Tradition suggests that you wear a poppy on the left side. This is because it is seen as a symbol of keeping those who died close to your heart. The left side is also where military medals of honour are worn, which makes it even more fitting.
We often hear people debating the 'correct' way to wear a poppy, but the truth is, unless you're currently serving, there is no 'correct' way. It's a matter of personal choice whether someone chooses to wear a poppy and how they choose to wear it. We simply ask that if you do wear a poppy, you wear it with pride.
Poignantly pinned poppy positions
However, all things considered, general consensus appears to be favouring the left breast.
Some suggest they should always be worn on the left lapel, or as near the heart as possible, while others say the flower's leaf should always be pointing in the 11 o'clock direction. In actuality, there is no correct way to wear a poppy according to the Royal British Legion.
The charity adds: “You can wear a Poppy all year round but traditionally people stop wearing a Poppy after Armistice Day on 11 November or Remembrance Sunday, whichever is later.” Remembrance Sunday always falls on the second weekend of November, which means this year's memorial takes place on Sunday 13 November.
Remembrance Day is held on 11 November each year. This is the anniversary of the Armistice that ended fighting with Germany in World War I. People in Australia, and many other countries, observe 1 minute's silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month because that's when the Armistice came into effect.
The Poppy should be worn with respect on the left breast, close to the heart.
The black poppy is a symbol that commemorates all those who have died, and are still dying, due to war and its legacy. It remembers dead soldiers, dead civilians, dead conscientious objectors. It remembers those who have fallen victim to invasion, occupation, gender-based violence, starvation and poverty.
Some people feel the red poppy has become too political, and that some politicians have used the powerful feelings it creates to justify war. Others refuse to wear poppies because they feel there is too much pressure put on people to wear them.
Some have said it should be the left because it is close to the heart and others suggest that women wear it on the right as that is wear you would wear a brooch, but neither of these things are necessary.
The Poppy Campaign begins on the last Friday in October and continues through to November 11th. The Lapel Poppy can be worn every day of the Poppy Campaign and is removed at the end of the Remembrance Day ceremony.
Some believe that men should wear their poppy on the left of their chest and women on the right, but the Royal British Legion say that the only rule is to “wear it with pride.” Some cars and buses also “wear” poppies, but it's not so common.
“It is a matter of personal choice whether an individual chooses to wear a poppy and also how they choose to wear it,' a spokeswoman said. "There is no right or wrong lapel, no right or wrong leaf position, no right or wrong time of day, no right or wrong start date.
The poppy is a symbol of remembrance and recognition of sacrifice. Many people have many different thoughts and opinions on 'poppy etiquette. ' Our rule, along with RSA National is this: wear the poppy with pride, and respect. You can pin your poppy in your hair, on your scarf, in your shirt pocket or on your blazer.
Traditionally, they say, people stop wearing a Poppy after Armistice Day or Remembrance Sunday, which takes place on the second Sunday in November. The poppy is generally removed on Remembrance Sunday and is laid at the base of the Cenotaph at the end of the Remembrance Day service as a sign of respect to veterans.
Mr McClean has suffered abuse for the last decade for his decision not to wear the poppy because of the events of Bloody Sunday in his native Co Derry in 1972, when 13 people were shot to death by members of the British army during a civil rights march. A 14th person died later.
These include white, purple and black, all of which honour other casualties of war. The famous red poppy honours war veterans who gave their lives fighting during the First World War as well as other related conflicts. This traditional poppy symbolizes remembrance and hope.
Some theories suggest each poppy stands for a different branch of the military. Others say that it's just easier to see a large clump of flowers than a singular one. And a third theory speculates that she might wear the poppy trio to honor her great-grandmother's three brothers who died during World War I.
Wearing a poppy
Increasingly, red poppies are widely used by Australians as a sign of remembrance, and are placed on war graves or next to names of soldiers engraved on memorials. Wearing a poppy (on the left breast or lapel) is more common in Australia on and around Remembrance Day, 11 November.
What is the significance for Australians? The Red Poppy has special significance for Australians. Worn on Remembrance Day (11 November) each year, the red poppies were among the first to flower in the devastated battlefields of northern France and Belgium in the First World War.
Purple poppy: To remember animal victims of war. The purple poppy is often worn to remember animals that have been victims of war. Animals like horses, dogs and pigeons were often drafted into the war effort, and those that wear the purple poppy feel their service should be seen as equal to that of human service.
What does the two-minute silence signify? The two-minute silence is observed to remember the armed forces personnel who partook in Word War I and their families. The silence is observed as a tribute to the sacrifices the armed forces made to defend freedom.
O God, our ruler and guide, in whose hands are the destinies of this and every nation, we give you thanks for the freedoms we enjoy in this land and for those who laid down their lives to defend them: We pray that we and all the people of Australia, gratefully remembering their courage and their sacrifice, may have ...
A minute of silence is dedicated to the deceased, especially for soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation. Remembrance Day is annually observed on November 11 although it is not a public holiday.