A small bouquet of flowers worn on the lapel or buttonhole of a jacket, typically at formal events like weddings or proms.
From French boutonnière, meaning 'buttonhole,' derived from bouton (button) + -nière (suffix indicating a place or thing). The term evolved in 19th-century France to describe the decorative flower arrangement pinned to formal wear.
Buttonholes were originally functional (to hold buttons), but fashion transformed them into tiny gardens! The boutonniere represents how necessity becomes art—a practical detail that became a symbol of formality and celebration.
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