What Is a Lapel Pin?
A lapel pin, as its name suggests, is a small pin that is typically worn on the lapel of a gentleman’s blazer or suit jacket. They feature the pin or blade itself, which is inserted into fabric, and the head of the pin, which can be simple and round. Sometimes the pin head can have a faux pearl effect or feature an emblem, insignia, or other type of image or icon. They can also feature flowers in multiple colors or any number of metallic or bejeweled designs. Lapel pins are also sometimes referred to as enamel pins, as their faces are often made with enamel or have an enamel finish.
How Else Can One Use a Lapel Pin?
It can also be worn on the breast pocket of a shirt or on a sweater. A lapel pin can be affixed to a bag used by a man, such as a messenger bag, briefcase, or crossbody bag. Some men even choose to wear it jauntily attached to a hat such as a fedora or a beret. The choice of colors of lapel pins you can incorporate into your wardrobe is immense and also plays a part in where and why you wear them. Gold or gold-accented lapel pins can be exquisite in either fabric or metallic designs. Unsurprisingly, silver is often the color and metallic finish of choice for a serene and classic accessory.
How Can a Lapel Pin Be Worn?
The angle at which a lapel pin is worn is entirely at a man’s discretion. Some men may choose to pin it straight, with the pin head at an almost perfect 90-degree angle. This is often the case when worn on a lapel or other article of clothing, and the effect is sharp and more formal. On the other hand, lapel pins are often placed at different angles when attached to any type of bag or hat. The effect is more casual, as if the lapel pin were affixed as a quirky afterthought.
Why Do Men Wear Lapel Pins?
There are many different reasons why a man may decide to wear a lapel pin. Typically, they are worn for decorative or aesthetic purposes. They can add a dash of character to a man’s outfit or simply make an ensemble appear more stylish and complete.
Weddings are probably the most common occasions when men wear lapel pins. Whether it’s the groom, the best man, or a guest at the event, a lapel pin can take a gentleman’s wedding attire to the next level. Since one is typically dressed to the nines at a wedding, it makes sense that the lapel pin you wear is flashier and more eye-catching than your classic, understated lapel pin. Some men may choose to wear a pin with a flower in fabric in just about any color or shade. Other men opt for a metallic and bejeweled lapel pin featuring a hummingbird, a leopard’s head, a dragon, or any number of other dazzling options. Lapel pins with a flower in glass beading can also be a head-turner at any wedding or special occasion.
Then there are those lapel pins that some men wear for very specific reasons, as a way of signaling to others an affiliation, belief, or other statement that the man has or wishes to make. These more specific lapel pins can include:
- An allegiance or patriotic pin, such as those depicting the flag of a country—something particularly common among American men, and especially worn by American politicians and leaders.
- A commemorative pin, used to commemorate a specific date, event, or anniversary, such as the poppy pins worn by many British men every November to honor the soldiers of World War I.
- A sporting pin, typically worn by fans of a given sports team or club, whether world-famous or a local sports organization.
- A fraternal or collegiate pin, such as one worn by a student or alumnus of a university, college, or fraternal body that he belongs to or once did.
- A political or social cause pin, commonly worn by men who have a strong affiliation with or even membership in a political party, or to denote support for a given social movement, such as environmental or social justice issues.
- A religious or sectarian pin, worn by those who adhere to a specific religious order or sect.
- A chivalry pin, worn by a man who belongs to a chivalric order. These lapel pins are typically in the form of a rosette.
- Novelty or collector pins, with the former featuring quirky designs worn simply for fun, and the latter typically thematic, appealing to men who are serious collectors. For example, lapel pins featuring Disney characters have avid collectors worldwide.
Famous Men Who Wear Lapel Pins Today
There’s no denying that lapel pins have made a huge comeback in recent years, thanks in large part to movie stars and celebrities wearing them, often at premieres or award shows. Here are just a few of the men who love their lapel pins:
- Robert Pattinson, the British star of Twilight fame, has for years been one of the biggest and most frequent fans of lapel pins.
- Timothée Chalamet, another younger film star, has shown a penchant for wearing lapel pins. He even wore a Bob Dylan pin, in tribute to the iconic musician he portrayed in the biopic A Complete Unknown, for which he was nominated for an Oscar.
- Michael B. Jordan, the star of films such as Black Panther and Sinners, is known for often wearing diamond-studded lapel pins.
- Cillian Murphy, the Oscar-winning star of the epic biopic Oppenheimer, is known for his love of jeweled pins on his lapel.
- Adrien Brody is another Oscar-winning actor (he’s actually won two) who has worn lapel pins for years on the red carpet, especially the flashier and larger styles.
- Ke Huy Quan, who first starred in the original Goonies film back in the 1980s and won an Oscar for his role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, has been known to wear pins, including full-on brooches.
- Jeffrey Wright, the veteran character actor (you’ll recognize him the moment you see him), is well known for his affinity for jeweled flower pins.
You don’t have to be a famous actor or flashy celebrity to wear lapel pins. You can choose the simplest and most classic pins or go all out with a more eye-catching piece. You can wear a lapel pin to add style to your formal attire or simply to liven up a more casual look. As with any quality accessory, it’s up to you—but there’s no denying just how unique lapel pins can be.