Places for flag pins or mics

LAPELS

Think of the small folded flaps on the front of a suit jacket where you might attach a decorative brooch or a tiny microphone.

This clue plays on two common uses of "lapels," the folded flaps on the front of a jacket. Flag pins are often clipped to lapels as a show of patriotism or affiliation, while small microphones (like those used by speakers or broadcasters) are frequently attached there for hands-free use. The word itself isn’t tricky—it’s a straightforward definition combining both practical functions.