How to Wear a Lapel Pin: Side, Height and Angle

To wear a lapel pin, put it on your left lapel, at the spot where the lapel buttonhole is or would be, on the upper part of the lapel. Angle it so it runs parallel to the lapel's edge. If there's a buttonhole, slide the pin through it. If there isn't, pin through the fabric and secure the back.

That's the whole answer for a suit jacket. The rest of this guide covers what the short version skips: jackets with no buttonhole, blouses and dresses, wearing two pins, the extra rules for flag pins, and what to do when your pin is headed for a backpack rather than a boardroom.

Which side does a lapel pin go on?

The left. Every menswear guide we read for this post says so, including DMARGE, which puts it on the left lapel, north of your pocket square. The US Flag Code says the same for flag pins. "Left" means your left. To someone facing you, the pin sits on their right, and that's the detail that trips people up when they copy a photo.

There are two explanations for why, and both are probably true.

The practical one: the lapel grew out of jackets that buttoned up to the neck, and on a single-breasted jacket the left lapel still carries a buttonhole. That's the traditional spot for a boutonnière, and a pin took over the same spot. The sentimental one: the left side is over your heart, which is why pins for causes, memberships and awards feel like they belong there. The Flag Code uses exactly that reasoning for flag pins. Easiest way to remember it: follow your heart, literally.

We've changed our own answer here. An earlier version of this post said business people wear pins on the right and fashion people prefer the right for asymmetry against a pocket square. We couldn't find a single current guide that backs that up, and it contradicted our own styling advice, which put the pin on the left lapel above the pocket square. The convention is the left lapel. Wear it on the right if you like the look, but know that you're breaking a convention rather than following one.

How to wear a lapel pin on a suit, step by step

1. Find the buttonhole on your left lapel, or the spot where one would be.
2. Push the pin through the buttonhole, or through the fabric right beside where it would sit.
3. Turn the pin so it lines up with the edge of the lapel.
4. Secure the back on the inside of the lapel.
5. Step back from a mirror and check that it reads as deliberate, not crooked.

If your jacket has a buttonhole

This is the easy case. For a stick pin, take the cap off the bottom of the pin, slide the pin through the buttonhole so the emblem sits at the top, then put the cap back on behind the lapel. For a post-and-clutch pin, push the post through the buttonhole and press the clutch on from behind.

Going through the buttonhole means you never put a new hole in the jacket. That alone makes it the best spot.

If your jacket has no buttonhole

Plenty of jackets don't have one. Pin through the fabric at the height where a buttonhole would be, then press the clutch on firmly.

You'll be making a small hole, so take the pin out carefully when you're done rather than tugging it free. Tightly woven, high-thread-count fabric shows it most, and blazers are on that list along with satin, velvet and thin blouses. A looser weave like denim tends to close back up. We cover which fabrics are riskiest in do lapel pins leave holes in clothing? Short version: if you care about the garment, use a magnetic back. It holds the pin through the fabric without piercing it. It won't hold as well through a thick coat.

Stem hidden or showing?

For a stick pin or boutonniere, the stem can run hidden behind the lapel or come back out through the front. Hiding it is the traditional way. Showing it is the more modern, fashion-forward choice. For a wedding we'd keep it hidden. For a gallery opening, suit yourself.

Get the angle right

The pin should sit at the same angle as your lapel, not straight up and down and not flat across. A lapel slopes, so a pin set dead vertical ends up looking like it slipped. Match the slope and it looks like it was meant to be there.

Where do women wear a lapel pin?

On a blazer or suit jacket, the rules above apply: left lapel, upper part, angled with the lapel. On a blouse, sweater or dress with no lapel, place it between the shoulder and the bust line on the same side.

Without a lapel you've got more options. Our 7 ways to wear lapel pins goes through them: centered or off-center on a neckline, at the waist of a dress, in the middle of a V-neck sweater, or at the low point of a dress with a V-back. The fabric matters more here than on a suit. Thin blouses and satin are exactly the fabrics that show pin holes, so a magnetic back is worth it on anything you'd be upset to damage.

How to wear two lapel pins (or more)

You can. There's no rule against it, and we wrote a whole post on wearing two lapel pins at the same time. A few things keep it from looking like a pile:

• Keep them on one side. Cluster them on the left lapel rather than spreading pins across both.
• Leave a gap. Pins that touch can scratch each other's enamel and pull at the fabric where the backs sit.
• Relate them. Two pins that share a color or a theme read as a choice. Two random ones read as a lost-and-found.
• Match the metals. Gold pin with a gold watch and gold cufflinks. Silver with silver. DMARGE says the same thing (match the pin to your watch, belt, cufflinks and ring), and it applies to one pin as much as two.

One exception to all of this: a US flag pin always goes in the place of honor.

Flag pins have stricter rules

The US Flag Code says a flag lapel pin, as a replica of the flag, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart. On top of that, it shouldn't be worn upside down or sideways, and when you wear it with other pins it shouldn't be covered by them or ideally sit below them. Our post on American flag lapel pin etiquette goes through the rest, including why most professional flag pins run between half an inch and an inch.

Wearing lapel pins with casual clothes

Once you're off a suit, almost anything goes. Denim and leather jackets can take pins on the lapel, collar, sleeves, front and back. Hats take them on the brim or the crown. Backpacks and lanyards are where collectors put the most pins, and where they lose the most.

Two practical things from our own posts:

On a lanyard, keep pins below the collarbone. Higher up, the backs catch and rub on your shirt or jacket collar.

On a bag strap, keep pins away from where your hand grips and where the strap sits on your shoulder. Both knock pins loose. Save your favorite pins for somewhere safer, like a jacket lapel.

For anything that gets thrown around, the backing matters more than the placement. On the pins we make for jackets and backpacks, we recommend a locking pin back over a standard rubber or butterfly clutch. (If you've ever fought one, here's how to get a locking pin back off.)

Matching the pin to what you're wearing

A pin has to stand out from the jacket to do its job. A navy pin on a navy suit disappears, so pick one that contrasts with the jacket color. If your wardrobe is mostly neutrals, a pin is the easiest place to add a bit of color. If the pin is loud, wear a plain shirt under it so the two aren't competing. For work, a small metal pin in one or two colors is the safe choice. Save the glitter for the jean jacket.

For a suit lapel, our team usually recommends a pin under 1 inch with a simple design. Across all our orders, 1 to 1.5 inches is the most popular size, and our guide to custom lapel pin sizes goes further. Rubber and butterfly clutches come free with every pin. A deluxe clutch gives a more secure, higher-end feel if the pin is going on a good suit.

Common mistakes

Wearing it on the right lapel by default. Covered above. It's a choice you can make, but know it's the unconventional one.

Setting it straight up and down. The pin should follow the slope of the lapel.

Piercing a delicate fabric. Satin, velvet and thin blouses can keep the hole. Use a magnetic back.

Too many pins on a suit. A suit lapel has room for one or two. A crowd of pins on formal wear pulls thin fabric out of shape and looks cluttered.

Mixing metals. A gold pin next to a silver watch and silver cufflinks looks accidental.

FAQ

Does a lapel pin go on the left or right?

On the left lapel, the wearer's left. That's where the buttonhole sits on a men's suit jacket, and it's over the heart.

Where does a lapel pin go on a double-breasted suit?

Still the left lapel, even though a double-breasted jacket may have buttonholes on both lapels.

How do you wear a lapel pin without a buttonhole?

Pin through the fabric at the height a buttonhole would be, angled with the lapel, and press the clutch on firmly from behind. On delicate fabric, use a magnetic back instead so there's no hole.

Do lapel pins leave holes?

Any backing that goes through the fabric can leave at least a small hole. Denim and looser weaves hide it well. Blazers, satin, velvet and thin blouses often don't. Magnetic backs are the only option that doesn't pierce the fabric.

Can you wear a lapel pin on a shirt with no jacket?

Yes. Put it on the left side of the chest, around where a shirt pocket would be, or on the collar.

Want a pin worth wearing?

We make custom lapel pins with free design and free shipping in the US, from a 50-piece minimum. You'll get a proof within 4 hours, and orders usually arrive 10 to 15 business days after you approve it. Pick your backing when you order: rubber clutch, butterfly clutch, deluxe clutch, magnet, stick pin or tie clip, among others. See real prices on our pricing page, or request a free quote.

Related reading: the 10 types of lapel pin backings and lapel pin vs. brooch.