy, $29.25.

Why it caught my eye:  There are lots of mod enamel pins from the 1960s, but the grid element is one I haven’t seen before.

What to wear it with: It’s hot as a summer day, so I can see wearing it with a sleeveless black shirt. Black so no one can miss the vibrancy of the pin.

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