Lapel pins and buttons

[Widebrim]

Okay, it's not a lapel pin, but it is on my lapel right now...

 

[Espee]

I Gave to the Community Chest in 1929, according to one of my buttons (like the Gene Autry above.) And I just obtained a modern pin with the old arrowhead emblem of the "Salt Lake Route" (San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake R.R.)

 

[Spitfire]

Was lucky to find this WWII made Spitfire Brass Pin once. That's my favorite.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Have you seen the "Spitfire Fund" pins? People would chip in to buy a plane for the war effort - same went for tanks etc. They sell for an amazing amount of money at antique fairs.

bk

 

[Spitfire]

I've seen several - all called The Spitfire Fund Pin - and they were all different!!!! Some of them even looked a lot like mine.
Don't know which one is the real deal though.
Do you have one? Or a picture of one?

 

[GBREAL]

I noticed brooches are a little more stylish/decorative, should they be reserved for special occasions (like the boutonniere)?

 

[Dinerman]

Screw-back. Public School Athletic League?

 

[Gene]

 

[Widebrim]

I wear my father's WWII discharge pin sometimes when at a vintage event. I like that Willkie pin!

 

[Espee]

I wear my father's WWII discharge pin sometimes when at a vintage event. I like that Willkie pin!

I have a Willkie pin like that, which one of many repros political pins given out by Home Savings a long time ago.
Hmmm... I skipped some posts, so maybe that was already explained.

 

[Dinerman]

Earned this one the other day.

 

[Dronak]

Lapel pins are probably my favorite item to get/buy as souvenirs, because they're generally small and inexpensive and can be worn on clothes, bags, etc. if desired. So I have a variety of lapel pins, but don't wear most of them. Ones that have more meaning to me -- school logos, work logo, professional societies, honor societies, etc. -- are the ones I'll wear with suits, choosing appropriately for the occasion. The ones that are basically souvenirs are stored away somewhere, since they're not the kind of thing I'd generally want to wear. There are a few of those that I do use on occasion when I want something a little more general.

One thing I was wondering about recently is wearing lapel pins with overcoats and trench coats. There are small slits in the lapels on the ones I have that look just like the one on a suit's lapel, as if it's a spot for a pin (or similar suit accompaniment piece). I've never worn pins in my coat lapels, but I was wondering how well that look works. I don't think it's common, but do people put pins in their coats? Any particular type? Does it depend on occasion or do you keep one particular pin on the coat? I'm just curious to know what others who might be more in tune with fashion issues think about this. Thanks!

 

[Metatron]

The funny thing is that the way the artist has interpreted the insignia makes them look Soviet/North Korean! :eusa_doh:
Just goes to show how careful you need to be with semiotics in graphic design.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

I very rarely wear them, but enjoy subtle ones every now and then. Some of these are really great.

 

[Rathdown]

Lapel pins are probably my favorite item to get/buy as souvenirs, because they're generally small and inexpensive and can be worn on clothes, bags, etc. if desired. So I have a variety of lapel pins, but don't wear most of them. Ones that have more meaning to me -- school logos, work logo, professional societies, honor societies, etc. -- are the ones I'll wear with suits, choosing appropriately for the occasion. The ones that are basically souvenirs are stored away somewhere, since they're not the kind of thing I'd generally want to wear. There are a few of those that I do use on occasion when I want something a little more general.

One thing I was wondering about recently is wearing lapel pins with overcoats and trench coats. There are small slits in the lapels on the ones I have that look just like the one on a suit's lapel, as if it's a spot for a pin (or similar suit accompaniment piece). I've never worn pins in my coat lapels, but I was wondering how well that look works. I don't think it's common, but do people put pins in their coats? Any particular type? Does it depend on occasion or do you keep one particular pin on the coat? I'm just curious to know what others who might be more in tune with fashion issues think about this. Thanks!

Generally speaking lapel pins are not worn on the lapels of overcoats. Likewise, good taste seems to dictate that only one lapel pin should be worn, and that it should be worn at, or just below, the button hole of the left lapel of your jacket.

 

[Widebrim]

Earned this one the other day.

A late congratulations, Dinerman...

 

[Dronak]

Generally speaking lapel pins are not worn on the lapels of overcoats.

I didn't think so, but just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean it's not done, so I thought it was worth asking. Thanks for the confirmation. If that's the case though, what's the point of putting that button hole on an overcoat or trench coat if it's not intended to be used? Is it just for the appearance? Did it used to be used, but the practice fell out of favor, and the button hole remained for some reason? I'm just curious. Thanks.

 

[Rathdown]

I didn't think so, but just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean it's not done, so I thought it was worth asking. Thanks for the confirmation. If that's the case though, what's the point of putting that button hole on an overcoat or trench coat if it's not intended to be used? Is it just for the appearance? Did it used to be used, but the practice fell out of favor, and the button hole remained for some reason? I'm just curious. Thanks.

On the reverse of the right hand lapel there used to be a button... on bespoke overcoats this is still often the case.

 

[Dronak]

On the reverse of the right hand lapel there used to be a button... on bespoke overcoats this is still often the case.

Ah, that makes sense. My trench coat does have a button on the right lapel area that can be used by folding the left lapel section over the normally open center part of the coat, closing up the gap for extra warmth, rain protection, etc. Since I rarely need to wear it like that, I had forgotten about it. So the button hole is functional on my trench coat. My overcoat doesn't have a similarly placed button though. I suppose I could add that button and open the button hole to be able to use it. Would it be worth it though? I usually just wear a scarf if I expect it to be cold, so maybe I don't really need to worry about being able to close up the front of the overcoat.

 

[Espee]

I had a Willkie button like that-- it was a repro given out at Home Savings of America, among other historic Presidential Campaign buttons. Late 1970s, I think.