We have all attended various functions, whether it be a business, church or garden club meeting, where a nametag is expected to be worn. If the occasion does arrive, you may wish to know how to wear one appropriately!
When you are offered a nametag to wear on your clothing, place it on your right side, and take a moment to be sure it is straight. The thoughtful reason behind having it displayed on your right side, and not your left, is that when you are shaking hands, you are looking straight at the nametag. This is important to note, especially for gentlemen, since they are often apt to place it on their left side coat pocket.
Nametags, also referred to as badges, can come in a variety of styles: pin-on, magnetic, stick-on adhesive, clip-on, or hanging from a cord like a necklace. CEO.org always provides adjustable cords on their necklace-type nametags, my favorite variety.
What do you do if you are wearing a silk dress and do not want to poke a hole through the silk with a pin-on nametag? I have found that silk is resilient and I simply scratch the hole with my finger once the nametag is removed and the fibers come back together. It’s best to think in advance about what clothing to wear prior to attending an event in the anticipation of wearing a nametag.
If you are given a nametag which is dangling from a ribbon or cord like a necklace, try your best to adjust it to about the same level as where a pin-on nametag would be. Since I am petite in height, this type of nametag occasionally will come down to my waist! It’s not easy for someone to read your nametag when it is hanging that low, so I make a knot in the ribbon, in the back, to adjust it up.
Millennial Tip
Remember to take your nametag off when being photographed! It looks more professional and, besides that, you never know how the photographs will be used.
Nametags are not normally worn at a social event. When planning a cocktail party or gala event, take nametags off of your to-do list!