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| The rear junction |
The rear junction can either be fixed or movable. A fixed junction is more secure and is common on higher-end, luxury braces. A movable junction allows the wearer to shift the junction higher or lower on the torso to adapt the straps to the person's body.
Why is the rear junction placement important? Because straps slip off shoulders when the junction is too low. The higher the junction, the closer together the straps are as they run over the shoulders, and the less frequent they slip off. But you don't want the junction to be too high, that it's at your neck (see photo below). This causes the straps to curve around your neck rather than the shoulder blades.
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| Rear junction is too high |
The optimal positioning of the rear junction is such that the straps curve along your shoulder blades as they run down your shoulders. This allows your shoulders to move freely while minimizing the possibility of the straps slipping of your shoulders.
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| The placement of the rear junction is a tad low |
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| The placement of the rear junction is too low |
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| Perfect positioning of the rear junction |
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| Perfect positioning of the rear junction |
The alternative is no rear junction. That is, two straps that simply run from the front of your pants to the back, never connecting at the rear to each other, such as this pair of braces:
While this may be possible, it is not recommended. The straps can easily slip off the shoulders and the shoulder blades have to contend with the strap when the shoulder moves forward.
I came across some video clips of Jennifer Lopez talling on the "The Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show" and “HOT 97” on April 9, 2019 in New York City.
Jennifer is wearing a simple white tank top with high-rise black pants. The pants have button-on black braces attached, giving a classic and stylish look. The high-rise pants sit above her waistline, allowing the braces to support them.
I think this is a great outfit and don’t want to critique it. I couldn’t help notice as I watched the videos that Jennifer adjusted her brace straps twice during the 15 minute session. In the second clip, she adjusts her straps once (potentially more when not on camera). This tells me that either the rear junction of the braces is too low relative to her shoulders, or the straps simply run up and down her shoulders, not crossing in the back. We don’t see the rear view of the braces, so we will never know.
If the straps cross at the back and the rear junction is fixed, her seamstress could sew excess fabric from the pants onto her waistband, thereby extending the rear brace tabs higher. This was a common solution in decades ago. Here's a photo for illustration:
Pant fabric can be used to extend the brace tabs higher
Looking at how close the placement of the buttons is on the waistline (basically next to each other and not spread apart), I think the braces simply run parallel over the shoulders - identical to the brown pants shown above. As stylish as it may be, the straps have a tendency to slip off the shoulders. And this is what was occurring to Jennifer’s straps during the interviews.
On another interview with the Breakfast Club, we notice that her left suspender strap is twisted. This helps keep it in place, but as someone comments “Her left suspender is bugging my OCD”, “Me too! She fiddled with it at one point, but then it was still twisted.” It's not natural to have a twisted suspender strap or for the straps to slip off.
Jennifer’s stylist has some options: cross the straps in the back, or otherwise connect them potentially as an H-style, or tighten the straps. By making these adjustments Jennifer would comfortably wear the braces without having to tinker and adjust them throughout the day.
Discussion:
1. Have you worn braces that slipped off your shoulders during the day?
2. Have you worn parallel braces?
3. Where do you prefer to have the rear junction?
Suspenders that slip off my shoulders get tossed. Suspenders are supposed to hold up my pants and not annoy me. Ive got quite a few pairs that don't slip, so no need to keep pairs that do slip. Your right the problem is usually that the back crossing is too low. That said I've got a couple of silk ones that slip a bit just because the material is so slick. Not a huge problem unless they are under a sweater or suitcoat.
ReplyDeleteNo I haven't worn parallel suspenders, I did have at one point a pair of overalls that came with two suspenders that were attached in back and you could either wear them crossed or parallel. I tried parallel for about 10 minutes, after several times of them slipping off I crossed them. It was better but the connection points for the straps were too close together so even when crossed the junction point was too low, and they slipped enough to annoy me. I think I had a tailor remount the straps so the connection points were further apart, that raised the cross piece up and it solved the problem.
Suspenders that cross somewhere around the middle of my back are fine. I'm pretty average height (6', 1.85m) so I've not really had a problem with it. I actually have a pair on today, that I made a mistake when I ordered them and ordered for tall (6' 8" or 2m). The adjusters in front are way up in front, and the cross junction in back is around the top of my shoulder blades. They don't slip and hold my pants up, but I think they look weird in back. No one has said anything and this is the 3rd or 4th time I've worn them.
Yeah, suspenders should be worn and forgotten about. The best pairs I have I don't even notice them - they simply do their job and are very comfortable. But people just starting to wear suspenders make these mistakes and think all suspenders are like their experience: slipping off or uncomfortable. I'm trying to bring education to wearing suspenders and braces in this blog and hope this helps some newbies.
DeleteI appreciate your comments and sharing your experiences. It's good to hear from other people that wear suspenders.
I know, and you do an excellent job, I check in here once or twice a month and see what's going on. I'm pretty sure I mentioned it before, so I wont go into it. I started wearing suspenders as a kid to hold up a bunch of hand me down pants that were a wardrobe staple for a 2-3 years. The pants were just too big at the waist to stay up with a belt, the suspenders worked but there is a movie of me running down the baseline in a baseball game. My pants were bouncing up and down on my suspenders out of phase with the rest of me. its pretty funny. After the hand me down phase was over, I just kept wearing them, belts just felt wrong. Newbies I think are looking for some cosmic affirmation to wear them. Probably not going to happen, you either (a) like them and are self-confident to wear them; (b) like them but cant get up the nerve (c) Don't really care but everyone else wears a belt (d) hates them. Keep up the good work
ReplyDeleteYeah, thanks for sharing on other posts, it's good to hear form others that love wearing suspenders. That video would be funny to see, I can just imagine it
DeleteYou're right about newbies to suspenders. I used to think that everyone should wear them, but I've now decided I like being part of the exclusive, confident club.
It is pretty funny, its definitely a "I didn't actually wear that did I?" video. I've confiscated the VHS tape and I'm refusing to digitize it.
ReplyDelete