Suspender connections: Inverse-V compared to Inverse-U

After deciding whether to connect the straps to the waistline using clip-ons or buttons, the
next question is the style of connections for buttons. Button-on braces have 2 distinct styles: inverse-V and inverse-U tabs (or connections). 

Various brace connections (from left to right): inverse-V, cord, and inverse-U tabs

As implied by the name, an inverse-V tab has two small tabs, or strips of leather, that fan out from the shoulder strap and attach to the buttons on the waistline (left braces on the photo above). An inverse-U tab also has two tabs that attach to the two waistline buttons, but has a single leather strap that loops onto itself from one button to the other, centering on the shoulder strap (right braces on the photo above). Depending on the tension on the braces, it can resemble an inverse-V shape, but is more oval.

Comfortable and relaxed, the inverse-U tabs keep everything aligned

Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages. Inverse-V tabs are the traditional choice and were the first to appear in history. They offer a rigid anchor from the shoulder strap to the waistline. For example, leaning forward results in tension in the shoulder strap, pulling the inverse-V tab, putting pressure on the side brace button, and pulling the side of the waistline in the same direction. Inverse-V tabs are perfect for keeping the waistline at a constant height, especially the side of the pant waistline.

Historically, supporting the front (center seam) and side seam of the pants was important. In fact, for the front brace tabs, the traditional inverse-V tabs have the brace tabs closest to the center about half an inch longer in length compared to the tabs on the side (see photo below). This is to accommodate more portly men and to position the shoulder strap further to the side then straight down the middle of the chest. Look for this when you are considering purchasing inverse-V tab braces, as a way to discern if the braces are a true vintage piece (or replica). This style of tabs was very common in the 1930s and 40s.

Inverse-V tabs. Notice the center brace tabs are slightly longer
than the side brace tabs

Inverse-U tabs are somewhat more modern. They allow the shoulder strap to glide along the inverted U arch, in unison with the body’s movement. This provides more freedom and superior comfort. For example, leaning forward results in the shoulder strap sliding forward to the center button; leaning backwards, the strap slides backwards. At the rear, when you wear Y-back braces, when you lean left, the tab will shift to the left; when you lean right, the tab will shift to the right. Everything in line, everything comfortable.

To illustrate further, below is a photo of Robert Shaw playing Doyle Lonnegan in The Sting, 1973. He is wearing inverse-U tab braces, which I've highlighted in red. To show the difference, I've over-layed what an inverse-V tab brace would look like for comparison. In this still capture, as he bends down, the change in the shoulder straps position shifts. Notice how his strap on the inverse-U tab (red outline) shifts towards the inner center button, accommodating his body movement. This is in contrast to if he was wearing inverse-V tabs (the blue outline). The inverse-V tab would have stayed rigid and put strain on the outer side button, pulling up that area. Either way, his waistline stays well supported.

Doyle Lonnegan from The Sting, 1973

As you can likely see by now, inverse-U tabs result in less strain on the brace buttons compared to inverse-V tabs. This is because the inverse-U style allow the tension to be shifted as it glides along the arch, and minimizes tension over the two brace buttons rather than being locked into one position. This is likely the reason this style has become a predominant style for button braces, and my theory is that it results in less buttons popping off. This concept was fully used by President Suspenders in gliding and shifting to the body’s position.

Ad for President Suspenders showing the conforming nature to every movement

Further to this point, lumberjacks need braces to keep their jeans up during their strenuous manual labour. The most common style of braces for lumberjacks is X-back braces with inverse-U connections at the front. This provides solid support at the rear and flexibility for movement at the front. There are also inverse-V tabs at the front, but I generally see inverse-U tabs.
 

All this to say, I do still see a fair share of inverse-V connections and like them as well. 

Drawbacks

What are the drawbacks of each? For inverse-U tabs, if one of the buttons pops off (which is rare), the shoulder strap pulls to the end of the half circle and becomes slack. This would not have as large an impact for inverse-V tabs. If a button pops off, the tension in the shoulder strap remains relatively strong because the remaining brace tab is not dependent on the other brace tab to function. The released brace tab now flaps around, making its presence known. The inverse-U tab is dependent on both buttons staying anchored, whereas the inverse-V connection is not.

For inverse-V tabs there is more tension on the brace buttons, as it cannot glide. This is generally the case on the side brace buttons, which experiences more strain as people bend forward throughout the day. Case in point, this happened to this lady in the photo below:

Note the popped button and loose brace strap

When braces were very popular, most men chose inverse-U tabs. This is likely because of the comfort and flexibility they offered. If a button happened to pop off, you simply looped the dangling tab to the remaining anchor.

What should you wear: inverse-U or inverse-V tabs? Ultimately it’s a decision on whether you prefer a more rigid anchors or prefer to have your shoulder straps glide along and shift with your movements.


Personally, I have both inverse-V and inverse-U tabs and enjoy both. But if you ask me when do I forget that I’m wearing braces because they conform to my movement, it’s when I’m wearing inverse-U tabs. They accommodate the body’s movements so effortlessly!

Discussion:

• Which style do you prefer: inverse-V or inverse-U tabs? Why?
• Have you noticed how inverse-U tabs glide to align with your movement?

Tales of a Brace-wearer (Part I)

A man was in his first week at a new corporate office. The corporate dress code was primarily suits but also blazers and dress pants.
One day the man was stopped by a couple of female colleagues. “Can we ask you a question?” one asked, “We’ve been talking about your style; your suits look so well put together.”
“Thank you,” said the man.
The lady continued, “Your clothes fit well, and you look comfortable in them: your shirt stays tucked in, your pants don’t drag on the ground, your pants stay at your waistline, you’re not constantly adjusting your pants like other guys around here. Your pants stay in place, but I don’t see you wearing a belt. If you don’t wear a belt, then you must be wearing … suspenders?”

Box-cloth braces

With a smile, the man flipped open his jacket to reveal a pair of royal blue braces.
“I knew it had to be suspenders!” exclaimed the second lady.
“Yes, these are the answer to why everything fits together. They are very comfortable and practical, and I don’t need to be concerned about my pants all day,” said the man.
 “What kind of suspenders are those? I have not seen suspenders with leather attachments at the waist before. How do they attach to the pants?”
“There are small buttons sewn onto the waistband of my pants. The straps are connected by these brace tabs that are either in an inverted-V or inverted-U – these are inverted-U. When suspenders attach to the pants with buttons they are generally called ‘braces’, and when they attach with alligator clips they are called ‘suspenders’. Some pants have the buttons on the outside of the waistband, some on the inside, depending on your preference.”
“I see,” said the second lady. “That’s so classy. I love the look. Buttons are more sophisticated than clips.”
“I prefer the buttons over the clips as well. In addition to being classy, when you have buttons there are more anchor points to keep my pants aligned all day long, regardless of my movements. But there’s more to it than just brace tabs attached to buttons. The buttons are positioned in specific locations along the waistline to anchor the pants, both at the front and back.” The man motioned with his hand, “let me explain: see how the buttons are aligned directly with the pleats, and on the side of the pants with the pockets?”
“Yes” agreed the women.
“The brace buttons secure the pants at the right locations – at the pleat line, to keep the line perfectly straight, and at the pockets. Think of it as an anchor here at the pleat line,” pointing to the location, “and an anchor here at the pockets. A single anchor - whether attached by a single brace tab or alligator clip - would be insufficient, regardless of where it is placed. That’s why clips simply don’t provide the same level of comfort and support for pants.”

“Now that you mention it, that makes sense. I’ve never thought about that. It’s no surprise that you look so put together – the pleats are kept straight with the brace buttons anchoring them at just the right places on the waistline,” said the first women.
 “Exactly; and the other side of the brace tabs anchor the side of the pants,” motioned the man.
“Yes, I can see how it works now,” said the lady. “How about on the back of the pants? How do the buttons anchor the pants?”
The man removed his jacket to show the rear, fish-tail back detailing.
The women breathed in, “Oh wow, these pants are designed for braces!”
“Exactly, the fabric over each leg comes to a climax at the anchoring brace buttons, which are held in line with the brace loop, which in turn is held perfectly in line with the rear brace strap. It all aligns perfectly to give a clean look at the back,” stated the man.
“Yes, I can see why your pants look so coordinated and fit so well,” said the women. “The pants are held up at all the right points to keep the pleats and pocket aligned, and at the rear over each leg.”
“That’s fantastic,” said the other lady. “The design of the pants fabric to come up to meet the braces is truly unique. It completes the look of the braces. I have never seen this before. It’s so stunning and sophisticated!”
“Thank you,” beamed the man.

 

“You don’t find pants like that off the rack in stores.”
“Agreed,” said the man.
“So where did you get them?”
“This pair I had custom-made. It’s called a ‘fish tail back’,” said the man.
“Going back to how braces attach to the pants – with buttons…” said the women.
“Yes, the buttons allow you to exchange one pair of braces with another for different looks. Sewing on buttons is an easy skill to learn,” said the man. “And it would be helpful to know, as buttons can sometimes pop off.”
The women smiled, “Ah yes, now that you mention it, I recall a black and white photo of working men with the brace tabs on one side connecting to only one point on the waistline, a button must have come off. Is that common?”
“It’s very rare for buttons to come off if they have been sewn on securely. Buttons don’t come off unless they’re under significant, prolonged pressure or the threads are worn down. I’ve been wearing braces for over 15 years and only had a few buttons pop off in that time. As the buttons are anchoring at the right locations, when one pops off you notice the change in tension and drooping pants right away. Men have been wearing braces with buttons for over 150 years, and if they didn’t withstand the daily demands of life back then, they couldn’t today.”

The man continued. “I find buttons grip far better over the long term than clips can. Aside from your buttons being anchoring points, clips snap off all the time as they only clinch the fabric, not firmly attach to it. Clips also damage the fabric, so for formal dress fabrics, clips should never be used. Braces stay firmly anchored with buttons. I like the vintage look of braces. Having been worn for over 150 years, they are timeless and classy.”
“Yes they are. I recall old photographs of men wearing braces and wondering why men don’t wear them anymore. Why aren’t more men wearing braces?”
“The height of the waistline on men’s pants is the primary reason,” the man responded. “Waistlines have inched lower and lower over time. Historically, waistlines were at or above the belly-button. This elongated the legs and made the man look taller. There is also a slight budge at the waist, so higher waisted pants pass smoothly over this budge. But in order to keep pants at this higher waist, braces must be used to support them.”
“I think another reason is that people associate suspenders with the clip-on variety and that’s a major turn off,” says the man. “Clips snap off, don’t anchor the pleat and side of the pants at the same time, and because you can easily take suspenders from one pair of pants to another, they look cheap. Braces are practical, stylish, and classy. I think more men should try braces and discover the comfort and confidence that comes with wear braces.”
“I agree,” chimed the women.

The man turned to go, but the first lady wasn’t finished. “As a stylish man, why do you leave your jacket on? Why not show off your braces and the stylish pants. I’m sure people would appreciate your style, as much as we have!”

“Thank you for the compliments on my style. Historically braces were considered an undergarment and not to be displayed. They were considered underwear and only your immediate family saw them. This thinking has changed and it’s now acceptable to display braces. But as braces are a vintage accessory, some of this traditional thinking carries on.”

“I see; but there are lots of old photographs of men showing their braces, without a jacket. I actually like seeing braces and the different styles and designs – it adds to the outfit. I love your pant style at the back, what did you call it? Fish-tail back? You don’t need to hide this special tailoring. I think you would agree with me,” turning to the other lady, “that braces can be proudly displayed.”
“Absolutely”, nodded the women.

“Thanks for the encouragement. And thanks again for the complements on my pants and braces.”

“You’re welcome.” 

The next day, the women gathered at the man’s office, eager to see his outfit for the day. He had taken off his blazer and was wearing a classy dress shirt with a pair of grey pants held in place by braces. The braces were stripped grey and navy.
“Love the braces; they complement your grey pants well,” admired the lady. “Are they fish-tail back pants today?”
The man stood up and smiled, turning around to reveal the fish-tail back details.