These are a must have if you have the official Mad Hatter hat (<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Alice-in-Wonderland-Mad-Hatter-Hat-Disney/dp/B0032AMW56/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Hat, Disney</a>).  They make your hat look even more authentic.  They are metal pins and do have a sharp end to them like a real pin would.  They do however come with a removable cap on the end of them.  If you plan on wearing these in your hat they are a necessity so that the pins don't end up stabbing you in the head.  Pin them in your hat then place the cap on the end and viola, no headaches. These pins are pretty heavy so you might find that you need to sew them into the hat to get them to stay.