The Bumble Bee Lapel Pin

Did you know that Mary Kay Ash, creator of Mary Kay Cosmetics, always wore a bumble bee lapel pin? Her signature lapel pin was a symbol for her achievements and the accomplishments of all of the women who made up her sales force.

Mary Kay used to tell the story of how scientists had proven that based on their anatomical construction, there are many reasons why bumbles should not be able to fly. Their bodies, for example, are too large in proportion to their wings. Yet, fly they do!

Mary Kay wanted to create a company that could offer women unlimited opportunities for personal and financial success. Many naysayers thought her ideas were too idealistic and that they would never work.

In 1963, at the age of 45, and with only $5,000 in savings, she opened her dream cosmetics business with her son Richard Rogers.  She had used furniture, homemade drapes and a single metal shelf from Sears to furnish her small Dallas storefront.

Her initial team of salespeople, or beauty consultants, as she called them, made nearly $200,000 in profits in their first year of operation. Today there are more than 1.7 million Mary Kay salespeople around the world, generating billions of dollars in sales.

Cue the bumblebee lapel pin. Mary Kay said, The bumble bee is “just like our women, who didn’t know they could fly to the top, but they did.” In 1970, at an annual seminar, Mary Kay started awarding the diamond bumblebee pin  to her top-performing sales consultants, telling the can-do story of the humble bumble bee. Her lapel pin message: If the bumble bee can fly, you can too!

“Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway.” - Mary Kay Ash

How to Wear a Lapel Pin

Lapel pins add a nice touch to a jacket while making a statement about the groups or ideas that you believe in and support. What’s the best way to wear a lapel pin? And, where exactly should place a lapel pin on your suit?

As with most fashion accessories, there are no steadfast rules, but here are some general guidelines:

If there is a button hole sewn into the left lapel of your suit or jacket, that’s where the lapel pin should go. If there isn’t one, then you should place your lapel pin about one inch down from your tie knot and about four inches over on the lapel. Most people wear their lapel pins on the left (over the heart) to show that a certain group, cause, or country is near and dear to their hearts. For more information on the proper placement of a lapel pin, read this article from ehow.com.

Of course, lapel pins need not be worn only on the lapel. Men may opt to wear a lapel pin on a tie in lieu of a tie tack. Women can wear lapel pins on blouses and scarves. Many pin collectors prefer to wear the pins on lanyards.  Lapel pins may also be worn on hats or baseball caps. They can even be pinned onto a favorite tote bag or knapsack.

Make sure that your lapel pin is properly positioned and securely fastened to your clothing so it will not spin or fall off as you move throughout the day. This is especially important if you are wearing a patriotic flag pin. If the flag pin is upside down or crooked, it could offend some people.

Remember to remove your lapel pin from your suit or clothing each day. If a lapel pin is left in certain fabrics for an extended period of time it could leave an unsightly permanent pin hole.
Most importantly, enjoy wearing your lapel pin. A lapel pin is an ideal way to break the ice, create instant rapport, and express your interests and your personality.

Do you have any other ideas or favorite ways to wear a lapel pin? Please share them with us here!

McFred and his McPins

Prick Fred Huebner with a pin, and you’d surely find McDonald’s flowing in his blood. Huebner, a McDonald’s franchise owner based in Garner North Carolina has worked for the fast-food giant since he was a student in high school. He financed his way through college working as a part-time swing manager for the chain, later accepting a full-time position with the company. When he became an operator in 1986, Fred had already been working with McDonald’s for fourteen years.

Although Huebner owned a small collection of McDonald’s award pins from his early days with the franchise, it wasn’t until his coin and stamp collections were stolen during a home break-in that he decided to shift his collector’s passion to McDonald-themed pins. Huebner says: “I figured I should work on a collection that people wouldn’t want to steal, and if they did, I’d know exactly where to find it”. He adds: “I also liked the idea that the pins were small, so I would be able to collect a bunch of them.” “A bunch” is a bit of an understatement:

Today, the McBurglar would have a difficult time sneaking off with Fred’s collection of almost 30,000 pins neatly displayed in cases that line the walls of his corporate office. His collection also includes over a half million duplicate pins that he uses for trading or for sale. The collection spreads to every room in the building, except his wife’s office. After living with Fred’s growing collection in her home for years (it took up three entire rooms), she wants all of her space to be lapel-pin free!

There is little doubt that Huebner owns the world’s largest collection of McDonald’s-themed pins: about 10 years ago, there were 3 other collectors in the United States who were contenders, but Fred, unlike his colleagues, has taken full advantage of the internet to further expand with his own website. Still, Fred insists that there are a few pins missing from his collection: “I’m still trying to get a regional award pin from Albany, New York. It is shaped like a Buccaneer ship with five canon holes. McDonald’s employees or owner/operators used to receive the pin as their first award, and then, each time they earned an additional award, the canon hole would be filled with a precious stone. I have a Buccaneer ship with 5 rubies in the canon holes, but I’m missing one with 5 diamonds. Most people don’t like to get rid of awards pins.”

Fred’s stories about his lapel pins are fascinating, even if you’re not a part of the McDonald’s family. He considers the crown jewel of his collection to be a 100,000 Club 10-carat gold pin with a slashed arch logo that Ray Kroc (McDonald’s founder) used to give as an award to restaurants in the 1950’s for selling 100,000 hamburgers in a month. “I would have easily paid almost $500 for that pin”, explains Fred, “but I was lucky to find my first one for just $75.”

In addition to collecting pins, Fred has also been inspired to design lapel pins over the years. He has created a “Fries Pin Collection” for his team of employees that is very meaningful to him, and he is the wit behind many of the most comical pins in recent McDonald’s history. For example, during the infamous O.J. Simpson trial, one of O.J.’s alibis was that at the time of the murders, he was in the drive-thru at McDonald’s. In response, Huebner created a pin that reads: “I saw O.J. at McDonald’s!”.

The Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal inspired Huebner to create a lapel pin that says: “I never touched her fries!” And, a few years ago, when Burger King introduced its so-called Stealth Fries in attempt to seize the “Best Fries” title from McDonald’s, Fred cheered on his company with a flurry of lapel pins that imagined what celebrities would say about McDonald’s fries. From “I’ll be back—for fries” (Arnold Schwarzenegger) to “The fries have left the building” (Elvis), the entire series is inspired.

Huebner will readily trade any pin  for which he has multiples. As for the future of his collection, he imagines that one day it will end up in the McDonald’s museum archives near Chicago. Until then, Fred plans to keep on collecting. As for me, I’m planning a visit to Exit 312 off of I-40 where I plan to eat some delicious McDonald’s French fries and marvel at McFred’s McPins in person!

Pining for Pins in the Movies

This weekend, the movie Eat, Pray, Love  opens.  If the success of the book has anything to do with it (over 155 weeks on The New York Times Bestseller List), I’m sure the theaters will be packed! 

Last summer’s blockbuster book-turned-movie was Julie and Julia  featuring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams as Julia Child and blogger Julie Powell, respectively.

The film was indeed a feast for the eyes, with scenic shots of Paris and a bounty of butter-laden delights: gooey chocolate cakes, fish swing in buttery sauces, and towering soufflés, to name a few.

Another thing that caught my eye: the vintage pins and brooches that both Julie and Julia wear throughout the film—everything from whimsical pins like a Scottie Dog to a gorgeous initial pin that appeared to be rhinestones. You can see some of the visually stunning images from the film (and even make them wallpaper on your computer) here:

The New York Times reported that as a direct result of the movie, almost 48 years after it was first published, Mastering the Art of French Cooking  by Julia Child hit the top of the best-seller list.  It sold more copies than were sold in any full year since the book’s appearance. The books on which the movie is based was also in high demand: Julie and Julia  is in its 13th printing this year, and My Life in France, the book that chronicles Julia Child’s years there, is in its 9th printing.

But mark my words: books weren’t the only thing that were selling as a result of the film. The movie has lots of people pining for pins. Vintage-inspired brooches and initial pins were hot sellers as a result of the movie’s charming aesthetic.

I wonder what fashion trends Eat, Pray, Love will inspire….  We’ll be finding out soon!

Real Men Wear Lapel Pins

Real men may not eat quiche, but they do wear lapel pins! Many thanks to Lizzie Garrett, DesignWatcher.com blogger, for creating this wonderful photo collection of male celebrities sporting lapel pins.

If you’re a man who wears a lapel pin, you might be glad to know that you’re in the company of Jay Z, Will Smith, Prince Charles, Stephen Colbert (left), and Peter O’ Toole.  Even French President Nicolas Sarkozy wears a lapel pin that denotes his membership in France’s most prestigious society: the Légion d’Honneur. The French government awards membership to  those who have somehow contributed to the glory of France.

High Fashion Lapel Pins

 Anyone who knows me knows that love two things-Louis Vuitton and lapel pins. My LV purse, my LV briefcase and my LV wallet are some of my most prized possessions. And, if you’re a reader of this blog, you know that I am also the Queen of Lapel Pins.

 Imagine my delight when I discovered lapel pins on the Louis Vuitton runway. To see more, check out this blog that featured the lapel-pin-look from the 2009 Louis Vuitton Men’s Spring/Summer collection. Now that’s what I call great fashion!

Welcome To Our Blog

A Frog, A Prince, and The Queen of Lapel Pins

Hi there and welcome to my blog. I’m R. Renée Jones aka The Lapel Pin Queen. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking that being the queen of lapel pins is rather insignificant. That wearing such a title is akin to being the Worm Gruntin’ Queen or the Queen of the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

But as any good queen will tell you, we women who are bestowed with royal titles take our duties very seriously! Although lapel pins are small (usually no more than an inch in height), they are far from insignificant.

Lapel pins have a rich history (for example, did you know that they have been an important part of every American war?). Furthermore, lapel pins are an unobtrusive and tasteful way to make a statement about your beliefs, affiliations, and values. Ask people about the pins they wear on their lapels, and you’ll most likely get engaging stories and deeper insight into them. Lapel pins are powerful and impactful; they are excellent conversation starters, instant builders of camaraderie, and strong visual messages.

That’s why I have taken it upon myself to exalt these hard-working little metal icons. This blog will be devoted to their world and to the worlds of the people who wear, collect and trade lapel pins. I will endeavor to share the stories behind the pins while sharing the history, etiquette, manufacturing techniques and newest innovations behind these hard-working messengers that grace the suits and shirts and hats and lanyards of people all over the world.

I encourage you to send me a photo of your favorite lapel pin and the story behind it so I can feature it here on this blog. And in that spirit, I thought I’d share the meaning behind one of the lapel pins that means the most to me. It belongs to princely husband, Robert.

I met my husband through my involvement with the Disabled Americans Veterans Auxiliary (DAVA), an organization that is near and dear to my heart. Robert and I had our second date at a DAV and DAV Auxiliary convention in Puerto Rico.

While on that date, we learned about the legend of the coqui frog. The coqui is a small tree frog indigenous to the Puerto Rican rain forest. It is a tiny little thing, but it makes a loud two-toned sound from dusk to dawn that sounds like this: ko-kee. The sound is beloved by the people of Puerto Rico because, according to local legend, ko-kee or “co-qui” means “I love you.”

After our special second date, Robert decided to wear a coqui frog every day on his lapel as a symbol of his love for me.  He still wears it to this day.  Ask my husband why he is wearing a frog on his shirt, jacket or lab coat and he’ll tell you a story about a frog, a prince, and The Queen of Lapel Pins.