Saturday, September 18, 2010

Who can wear braces?

Anyone! Young, old, tall, short, male or female, fat or slim, everyone should wear braces. Recall the previous discussion about placing the pants at the waist rather than on the hips. This allows the pants to smoothly pass over the stomach bulge (however small) that occurs (refer to previous blog).

Additionally, people that don’t have hips are almost required to wear braces. They cannot wear belts, as their pants will constantly slip down and eventually end up at their ankles. As a result, they have turned to braces.






For ladies, wearing braces can be cumbersome due to their … assets. This is where button placement is key (refer to previous blog). The shoulder straps should come over the shoulders and curve softly around the outer sides of the breasts, not on top. Larger chested ladies should have wider straps and smaller chested ladies should have thinner straps.
The buttons are too close to
the middle seam
The buttons are to far apart
from the middle seam

Tyra Banks weighs in on the topic on Access Hollywood Live. She debated where to put the straps and finally decided to rest them on top. I disagree that they should be on top. If you notice, the left strap shifts to the side by the end of the video clip showing that they should be positioned to the side. Tyra has worn suspenders before:



As well as on her own show in December 2010.

Ladies wishing to wear braces should position the buttons as close to the main pleat as possible, so that the pants or skirt are adequately supported. Too far to the side seam and the pants will droop in the middle. Too close to the middle seam and it will be uncomfortable (refer to previous photo). The braces illustrated by Vixen Vintage below are worn correctly and look stunning.


Women have been adopting menswear for a number of years, and I think it can be very fashionable. In 2010, Lena Hoschek has a fabulous Fall/Winter 2010 line hits it right on the button – this is how braces are meant to be worn by women.


Remember that pants to be worn with braces should always be worn a little larger at the waist so that they are actually "suspended" from the shoulders. But avoid going too far, as shown here:

This man needs to wear braces to support his pants. He does look fashionable for his time.

As Alan Flusser points out, “Perhaps the only person who might encounter some difficulty wearing suspenders is someone with sharply sloped shoulders. In such a case, the back fork of the suspenders can be raised to compensate. This may be accomplished simply by using the excess material from the hem of the trousers to make tabs that can be sewn to the back, thereby effectively raising the fork higher on the back, which in turn will keep the suspenders from sliding.”
The brace junction is higher to compensate
for this ladies sloped shoulders

Braces are also used for these shorts/skirt to hold them up:


Discussion time:
  • What about you?
  • Are you wearing braces?

Note: all photos are used solely for non-commercial use and to illustrate braces in fashion. No plagiarism is intended.

20 comments:

  1. wear a pair of lighgt or dark denim shorts BUT NOT COLOURED ive made that misteke this should look good with a plain white tee

    ReplyDelete
  2. Where do I find for purchase the ones in the last photo: Camel cuffed comical shorts up over the chest with chocolate brown braces and brown and white boxy plaid long sleeved shirt?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am currently wearing a pair of high waisted denim shorts with black button on braces,black and white stiped knee high socks,and black Converse.A casual look which I wear often during warmer months.The striped socks go perfectly with the Converse.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @Anonymous: thanks for sharing your outfit. That sounds fantastic for warmer weather.

      Delete
  4. I am wearing braces.Today I am wearing them with a simple pair of denim shorts that are a fraction too big around the waist which makes it essential for me to wear braces with them.My braces are black button on x back style.I am wearing them with a plain white t shirt,long socks and brown leather sandals.An old school look which may be seen as somewhat unfashionable by many.However to me it is a sensible and practical option for the hot summer weather and suitable for most occasions.It is also extremely comfortable which to me is far more important than fashion.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Before I knew my husband I did'nt wear braces or straps with my trousers or skirts,but when I first knew my husband and having been in Germany 3 years and bringing back a lederhosen with the matching straps and the leather piece acros the brests I said looking at him well he's looks good in his short leather shorts with the leather straps on so on...!and we met and finaly we got married ,and I liked my husband to put on "his lederhosen" in a black shinny leather,and the following year he had the idea that we go and spend 2 weeks holiday in Germany where he had been And I answerd Okay!,and it was along the Lake of Constance and to my surprise I saw a lot of boys,men and women wearing this outfit ,and I liked them straight away,I don't know it was well holding,sportif,and sexy too,and as ther were shops all around selling them ,and usualy hung up outside I picked a lovely "red shinny one " ,with the flap in front with 6 big horn buttons in front and 2 in the back along with the matching nice and thick leather suspenders and the piece that come's across your breasts and I tried it on and I really liked it straight away !So confortable,practical and it not only fitted men and children but for women it looked very "sexy" + i bought the special thick heavy shoes laces on the side ,long white socks too aswell as a green hat with a feather ,,and since then i always like to dress up like that ,the years have passe and today having a boy and a girl ( twins) 12 years on thet too are dresseed in the same manner ,so each year when we go over there fot our holidays all 4 of us dress up yhat way ( a matter of fact this outfit is worn not only in germany bur also in austria,switzerland,and south tyrol in northen italy too)It has such a wonderfull succes !all the holiday makers from all around the worls just love wearing them too! And of course back home when we go out walking,Hicking,or even shopping we love to put them on too !It's such a lovely feeling you should try it! letting alon the prices 45 euros each ,'( children like adults )!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm a girl that loves her braces and ties. Everyday I choose my outfit based on what braces I want to wear. At work I enjoy getting dressed up and wearing my braces to the office. There are some co workers that think I'm a little bit strange but I don't care. I love my style. I think they wished they would look as good as me in a pair of braces.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lisa I to am a girl who loves to wear braces and ties to work. I have found the people I work with show me more respect because of my choice of outfits.

      Delete
  7. I'm just like Lisa I like to stand out from the crowd. I like to wear bold colours which has some people questioning my style but I say to he'll with them boring people. I'm lucky that I have a couple of girlfriends that have a similar style to me. Especially one friend has the most incredible collection of braces mainly Albert thrusters. When we go out we all wear our braces together

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's great Rachael. Always good to have a friend that wears braces as well.

      Delete
  8. It's good to see women are enjoying wearing braces as much as I do. I think braces on a woman can be very sexy. I wear braces everyday and have since I was a little kid

    ReplyDelete
  9. My wife has just started wearing braces and I think it's fantastic. She randomly came home one day with several pairs. She wears them with everything and it looks great

    ReplyDelete
  10. I remember my wife when she first new me ,She liked me straight away when I put on my Lederhosen with suspenders that I bought in Germany !I had just came back from Germany having done my 18 month military service,along the lake of Constance!and as soon as I saw this lederhosen with it's suspenders in shinny black leather I really did like it straight away !When I went out I allways put it on !,and as soon as I was walking in the streets or even doing my shopping I put it on,,and really I did have quite a succes too !and that's how my futur wife knew me !She even liked to hold me by my suspenders in the back !Then as we knew each other better and eventualy got married in the year I proposed her that we go for a 10 days holiday where I had done my service and as we were not far away from Bavaria we were often there too !And of course She loved it too!A matter of fact as there were so many shops selling Lederhosen for all the family,men women and children She stopped and bought herself one It was very pretty and sexy one too It was in a shinny red leather with the suspenders and the cross bar too across the breasts !She really looked graight!And from that day on we were often wearing both of us our Lederhosen's The next year we returned this time with her sister and her husband and they too really liked them and eventualy thet bought themselves each a one too So there we were all 4 of us in our Lederhosen's with It's suspenders We really digged them !The 2 years latter we had our first child and then a second and soon after we had taken the habit of going back this time for 2 weeks Her sister had 2 children too so there you are we were all 8 of us wearing our lederhosen's with suspenders of course !A matter of fact we continued wearing yhem for several decades too ! Letting alone the people who asked us to bring them bach too a lederhosen !

    ReplyDelete
  11. At the end of the year we allways go to my husbands parents in ALsace they comme over when It's summer in schwarzwald!Now having said that when the weather is good,I put on my boys ,aged 12 and 16 short lederhosen with the leather suspenders even for school ,but so does my husband and even me ,because I just simply love to wear them myself ,They are so practical,solid and hold on well thanks to their thick Leather suspenders + the cross bar wich holds up perfectly the leather suspenders Although mine is in red leather ,but my boy's and husband's are in black leather,otherwise we do enjoy like many german men and women wearing them !It's still a great tradition here ( in Austria,south tyrol and switzerland,and Slovenia aswell!From time to time my husband's familly his aunt's and uncles ask us If we can bring back some for their children too !Wich we do of course,and even the girls my nieces too like to wear them !and to be honest Lederhosen really look's great even on girls and women ,wich proves that not only does it suit also women and girls but it makes them look more sexier !,So in reality suspenders don't make you look old at all !

    ReplyDelete
  12. A matter of fact everyone ,men,women,children and how ever old you are to !Like me and my wif have the sam taste in clothing so it's allright,we dig putting on our red larger pant suspenders with thick leather ends attached to buttons!,and when we go out together my wife get's praised much more than I do with her large and thick pant suspenders so there you go,!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I recently had a formal function that I went to but as I'm a pants girl I'm limited to what outfits I could wear. So I hired a ladies formal suit. When picking one out I was made aware that braces are a must when wearing a formal suit/tuxedo. I had never worn them but have seen a lot of women wearing them so I knew they would look fine but was wondering how comfortable would they be. The suit I hired had the widest pants I had ever seen but attached were these cute satin braces. Once I tried them on I fell in love with the whole outfit especially the braces. They looked amazing and were so comfortable. So I was looking forward to wearing them to the function. When I arrived to the event I was quick to realize that I wasn't the only woman wearing a formal suit that in fact there were half a dozen other women dressed similar. Throughout the night most of us women wearing the suits had taken there jackets off revealing our braces. Soon we were all swapping stories on how good do braces look and feel. We were all getting complementary on how good we looked and some women wishing that had chosen a suit over a dress.i got to admit I absolutely love braces and since that night I have bought myself several pairs and enjoy wearing them especially with my business attire

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing Catie. Like you said, there are probably many other ladies who wish they wore braces with formal suits or business attire - they are so comfortable!

      Delete
  14. Lovely story,
    You should Introduce the other few women on this block as well.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting on Everything About Braces. To maintain a civilized discussion forum, moderators may decide to remove messages at their sole discretion if considered to be offensive.
Join our social media community on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/backtobraces/ and Instagram at https://instagram.com/backtobraces/