If you've worn suspenders for any period of time, you will soon notice the width of braces is a key factor in wearing them. The width is an important part of the overall look and feel of the braces. Generally, wider width's are for functional purposes and narrower width's are for style.
However, the width should be proportional to your body size. For example, the braces below are too wide for this overall outfit and do not fit her frame proportionately. Narrower suspenders should have been used.
You can sometimes push the edge of the wide verses thin, depending on the rest of the outfit. Take the following example below. As the bowtie is exaggerated and the pants are super high waisted, the wider suspender straps fit the look.
You can sometimes push the edge of the wide verses thin, depending on the rest of the outfit. Take the following example below. As the bowtie is exaggerated and the pants are super high waisted, the wider suspender straps fit the look.
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| Appropriate proportions |
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| The width is proportional to the shorts |
With that in mind, the width also varies based on the type of the outfit. For instance, for business suits, the straps are generally 1 or 1.25 inches, as shown below. However, given the smaller size of this gentlemen, the straps appear out of proportion - he would be better suited for thinner straps.
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| Braces for suits are generally wider |
For modern wear in 2010, the width is narrow – generally 0.5 inches. Both are acceptable and depend on the overall look you are trying to achieve.
Some people feel that narrower braces twist and bind with wear, while wider ones feel bulky and uncomfortable. So try out a few different widths to see what feels best for you.
Personally, I like to wear slightly wider straps (1.25 to 1.5 inches wide). This spreads the tension on my shoulders as I wear them throughout the day. However, my girlfriend loves thinner straps (3/4 inch wide), as it's slimmer and more 'modern'. So I also have some braces that are 3/4-inch wide and wear them frequently.
Looking at vintage photos, I see men wearing both widths - wider and narrower, so both are acceptable.
Discussion time:
- What width of braces do you wear?
- Do you find larger width braces uncomfortable?
