In London, the actor was playful with the details. 

Paul Mescal is a long-serving member of the itty-bitty brooch club, often defaulting to the accessory for any big-time public appearance. But at the screening of Hamnet at the BFI London Film Festival, he went a little DIY with it. 

The actor pulled up in a black shirt, tucked neatly into pleated trousers and black boots, tied together with a sturdy leather blazer, with a vintage Cartier Gondole watch to pack in some horological firepower. But the actor wasn’t just delivering a menswear nostalgia hit, although he definitely did that in the process. Zoom on his lapels, and you’ll spot a gold safety pin punched through his jacket. 

Why the need for a safety pin? Perhaps achieving Gladiator II levels of shredded has called for a higher risk of outfit malfunctions. Or maybe he just wants a solid gold flex on the red carpet. We can’t say for sure. 

But what we can confirm is that the safety pin is actually Cartier’s C de Cartier pin. It’s chill, a tad punkish and thanks to its 18k yellow gold make-up, still feels elevated. 

Mescal has been pals with Cartier for a while. And rather than going for more noticeable accessories, his safety pin brooch is an elevated jewellery-ified take on an everyday object. The result? An intriguing and very “if you know, you know” addition to your look. 

So if you’re sliding into a suit any time soon, do as Paul Mescal does. Because in a sea of solid red carpet tailoring, it pays to go big on the small stuff.