Can You Wear a Lapel Pin on a Shirt Collar?

October 16, 2023

To answer your question, it's both yes and no. It depends on what you want to communicate with people you meet, your attire, and a few other things you should consider. Matching your lapel pins to your attire can be a little tricky, but you'll end up looking fly if you manage to pull it off well. What do I mean by this? If you've ever watched the oo7 James Bond movie or the trendy TV series Suits, you'll discover one common thing; looks are everything.

Usually, the protagonist walks into a room dressed in a crispy-clean, well-ironed suit and one or two simple accessories, a watch, a pair of sunglasses, and on some special occasions, a boutonniere which helps him project one thing, confidence. So, even if you have a great outfit, you need one other thing to look even better, an accessory. A lapel pin can be the one accessory that distinguishes you from the crowd because of its uniqueness.

At Pinpros plus we have the best pins that are perfect for every style. If this is the first time you're bumping into this, let us first explore what a lapel pin is.

Table of Contents

What's a lapel pin?

Lapel pins are used as accessories to sharpen your look. In some cases, they are used to show an affiliation to a particular organization and your position in said organization. They are common in employee recognition programs. Employees with these lapel pins are a sign of accomplishment. They instill a sense of belonging to a particular fraternity of elite members at an organization to improve their morale and productivity.

Initially, lapel pins were more popular with men, and they wore them on the left side of their chest, but ladies too started to get into the fashion trend, and it is working out good for them. Lapel pins are also worn by politicians to express political affiliations.

A lapel pin is an accessory that blends well with outfits and is not too noticeable. Wearing it on your collar shows your daring and adventurous personality. It shows that you do not necessarily conform to social standards and are willing to try new things. You are a trendsetter. While wearing lapel pins on the shirt's collars for men might be hard to pull off, things are much easier for ladies-the reason why is because ladies have more room to experiment and try different looks.

How you dress up in the morning says a lot about you. It broadcasts your personality, attitude, and, most importantly, how you expect people to treat you. Lapel (or enamel) pins are small pins one wears mostly on their clothing; on a jacket, for instance or a tie. However, they can also be attached to other fabrics like bags and even casual wear. Well, back to the question.

Can you wear lapel pins on your collar?

While lapel pins can be worn by people in many different ways, the main question we will discuss today is if one can wear them on shirt collars. One can wear them on shirt's collars, but it depends on several things such as outfit, the occasion, the wearer's personality, and the type of lapel pin.

Outfit

The outfit you wear determines the accessories you use. Wearing track shoes on the runway is very reasonable, but wearing the same shoes to work, unless you are a gym instructor, may not be such a good idea. The same goes for lapel pins. If one's rocking a tux, for example, wearing a lapel pin on their shirt may not be such a good idea. You should pick your lapel pins to match your outfits, and if you manage to do this, you will pull out an awesome killer combo.

Occasion

The occasion, more times than not, determines one's outfit. Wearing a lapel pin on one's shirt collar during official events can seem odd, out of style, and may probably convey a lack of regard for regulation on the occasion's dress code. Unless, of course, the circumstance dictates that you wear one and specifically on their shirt's collar. However, wearing one during informal events is perfectly okay and may even make you look sharp, but make sure the lapel pin matches your outfit.

Try and go for simple yet elegant lapel pins that accentuate their outfit. You shouldn't go for daring lapel pin styles, unless you have a vibrant personality, because they may seem like you're trying too hard. A customized lapel pin stuck to a semi-formal Versace shirt might be an awesome combo that might get your friends talking.

Personality

Lapel pins, like clothes, should be matched with one's personality. If you have a vibrant personality, choosing a lapel pin may not be a hard task. Choose one or a couple that matches your outfit, and you are ready to go. You could go for a less colorful lapel pin if you have bright shirts and do more colorful lapel pins if you have less colorful shirts.

If you are a laid back person who is not too inclined to try new things, wearing a simple lapel pin on your shirt's collar may bring out the lady or gentleman in you and the extra time you took to think about your outfit in the morning. I would advise you to try them out in stages by looking for the perfect shirt or even considering the general gear before choosing a matching lapel pin.

Ask your spouse or a friend for their opinions on how the lapel pin looks on you to decide. Try and go for inconspicuous lapel pins that blend in with your outfit unless you are wearing one to an event that requires you to have a particular lapel pin. And most of all, stay comfortable and relaxed when choosing a lapel pin. Don't overthink the whole process; select one that compliments your style.

Type of lapel pin

Lapel pins come in many different types like the button pin, the flower lapel, the metal lapel pin, and the one that most guys can't pronounce, the boutonniere lapel pin. Try and find out which type of lapel pin could go with which kind of shirt.

Wearing a lapel pin with many colors with a plain shirt could be a bit flashy whereas donning the same lapel pin with a Gucci shirt, for instance, plus a gold necklace and a beautiful watch could come off as stylish. However, if you're looking to rock a classy outfit, you should get a simple yet elegant enamel pin. A classic accessory to complete and sharpen your style to add just a smidge of manly sophistication.

Customized enamel pins

These pins can be customized and used for various reasons such as boosting community events, expressing opinions, marking special occasions, etc. The enamel pins can be customized and gifted to mark and signify special milestones in friendships and other relationships. You can also wear them as a form of artistic expression.

When tailored, one can wear them more casually, and the rules around them become more relaxed mainly because customized lapel pins are worn as a form of expression, freedom, or to convey a more customized message. One can wear them to symbolize a sense of belonging to a fraternity, a movement, or only a form of personal expression of ideas.

Their unofficial vibe affords you the freedom to choose whether you would like to wear them, either on the left or right side of their shirt's breast or even on the collar, because they represent something personal a message that you'd like to pass on to others. They may also serve you as your reminder for a memory you'd like always to remember.

Conclusion

In conclusion, lapel pins are an accessory, and as accessories go, you are supposed to wear them to accentuate your outfit. You can play around with them; however, taking great care of how you wear them is also essential.

Remember, lapel pins can be worn on a shirt's collar if:

  • ‍You are in informal functions.‍
  • ‍Your lapel pins compliment your outfit.
  • You are at an event where you would like to communicate a particular message, e.g., political rallies.
  • You're feeling adventurous and want to try out a new look.

There are plenty of reasons to add lapel pins as an accessory to your outfit. Order a couple from pinprosplus.com and try them out! Pinprosplus offers you the best lapel pin deals exposing you to a wide variety of custom and ready-made lapel pins.

We can make all types of lapel pins like hard and soft enamel pins, die struck lapel pins, diecast lapel pins, and many more to meet every occasion. Our lapel pins are made with the utmost care and the best expertise to ensure that you get the very best.

All said and done, fashion is all about self-expression, and no one rule fits all. You should feel free to experiment and try out different types of lapel pins from our site to see which ones work out. Have fun!

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