How to Pin a Corsage or Boutonniere

Avoid potentially embarrassing and dangerous pinning encounters by using a steady hand and forethought.

Step 1: Hold the flower arrangement by its stem. Have the flower facing away from your date and toward you.

Step 2: Place the corsage or boutonniere at a slight angle on your date's lapel, approximately 4 inches in from the tip of the left shoulder.

Step 3: Make sure that the flower is evenly placed on the lapel before attempting to pin it.

Step 4: Take a strong and sturdy stickpin in the hand that is not holding the flower.

Step 5: Stick the pin into the fabric at the bottom left corner of the stem.

Step 6: Weave the pin back out from under the fabric. Push it through about 1 inch, laying it at an angle over the top of the stem.

Step 7: Stick the tip of the pin back into the fabric on the other side of the stem. Insure that the stem is tightly in place with the length of the pin pushing it down.

Step 8: Weave the pin back out of the fabric once more. Be sure that the very tip of the pin does not stick out, nor does it poke under the fabric and touch the skin.