Lapel pin placement: where does it go?

The rule: left lapel, over the heart

Wear a lapel pin on your left lapel. This is where the boutonniere buttonhole sits on most suit jackets, and it places the pin close to your heart, which is part of its symbolism, especially for flag pins and memorial pins.

Exactly where on the lapel

• If your jacket has a lapel buttonhole, put the pin through the buttonhole or just above it.
• If it does not, place the pin on the widest part of the lapel, roughly level with the top of the breast pocket and a little below the collar notch.
• Center it on the lapel's width, not near the edge.

Which way should it point?

Angle the pin so it runs parallel to the outer edge of the lapel, the way a flower in the buttonhole would. Some people prefer the pin perfectly level. Both are acceptable; parallel to the lapel looks more natural on most jackets. Flag pins are usually worn level so the flag reads correctly, with the stars at the upper left as others see it.

One pin or several?

On a suit or formal blazer, one pin. A second pin can go directly below the first if both are formal (for example a company pin and a service pin), but more than two looks cluttered. Casual jackets, bags and denim are a different world; there, more is often the point.

Lapel pins on shirts, dresses and blouses

No lapel? Wear the pin on the left side of the chest, about where a lapel pin would sit if you were wearing a jacket, roughly 3 to 4 inches below the collarbone. On lightweight fabric, use a magnetic back to avoid pulling or making a hole.

Flag pins

US flag pins follow the same rule: left lapel, over the heart. The US Flag Code describes the flag lapel pin as a replica of the flag that should be worn on the left lapel near the heart. Wear it upright, with the stars at the top left from the viewer's point of view. If you wear a flag pin and another pin, the flag pin goes above or in the more prominent position. See American flag pins.

Name tags go on the right

If you wear a name tag or badge, put it on the right side. When you shake hands with your right hand, the other person's eyes naturally follow your arm to your right shoulder, where they can read your name. That leaves the left side for your lapel pin.

Lapel pins at weddings

The wedding party often wears matching pins instead of, or alongside, boutonnieres. Place them on the left lapel where the boutonniere would go. If both are worn, the boutonniere takes the buttonhole and the pin goes just below it. See wedding pins.

Uniforms

Many organizations have their own uniform rules for where pins go, often above or below the name plate, or on the collar for rank pins. Follow your organization's uniform guide; it overrides general etiquette.

Keeping the pin straight and secure

A single-post pin can rotate. If yours spins, use a locking back or choose a pin with two posts. For heavy pins on thin lapels, place the pin where the fabric is doubled (closer to the buttonhole) so it does not pull the lapel out of shape.

Choosing a lapel pin that fits

For suits, 0.75 inch is the classic size and 1 inch the maximum before a pin looks like a badge. See the pin size guide. If you are making pins for a team or company, see custom lapel pins.

Placement on different jackets

• Notch lapel (most suits and blazers): through the buttonhole, or just above it on the widest part of the lapel.
• Peak lapel: the same position; the larger lapel can carry a slightly bigger pin.
• Shawl lapel (tuxedos and dinner jackets): about a third of the way down the lapel, kept small and simple.
• Double-breasted jackets: the left lapel buttonhole, as usual.
• Collarless jackets and cardigans: on the left side of the chest, where a lapel would be.

Common placement mistakes

Placing the pin too low (it looks like a name badge), too close to the collar (it gets covered), on the right lapel (unless uniform rules say so), or crowding several formal pins together. If a pin pulls the lapel forward, move it closer to the seam where the fabric is doubled.