Cream background with black text. One word of text was crossed out and replaced with another

The message “I AM BLIND,” with the “AM” crossed out and “WAS” handwritten above, reads “I was blind.” The phrasing evokes John 9:25 (“I was blind, now I see”) and the hymn “Amazing Grace,” giving it the feel of a brief testimony of healing or conversion. It also riffs on the long-standing “I am blind” identification pins used for public awareness; here, the alteration turns a practical notice into a personal statement of change.

Illustration of a traditional smiley face design but where the eyes and mouth make up the profile views of two other smiling faces, on a bright green background.

This button was created by Perfect School Plan which is a division of Perfect Subscription Co.

This button is a variation of the classic yellow smiley face which is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Yellow background with black smiley face located near the bottom of the button.

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Traditional yellow smiley face design

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Traditional yellow smiley face design

Nasty Gal is a California based women's clothing and accessories store selling new and used clothing. It began in 2006 as an Ebay store selling vintage clothing. The company is named after the song and album by the American funk singer Betty Davis.

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Traditional yellow smiley face design

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

Traditional yellow smiley face design

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It  was designed in 1963 by by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

White background with blue text on top and red text underneath. 

The phrase “I LIKE BOYS” became a bold, recognizable slogan during the 1970s and 1980s, a period when feminist activism and LGBTQ+ visibility grew stronger in Western society. This type of button served both as a playful and political statement, depending on who wore it and in what context. Its simple design — featuring red and blue block letters on a white background — reflected the direct, unapologetic style common in activist and self-expression pins of that era. These buttons were frequently seen on college campuses, within feminist groups, at pride marches, and among punk and music subcultures, where they challenged gender norms and conveyed personal identity. Some versions were made as playful or flirtatious fashion accessories, while others carried more profound messages of solidarity and self-acceptance. This message shows how a brief, straightforward phrase can convey empowerment, humor, and resistance simultaneously.

A light pink background with a maroon circle surrounding the pin and maroon text inside it

The "I KNOW A SECRET!" button exemplifies mid-to-late 20th-century slogan pins, which were popular in the 1980s. Its wording is intentionally vague, implying the wearer has secret knowledge and encouraging curiosity—whether about an upcoming announcement, a party, or just a joke—making it a subtle way to prompt conversations.

White background with black text

The slogan, "I don't drink. I don't dance. I hate astrology. I have no phone." is related to an art piece by Josh Fraught from his exhibition Longtime Companion. The exhibition was to meant to capture a moment in the mid-1980's to early 1990's surrounding the representational politics of AIDS. Using these words, Fraught tried to reimagine feelings and words as personal outpourings, a way for the socially marginalized to find one another. 

Fraught is a San Francisco based artist that works with textiles. His work uses slogans, jokes, fabrics and various colors to bring his work to museums like San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and more.