There seems to be a resurgence in the Lapel Pin and Tie Bar recently. Which, don’t get me wrong is great to see. However, there are a few rules to follow when sporting one of these fetching accessories. So this week I decided to write up this quick guide on the best way to wear a Lapel Pin and Tie Bar… Enjoy.
Lapel Pin
So you have your brand new Lapel Pin and let me firstly congratulate you on your quest from conformity and normality into the land of character and individuality. There are however a few ‘school boy’ errors to watch out for, and although I cant help prevent you from having your head flushed on the first day, I can ensure you look good whilst it happens.
Firstly the lapel pin should always be positioned on your right lapel. Forget symmetry, having your lapel pin next to your pocket square helps add to the impact of your look. Wearing your lapel pin on your left lapel will spread out the details and dulled the effect.
When you attach your lapel pin you can pierce the stem through the buttonhole often found on your lapel or if your suit hasn’t got one of these pierce straight through the material. Don’t be worried about marking your suit as once removed the hole shall close leaving no visible signs. I wear a lapel pin on a daily basis and none of my suits have any sign of one being worn.
The lapel pin should be attached at an angle following the angle of your lapel. This is not so important if you plan on hiding the stem underneath the lapel but should be considered if making more of a statement and showing the end of your pin pierced back through to the front.
Tie Bar
Tie bars are a major source of frustration for me, in regards to choosing where they’re placed upon the tie. Often worn too high or low, the positioning of a tie bar is of utmost importance. The ideal position to place your tie bar is between the third and fourth button. On a personal note if you could inform anyone else making this mistake I will be eternally grateful.
- Too Low
- Perfect length
- Too High
The tie bar should never be wider in width that the tie itself. This is often seen on skinny ties and should be avoided at all costs. The length of the tie bar should be either the same width as the tie or shorter, both options are fine. Personally I prefer to wear a long tie bar with my wide ties and keep my short tie bars for my skinny ties. It appeals to my OCD.
The tie bar is not just there to look good. It should also act as a practical solution in keeping your tie in place. This is done by feeding the clasp through the gap between your shirt buttons and attaching to the shirt itself. If you are wearing a tie bar and yet your tie is swinging all over the place like a drunk returning home from the pub you will look equally as silly.
The colour of your tie bar should match any other metal on your outfit. If you are wearing a gold watch opt for a gold tie bar. Equally if you are wearing a belt with a silver buckle try to match it with a silver tie bar. It may sound excessive, but it is these little details which can really make the difference.
So that’s all there is to it. So simple but makes such a difference for those in the know. Remember internet friends, the devil is in the detail!