Stay warm AND look good

So far we've talked about wearing enamel pins on hats and on denim, this week we're going to talk about jazzing up clothing items that keep you warm throughout the winter time!

Last week I mentioned that hats are one of my favorite go-to's for pinning enamel pins. Wool coats for me, is definitely right up there on the list with the hats. They're always keeping me nice and cozy, but they also look mature and elegant enough for any sort of occasion. I could pair it with a dress for a fancier event, wear it with dress shirt and pants for work, or dress up a simple t-shirt and jeans outfit for everyday wear. 

A majority of the images below were taken in preparation for the launch of my constellation pin kickstarter campaign 2 years ago. I loved how the pins added a touch of elegance to my jackets and have been wearing them that way ever since.

While we'll most of the looks I'll be sharing today are on the same coat, there's actually quite a few ways to wear the pins on the coat. And although I'm only showing examples on wool coats, you can easily use the same ideas on other types of coats and jackets!

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The Lapel

The first idea for adding enamel pins to your jackets is a simple and obvious one. The lapel! We've talked about jacket lapels in our denim post but coats have different shape lapels which creates an entirely different look. Here we have the Moon and Stars pin on the left, and the Aquarius pin on the right. I am so in love with the gold on beige and how easy it is to make an outfit one of a kind.

To be honest, I'm not even an Aquarius, but I just think that it looks so perfect with the shape of the lapel, so I never took it off. All the signs have their own unique shapes which are so fun to pair with different outfits, I pretty much wear all of them :). With that being said, I still mostly wear my own sign, or my husband's sign : Pisces and Scorpio.

Pairing Ideas: The moon and stars pin pairs well with any of the constellations, it's really why I made it in the first place, so that you can wear a design on both sides of the lapel that is not necessarily the same, but is aesthetically similar enough to create a design that is asymmetrical but visually balanced. Another nice pairing would be to wear your own sign with the sign of a loved one. In our corner image we've paired Cancer with Capricorn on a leather jacket collar. The larger image can be seen in both Cancer and Capricorn's individual pages.

Pro Tip: In the leather jacket image, we've chosen the silver versions of our zodiac constellation pins so that the metal matches the zipper and embellishments of the jacket. This makes it feel like the pins are a part of the jacket itself. This faux leather jacket was from Zara. While they no longer carry the exact jacket anymore, their new design is quite similar.

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The Belt

This belt is a place that is often overlooked as a place to decorate with pins, but I find that it's a really fun look especially since belts are often plain and unnoticed. Here I've got Libra and Taurus on different ends of the belt, and similar to the note below the lapel, the belt also offers a great opportunity to wear 2 signs that might represent you and your best friend, you and your significant other, or perhaps even your moon sign and your sun sign!

Pro Tip: If you recreate this look make sure to be careful when you sit down! The pins can't really hurt your bum as long as theres a backing attached, but the metal bits can scratch leather seats if you're not careful when you're getting into the car and moving around to get comfortable. To avoid damaging leather seats, move your belt ends to the side as you sit down.

Since this is also an area that gets lots of movement and friction from standing and sitting, a butterfly clasp or locking back would minimize chances of the pins getting caught on something and falling off.

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The Cuffs

I mentioned this briefly in the denim blog post but cuffs can be a nice little spot for pins too! Although I had one on my denim jacket, I do think that wool jackets like the one I'm wearing here work better for pinning. One of the reasons why I feel this way is because this type of cuff tends to be thicker, meaning that the pins won't get in your way when you rest your wrists on the table or armrest, this is especially the case when your cuff folds up because there are two layers of fabric which means you can sandwich the pin backing between the two layers.

Pro Tip: With that being said, since the fabric is quite thick and the arms do get loads of movement, this is also a good place to use a butterfly clasp or locking back so that your pins don't go missing. Just think about everything you do with your hands! Going into bags, opening doors, brushing past others as you go through a crowd—your cuffs go through a lot, so make sure your pin is secure :).

Scarves

While I'm talking about staying warm and fashionable, we can't forget about scarves! I love pairing shiny pins on darker scarves, or creating a monochromatic look by pairing pink pins on pink scarves just like I have in my picture here with the Sweet Girls Club pin. 

Pro Tip: If it snows or rains a lot where you live, pins on jackets and scarves can easily get wet. For longer lasting shine wipe down your pins when you get home to keep them dry! Like most jewellery items, moisture is enemy! I usually use microfibre cloths or my glasses cleaning cloth to clean my pins as they're quite effective in keeping my pins in tip top shape.

Both my grey jacket and beige wool coats are from OZOC Japan, my mom bought them for me while she was traveling (Thanks mom!). I really love the quality of these coats and the way they fit me so I highly recommend checking them out if you're on the lookout for a new coat!

:) See you all again next week, stay warm!