Kilt pins from military awards.

[kiltimabar]

As far as I know, he miniature pins are to be worn on a dress jacket and fall under 'military uniforms,' i.e.- not for civilian use. However, if I were to, I dunno, make up a kilt with the pleats matching the colors of a military ribbon that meant a lot to me, that would be fine.

So you could use a reproduction of it, somehow altered hopefully, but not the pin itself. It's just so they're different they don't get mistaken for 'real' military stuff being treated with disrespect.

I'd be a little leery of using the wings exact duplicate without something to show they're totally unofficial, like putting them on a shield or along a plain bar or something. putting the wings along the blade of a sword kiltpin would do the trick, or using them as the 'handguard' between the hilt and the blade would look pretty cool, too.

Whether miniature or full size, within some other design or alone, and provided it's worn with pride and dignity, if you earned it--wear it. If you didn't earn it--don't. Exception: if wearing it in memorium, say for an ancestor, wear it in a manner that makes it that status clear.

A couple of Oscars ago Russell Crowe wore his father's decoration (I believe it was an MBE) on the right side and announced his purpose publicly.

Bad example: In the movie "Wedding Crashers" one character suggests a Purple Heart (awarded for combat wounds) might be shown to female wedding guests to elicit sympathy.

[James]

Skill-arm of servicde badges, maybe, albeit a bit pretentious.

Campaign medals and or actual decorations: never, they are in respect of operations where people were killed and wounded and must never be traduced by being worn as mere ornaments.

James

[Schultz]

Bad example: In the movie "Wedding Crashers" one character suggests a Purple Heart (awarded for combat wounds) might be shown to female wedding guests to elicit sympathy.

Not to be picky, but he actually suggested using the Purple Hearts so they wouldn't have to pay for drinks at the cash bar, but your point is taken. And I think that was put in to show just how low those two would go in the crashing.