Lapel Pins

**Spartan Tartan** · 30th October 11, 05:40 PM

I see several pictures with well dressed gentlemen wearing a variety of lapel pins, generally not more than one, perhaps two, at a time.

So I wonder, is there a convention or "rule of thumb" that the rabble uses? I know I have a couple and wear them on occasion, but almost exclusively when at a meeting/function for that particular orgaization. Do you wear one all the time, or.just at specific events? How do you decide when or where to wear them?

Just wondering...

**Taj** · 30th October 11, 06:12 PM

From my experience it is a matter of personal choice. I belong to several parts of the Masonic family of organizations, and also the Odd Fellows. I don't usually wear more than two pins at a time, but I've seen men wearing four. Most of the guys know what I belong to and what my accomplishments are. I more so look at pins as conversation starters with future friends.

**Peter Crowe** · 30th October 11, 06:14 PM

I tend to wear one at a time, if I wear one at all. I just think more than one looks cluttered and fussy. However, I am not aware of any particular convention on the matter. Usually these days I wear a pin with the St. Andrews flag crossed with the Stars and Stripes.

I used to be a member of an organisation called The Round Table of Great Britain and Ireland (similar to Rotary but only for younger men aged 18-40), and while a member wore my membership pin often. I still have those pins but they lie in a drawer with cufflinks and other assorted pins. I never wear them as I am no longer a current member of Round Table, and would feel a bit phoney if I did so.

**LANCER1562** · 30th October 11, 06:21 PM

The only time I wear a lapel pin is on Sundays to church and then I wear two pins: the Saltair crossed with The Stars and Bars and an Episcopal Service Cross that a friend in my congregation gave me.

**Spartan Tartan** · 31st October 11, 02:37 AM

Thanks. Like I said before, i tend to wear them infrequently but only one at a time. Perhaps I will wear them more often as Taj does...as conversation starters.

**Jock Scot** · 31st October 11, 02:53 AM

Wearing lapel pins is not a usual custom in the UK. Some do, but it is, I am glad to say, not the norm. Often our tie tells the world what a pin might do in other places. The only exception is the wearing of a poppy at the appropriate time of year , which is now.

**Spartan Tartan** · 31st October 11, 02:58 AM

Thanks Jock. So the wearing of a regimental tie or some other tie which bears affiliation/membership to a group is more the UK way, huh? I like that too. I will have to keep that in mind when meeting people from across the pond. That too could be a decent conversation starter.

**Phil** · 31st October 11, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Wearing lapel pins is not a usual custom in the UK. Some do, but it is, I am glad to say, not the norm.

Strange but I seem to regularly see lapel badges being worn, most notably by our First Minister, Alec Salmond and his colleagues but also by many others such as Rotarians. I have seen military badge style ones worn, obviously by ex-servicemen, not to mention the "Help for Heroes" bear badges supporting our troops. I doubt Jock must live in a very isolated and insular place to hold such views.

**Jock Scot** · 31st October 11, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by Phil

Strange but I seem to regularly see lapel badges being worn, most notably by our First Minister, Alec Salmond and his colleagues but also by many others such as Rotarians. I have seen military badge style ones worn, obviously by ex-servicemen, not to mention the "Help for Heroes" bear badges supporting our troops. I doubt Jock must live in a very isolated and insular place to hold such views.

I wear a Help for Heroes tie. Cheers

**davidg** · 31st October 11, 03:28 AM

Originally Posted by Phil

Jock must live in a very isolated and insular place to hold such views.

No I don't think he does. My own experience is that there are some who like lapel pins and tend to go overboard with them and there are others who shun them completely. I'm with Jock in not wearing pins at all except on the very rarest of occasions. In fact the only time I will wear pins at all is on Remembrance Sunday when I lead the Civic Remembrance service - then I will wear a Veterans Pin, a Poppy and a Royal British Legion Scotland Pin. They will be on my Tippet (black preaching scarf) left breast during the service along with bullion embroidered Royal Air Force and Royal British Legion Scotland patches on each side of the Tippet at the bottom. Any other time of the year those pins stay in my drawer