How to Make a Collar Pin for a Pop of Vintage Flair

Collar pins are a timeless accessory that can elevate any outfit, giving your look a sophisticated, polished edge. Whether you want to add a bit of flair to a dress shirt, a chic blouse, or even a vintage-inspired look, a cute collar pin is the perfect finishing touch. Plus, while the may add a vintage flair, collar pins fit well in modern wardrobes, offering a subtle but unique way to personalize your style.

If you’ve been searching for a way to add this elegant detail to your wardrobe without breaking the bank, why not try making your own? They’re incredibly simple to make, you can design a style to suit any mood, and best of all- they won’t break the bank. I made this video a few years back just for fun, and its still one of my favorite DIYs.

Materials You’ll Need:

Here’s the shortlist of everything you’ll need to make these.

Metal charms: Choose a style that matches your personality. We like these pineapples, and find that charms work best since they have a built in loop. But you could theoretically use anything from small glass beads to crystals or even vintage buttons.
Chain: Choose a chain that matches the charms you chose
Pliers and wire cutter: You’ll need round-nose pliers and wire cutters to bend, shape, and trim the chain.
Jump rings: To attach charms to chain. Again, for cohesion, these should match your chain and charms.
Pins: With clutch back. I chose ones to match, but you won’t really see it, so not mandatory.
Strong glue: To glue charm to pin

Step 1: Trim your chain

Using your wire cutters, trim your chain to the desired length. I like using a few chains for more volume, and cut them to slightly different lengths for a more layered look

Step 2: Glue your pins to your charms

Using e6000 (or another strong glue) attach your pins to the back of your charm. If possible, avoid gluing the pin to close to your charms’ hoops.

Step 3: Connect chain(s) to jump rings

Layer your chains on your jump ring in the desired order and add the charms. Use your pliers to close up the ring.

Probably obvious, but make sure your glue has fully dried before you try on the new lapel pin.

The result is pretty fantastic. We rather prefer the quirky route, but its easy to make this style a little classier if you want something more elegant.

Need a few tips to style it? Check out some inspiration below.