Where Do I Wear My Pins?

During one of my recent dress programs, a participant asked me where they should wear their pin. It’s a question I’m not often asked, but it occurred to me that many of my readers might benefit from this information.

Maybe you have been in an industry association in which pins are given out for various leadership positions. Or perhaps you belong to an organization which uses a pin as a symbol of your accomplishments. The question is, where does it go?

Typically pins are worn with a business suit. It used to be that only men wore pins. The standard practice was to put the pin in the buttonhole on the left side of the lapel jacket. The purpose of putting the pin there was so that the pin would not ruin the fine material of the suit.

But what about women, who nowadays are just as likely to have a pin signifying a professional distinction? We don’t have buttonholes on the left side of our lapels. However, it is customary to still wear the pin on the left.

Now, what if you have more than one pin? At this particular event I noticed that there were some people who were sporting several pins. I saw people who had pins on both sides of the body, some on the right and some on the left. These individuals were obviously proud of their accomplishments and wore their pins with pride.

I asked a colleague, Cynthia Bronson of the Bronson Group International, about the proper protocol for wearing multiple pins. Cynthia suggested that the person choose to wear just one pin at a time, such as the most important one, or the one most relevant to the event you are attending. However, if he or she wishes to wear them all at once, all the pins should be on the left side above the left pocket (for a man’s suit) or, for women, where a left-side pocket would be. Cynthia suggested that the pins be placed in ranking order, just like the military. 

Some organizations or professions may have their own protocol for wearing a pin. Otherwise, the above guidelines will help you look nice and tidy while you show off your accomplishments. One last piece of advice? Make sure the pin is lined up straight and not hanging askew.

©2012 Professional Image Management If you would like to use this article in your newsletter or blog, you may do so. Please include our credit information: Written by Juanita Ecker, Professional Image Management. © Copyright 2012. I would also appreciate it if you would send us a copy for our files.