How to Pin a Corsage

A wrist corsage or nosegay (that's really what it's called) that you carry have some real advantages. During a formal dance you can set them down. You don't have to have straps to pin them too. And, you can still put your coat on. Guys haven't caught onto that yet and still have a formal boutonniere pinned to their tux and your Grandma should still have an orchid to wear to church on Mother's Day. We can't get around it ... sometimes you need to pin a corsage.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a corsage
• a date
• or a Grandma
• a corsage pin

1. First, make sure you have real corsage pins. When you purchase a corsage at a flower shop, they should have one included with the flower. The longer pin is well worth the purchase in case you are making you own corsage (see my article on How to make a corsage.). The fancy pearl button at the end of the corsage pin is a nice touch.

2. 
    

   Take the corsage out of the box and place it on the (traditionally) left side. If it is a boutonniere, lay it against his lapel. There may even be a boutonniere hole (like a button hole) to guide you. For a dance the girls head, generally rest against the right side of the man's shoulder and the flower should not be in the way.

3. After eying the corsage or boutonniere to were you want it placed, pick up the lapel with your left hand (if you are right handed) and run the pin through the jacket or dress material from the back. Now. thread the pin through the flower as near the top of the thickest stem that you can. You may even poke over the stem to hold it securely to the lapel or dress.

4. Last, weave the pin back under the clothing being pinned and then up again to secure the flower and keep the point from poking the owner. Embed the pin point in the cloth or if that is not possible, leave it up away from skin.

5. A second way of pinning a corsage is to take the pin on the top side of the lapel or dress and "pick up" a bit of the material close to where you want the corsage to lay. Now, cross of a thin stem or go through a thick stem to the opposite side and "pick up" more material with the pin. Again, imbed the point of the pin in the jacket or leave it up and away from anyone's skin.

Tips & Warnings

• If the flower droops at this point, try it again making the pins entry a little higher. If you need to, use two pins. That would be better than losing the flower or boutonniere

[scottmitzi]

on 3/19/2009 I don't know if it's nerves or what. My girls could never get it to stay on his jacket and I have prom pictures of me pinning one on several differnt boys. Someone else did the pinning at our daughter's wedding.

[00Analana]

on 3/17/2009 Thanks for this detailed article on how to pin a corsage.