Popped brace buttons

Let's admit it: buttons pop off. It could be the button holding your waistline closed on your pants or skirt, buttons on your shirt or dress, or, as we are focusing here, brace buttons.

Brace buttons carry significant responsibility: to keep your pants up. You rely on them to do their role all the time. In fact, you probably don't think about the importance of their role until it's not there, that is, when the button is not there.






Contrary to belief, buttons popping off is not poor design. In fact, they are to protect the braces. Would you rather have your braces break and be irreparable, or have a button pop off and simply replace the button? I think you'd agree that its easier to replace the button than the braces. There is an important principal of using cheaper replaceable parts (buttons) to minimize damage to more valuable parts (braces). Thus, by allowing buttons to pop off under significant stress this saves the brace loop and ultimately the braces. I would rather have a popped button than a broken button hole on the brace loop or broken braces.

One of the primary advantages argued by those in favor of clip-on suspenders is that buttons pop off and need time to sew them back on, whereas once a clip snaps off, it can be easily reattached. While this is true, it misses the point of that buttons are much more securely attached to the pants than a clip and the style benefits of buttons.

Easy come, easy go: Clip-ons are easy to attach, and easy to snap off

Buttons become detached for one of two reasons:
1. the button is pulled beyond it's capacity, and the thread capacity, and it gives way
2. the button is not under pressure, rather the button threads simply wear out over time resulting in the button slipping off

Let's look further at these 2 reasons.

1. Buttons under pressure
Given enough pull on the braces, buttons will pop off under sufficient strain. In West of Hot Dog (1924) a comedy with Stan Laurel, Stan is on way to collect an inheritance in the small town of Hot Dog when he is robbed by a gang of highwaymen. He's asked at gunpoint to come out of the carriage, which Stan signals he'll happily do by exiting the opposite side of the carriage - in order to make his getaway. Stan turns to exit, with his braces as the only thing available to restrain him. The highwaymen grabs the rear brace straps and pulls as Stan pushes forward. The camera angle shows Stan's rear braces pop off under the strain:

Rear buttons popping off under the strain

 

Stan falls forward, but the braces restrain him. The highwayman pulls the braces and Stan exits the carriage towards the highwayman. Stan's braces no longer hold up his pants and the remainder of the scene shows in comical fashion what happens when Stan raises his hands for the gunman.

Notice that the brace tab button holes on his braces are still intact. All Stan needs is two new buttons to be sewn on to his pants and he can use his braces again. Also notice the durability of the left button - only popping off after significant pressure. So unless someone has the braces in their firm grip and pulling them with all their might, braces generally do not pop-off. 

Clip-on suspenders snap off all the time and would need to be constantly attached, which is annoying - your pants are not held up when your suspender clips keep snapping off! The fact is, clip-on suspenders would have snapped off a lot sooner than the buttons popped off in this case. Therefore, use buttons.

Testing if any buttons will pop off

Brace thread
Ensuring buttons stay attached can partially be addressed by using a strong thread. But balance is needed when determining the strength of the button threads to anchor braces – too strong and the brace strap will break from pressure resulting in the braces not being usable, too weak and the button threads will be constantly failing and buttons popping-off, resulting in the need to sew on buttons. Therefore, use a stronger thread weight and strength for sewing on brace buttons.

 

This brace button is separating from the waistline as the thread is lengthened. The button is about to pop off due to poor quality brace thread

2. Button threads wearing out
Similar to other fabrics, thread can wear out over time, especially with constant use. It's also very thin and can be ground down. As a result, there can be a slow tearing of the thread that eventually releases the button. Sometimes this is quick and sometimes it's a very slow process. 

 

I remember observing a man in a suit with his jacket off one summer day. He was wearing Y-back braces. His rear brace tabs were about an inch from the top of his waistline, as the braces were hanging on by a few strands of thread (similar to the photo of the lady above). It would only be a matter of time before those threads would give way and the buttons would not be secured to the waistline.


I used to think that brace buttons always became detached from strain or when pulled. Maybe it's because that's what I saw in movies and comics. I've come to learn from wearing braces for many years that this is not always the case - sometimes it's simply that the threads wear out.

Case on point, I was working at a professional office a while back. I was wearing a brown pair of dress pants with stripped blue, inverse U-tab braces and a dress shirt. I had taken my suit jacket off for the day (as was customary). I went throughout my day with my braces on display and didn't think anything of it. The pants were securely attached and held in place by my braces - or so I thought.

Late in the afternoon I was walking down the hallway when a considerate lady stopped me to ask if my pants felt secure. I replied, "yes, thanks to my braces," lightly tugging on my straps. She clarified that she meant the rear of my pants.

A popped button on the rear inverse-U tab braces

"Do you know that one of your attachments is disconnected at the back?" I was shocked and instinctively reached back with my hand to confirm it was true. One side of my inverse U-tab had slid all the way up and the rear strap was only anchored by one button. I hadn't felt the change in tension at any point during the day!

"Oh no, you're right. I've popped a brace button," I said, feeling self-conscious and blushing. 

She smiled and said, "Don't worry, that can happen with any button. Buttons are easy to sew on. I bet you can sew another one on easily."

 

"Yes, I'll have to do that," I replied.

 

She continued on by stating how much she liked that I wear braces. "Your braces are so stylish and befitting of you. You look very dapper and professional. I hope you don't stop wearing braces because one button popped off?"

 

"No, definitely not," I replied. I thanked her and forced a smile.

 

While one button was detached and provided no support, I still felt secure and confident that my pants would stay where they should be, which is something you can't say for those wearing belts.

On another occasion in the winter, I was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, sweater, and jacket outside in the snow. As I was walking along I felt my front right strap lose tension. I didn't stop as I figured the button had popped off and slipped down my pants and into my boot, as it was sewn on the inside of the waistband. Unfortunately, when I got inside to inspect, the inner button had popped off. But I couldn't find it when I shook my pants and looked in my boot. It must have pulled above the waistline and when it popped off, it fell outside the pants rather than inside. As the button was white and had fallen in white snow, I couldn't find it. I sewed another button on to replace the lost one and I was good to go.

In the summer time, with all the snow melted, I was walking along the same path with a friend. She pointed and said, there's a button. Is that one of your suspender buttons?

I looked down and picked up the white button.

Yes, I said, slipping it into my pocket. That button popped off my pants in the wintertime and I couldn't find it in the snow.

I like your button suspenders, she said. 

I agreed.

In conclusion, don't be too concerned about buttons popping off - it's a right of passage for us wearing braces.