Are Lapel Pins In Style?

With more than 25-years’ experience in the lapel pin industry, both as an employee and as an owner, I believe I have an answer to the question “Are lapel pins in style?”.  However, my answer is not as simple as a yes or no.

Rather, I believe the answer is subjective, and it depends on what you mean by “in style”. Or another question might be, what is a lapel pin used for?  

To explain let’s explore a series of questions that might help in defining style.  By the end of the article you will be able to answer for yourself “Are lapel pins in style?”.

Does style mean that you see many people wearing a lapel pin on their clothing, frequently?

Spend a day observing people and you will see people everywhere wearing lapel pins.  The grocery store, the hardware store, the office, the church, the police officer, the mom, the millennial or just the ordinary guy on the bus that has something to say.

Does style mean that there are millions and millions of pins sold each year?

A simple search on google reveals 238 custom pin companies.  Custom Pins Now sells close to 3 million pins lapel a year.  We are not the biggest nor the smallest but if you multiple 238 by 3 million you get a whopping 714,000,000 of those little things.  My guess is the number of pins sold a year is much bigger than even that number.

Does style mean fashionable?

One company found in that search of 238 custom pin companies is The Men's Warehouse.  They are known for fashion and style.  A fashionable way to make a statement is a pin for lapel, and Men's Warehouse will teach you where to wear a lapel pin. It’s as simple as pinning it through the hole of your suit lapel. Or if that isn’t enough look at celebrities and famous people and see just how many of them sport an enamel pin of their choosing.

Does style mean people trade, collect, and display lapels pins?

Little league baseball, Destination Imagination, Odyssey of the Mind, NASA, Kentucky Derby Foundation, Houston LiveStock and Rodeo, New Mexico International Balloon Festival and the list goes on.  All of these groups, organizations, and events thrive on a pin lapel as part of their participants' experience.  Just ask a little league baseball player if he has enamel pins and watch as he pulls out his bag with hundred’s he has collected from every tournament he has ever played in.

Does style mean lapel pins are used to make a statement, promote a cause, or tell a story?

Breast cancer awareness ribbon pins…enough said.  Every cause known to man has produced unique pins to bring awareness for their cause.  And there is the millennial generation, they say it with a lapel pin.

Does style mean lapel pins following the trends?

Whenever a significant event happens in the world like hurricanes, political elections, significant sports events, memorable milestones – lapel pins follow.  Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic Custom Pins Now gets requests to produce enamel pins associated with this pandemic.

Does style mean lapel pins are part of the biggest events in the world?

Olympics and Trump – two events that generated more pins than one can imagine.

Does style mean lapel pins are so important to an event that the pin is more important than the event?

Every year the Kentucky Derby Foundation partners with schools, organizations and corporations to create pins commemorating the event.  NASA produces a commemorative patch, pin, and sticker for every space mission.  Did you know there are typically at least 4 trips a year into space?  While the pin is certainly not more important than the event, sometimes it feels like it is when people request the pins to add to their collection.

You begin to see the subjective nature of the question:  Are Lapel Pins in Style?  

For years as the owner of Custom Pins Now I wake up each day and wonder will this be the day no one buys a lapel pin.  I have yet to see that day.

So, my answer to the question is a resounding. YES.  LAPEL PINS ARE IN STYLE IN A BIG WAY!