How to Wear a Lapel Pin: Placement, Fastening and Styling

Featured: Ginkgo Flower Golden Lapel Pin

Wear a lapel pin on the upper part of your left lapel, using the buttonhole if it is open and suitable for the pin. That means your left when wearing the jacket. Secure the fastening behind the lapel, keep the design upright and check that its weight does not pull the cloth out of shape. For a simple starting look, add one pin to a plain jacket and keep the other accessories understated.

Those are useful conventions for everyday tailoring. The best placement also depends on the jacket, the fastening and what you want the pin to contribute.

Where does a lapel pin go?

The upper left lapel is the conventional position on a suit jacket or blazer. A working lapel buttonhole provides a natural reference point, above the breast pocket rather than beside it. On a double-breasted jacket with two lapel buttonholes, the wearer's left remains the usual choice for a decorative pin.

There is no useful universal measurement from the shoulder or collar. Lapel widths and jacket cuts vary. Hold the pin in position before fastening it: leave space around the design so that it sits within the lapel instead of hanging over an edge.

A long, narrow stem can follow the lapel's angle. Keep the decorative face in its intended orientation, particularly if it depicts an animal, instrument or recognisable symbol. Following the lapel's line does not mean turning every design sideways.

What if the buttonhole is closed or missing?

Do not cut open decorative stitching or force a pin through it. A tailor can tell you whether the buttonhole is functional and can be opened safely. Otherwise, a suitable pin can be placed through the upper lapel fabric, but puncturing cloth can leave marks or catch threads. Take particular care with fine, loosely woven or delicate fabrics.

On a garment without lapels, choose a supported area of the upper chest and judge the balance in a mirror. The jacket-lapel convention is a starting point, rather than a rule for every shirt, collarless jacket or piece of outerwear.

How to attach a lapel pin

Check the back before you start. A long stick pin, short-post badge and brooch fastening do not close in the same way. Follow any instructions supplied with your pin, and practise opening the mechanism off the garment so that you do not pull against the cloth.

First decide where it should sit while wearing the jacket. Then take the jacket off and lay or support the lapel where you can see both sides. Keep the point away from your fingers and attach the pin to the lapel, without catching the shirt underneath.

Long stick pins

A stick pin has a long shaft, usually with a separate cap or stopper. Release the stopper as its mechanism requires; some pull off, while others have a release or screw fitting. Do not force it if it resists.

Pass the shaft through a suitable open buttonhole or carefully through appropriate lapel fabric. Position the design at the front and secure the pointed end with its supplied stopper. Keep the shaft supported so it does not swing outside the lapel. If the design requires an additional passage through the cloth, consider the fabric before making another puncture.

Short-post pins with a clutch back

Release the backing, pass the post through the chosen position and refit the backing behind the lapel. A butterfly clutch commonly releases by squeezing its tabs; other backs work differently. Check the actual mechanism rather than pulling on the decorative face.

The backing should secure the pin without drawing the fabric into a tight crease. If the post is too short for a thick lapel, or the design droops, choose a more suitable pin or garment rather than forcing the fit.

Brooch-style fastenings

Open the hinged pin, take a small, supported section of suitable lapel fabric and close the point into its catch. Check that the catch is fully engaged. A brooch-style fastening may sit differently from a vertical stick pin, so let the design and jacket guide its angle.

For every type, put the jacket back on, move your arms and sit down. The face should stay in place, the lapel should lie naturally and no sharp point should remain exposed.

Choose a pin that suits the jacket

Start with proportion. A slim lapel usually looks more balanced with a compact design. A broader lapel gives a larger pin more breathing room, but the cloth still needs to support its weight.

Think about contrast next. A silver-coloured design provides a cool accent against navy or charcoal. A gold-coloured design gives warmer contrast against dark blue, brown or cream. These are styling options, not requirements to match every buckle and watch exactly.

Monzoro's Alpha Antler - Silver Lapel Pin offers an animal motif for a simple jacket. For a warmer accent, consider the Antique Markhor - Bright Golden Lapel Pin. Use the finish colour and the shape to guide your choice.

Three ways to style a lapel pin

With a business suit

Try a navy suit, pale shirt and a small pin with a straightforward silhouette. If you are wearing a patterned tie, leave the pocket square plain or omit it. Consider the workplace and occasion: an interview, client presentation or uniformed setting may call for a more restrained choice.

At a wedding or celebration

A pin can add a personal detail to a plain suit, especially when the motif means something to you. Let a colourful pin carry the accent while the shirt and tie remain quieter. If a boutonnière is part of the wedding party's outfit, coordinate with the couple before adding another decoration to the same lapel.

With an open-collar shirt

A blazer and open-collar shirt give a pin space without needing a tie. If you add a patterned pocket square, use a small visible fold so the two accessories do not crowd the upper chest. Our pocket-square folding guide explains the shapes; choose the one that gives the pin enough visual room.

Before you leave

Look at the whole outfit from a few steps back, then check the fastening close up. Does the design stay upright? Does the lapel sit flat? Can you move comfortably? If the accessory keeps shifting or catching, change the placement or leave it off. Remove the pin before cleaning or storing the jacket, and keep the pin and its backing together.

Lapel pin questions

Can I wear a lapel pin without a tie?

Yes. A pin works with a blazer and open-collar shirt, or with simple knitwear under a jacket. Keep its size in balance with the lapel and the rest of the outfit.

Can I wear a lapel pin and a pocket square together?

Yes. Give them different roles: a small pin can add a defined shape while a pocket square contributes a quiet colour. If both are large or brightly patterned, reducing one usually makes the combination easier to wear.

Do all pins have to be worn on the left?

The left lapel is a familiar convention for decorative pins on tailoring. Official insignia, uniforms and organisation badges can have their own guidance, which takes priority. For garments without lapels, suitability and placement depend on the garment and the pin.