Braces and Suspenders Observations

Have you noticed more people wearing braces? I have. And it’s not just people in one demographic, but young and old, males and females. Here are some styles I observed recently:

• middle-aged women attending a group birthday party in a restaurant wearing blue jeans and a casual, white shirt. Instead of a belt, she went with clip-on braces
• older businessman wearing grey pants and a navy blazer. As he was walking down the sidewalk a gust of wind opened his blazer to reveal his braces
• 20-year old wearing black suspenders with a white dress shirt and black jeans
• teenage girl wearing a green, knee-length skirt with suspender straps
• women wearing denim shorts with red suspenders and a plaid shirt

I couldn’t photograph these outfits, so I’ll share what braces I’ve been wearing. This is a pair of Y-back stripped braces with brown leather tabs. The straps have a grey edge trim, with light blue and thin stripes of red, white, navy, and grey.

What braces or suspenders have you been wearing recently?

Braces with Shorts

Summer is a great time to show off your love of braces and suspenders. The hot weather means that you are wearing fewer layers of clothing, and so your braces will be on display all day. They are a conversation starter as well as an accessory to add that extra touch to an outfit.

When shorts are worn with braces they are suspended at the waist. This provides roominess around the waist which increases air circulation and reduces heat buildup – perfect for hot summer days!


But before you start snapping on a pair of suspenders to all your shorts, you should consider the nature of braces. One may argue that all shorts could be supported with suspenders. Taken to the extreme, you may say that males should wear suspenders with a bathing suit! That is simply comical and looks ridiculous. I am not arguing for a blanket approach to wearing braces.

So how should you wear braces with shorts? First, you should remember that suspenders are more formal in nature than a belt. Belts conjure up images of a working man; braces invoke a sense of sophistication. Braces and suspenders are simply more formal than belts. Therefore, to wear suspenders or braces with your shorts, you should do it when the occasion is more formal, such as at garden party or outdoor theater. 

Second, shorts are associated with athletic wear and physical exercise. It’s generally desired to have less articles of clothing when playing sports rather than more. Who wants to provide their opponent with the opportunity to snap their suspenders while running after a soccer ball, for instance.

Whenever you wear braces, they will speak for themselves. So be mindful of the design and style you wear. They should be simple, with solid colors or strips – no pastels or graphic designs. Here are some suggestions for achieving this look:

 Retailers are attaching straps to shorts this year, especially for females. Here's some examples:

If you want to get a Train Conductor look, you can add a pair of braces to stripped, blue shorts. Red braces will definitely catch someone's attention:

Discussion time:
1. Would you wear braces with shorts?
2. Do you find wearing suspenders in the summer to improve air flow or not?

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

What to wear with braces?

Braces are more formal than belts, and so generally go with more formal wear, such as suits and dress skirts. However, that doesn’t exclude them from wearing braces with jeans, shorts, or khaki pants – they all need support!

Instead of describing the different looks, I think it’s better to just show photos of people who know how to wear their braces correctly.

Based on these looks, you can notice the trend of high-waisted pants or skirt, and a fitted shirt. You can also check out this helpful guide.

Discussion time:

• How about you? What do you wear braces with?
• Have any photos or links to share?

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

Brace Colors and Patterns

Braces come in all different colors and patterns. There are solids, strips, pastels, slogans, and even hand-sewn patterns. The countless colors and patterns are by far the main reason braces offer a fresh and interesting twist to any wardrobe.

Maroon braces pair well with the bright blue shorts

When wearing a business suit, braces share the same vertical plane as the tie. As such, braces should be coordinated (but not necessarily match) the tie. Solid braces are easier to coordinate than striped or pastels. If you choose a blue or red colored tie, then pair it with blue or red braces. The shades don’t need to match exactly, in fact, they may complement the look more when they are slightly different.

These navy pants coordinate with the navy in the braces and his neck tie

 

Novice brace wearers generally try to avoid their braces from being noticed. As such, they were solid black or white braces. These are a good starting point, as people learn you like to wear braces.

 

As time progresses, why not try different colors? And they are a great conversation starter! 

A patterned or floral dress shirt generally goes well with solid color. Likewise, a solid color shirt goes well with stripped or floral braces. A solid white shirt offers the most opportunity to have pastels or a pattern. I'm not saying you can't wear a patterned shirt and stripped braces, but you need to be careful with coordinating pattern styles and colors. Best to try it out and see what you like!

 

Eventually you'll want to break out and try some more daring colors, like red! They add a great pop of color to any outfit.

If you are very ambitious, go for rainbow color suspenders such as these:

Stacy London, fashion expert and co-host of TLC's “What Not to Wear" suited up her father for a Valentines Day date. She chose red, showgirl braces to complement his look and have a dash of color.


Here’s some examples of color with braces:

Black is a staple color for any outfit

Love the brown braces and brown pants

Stripped braces go well on a solid shirt

Red suspenders on a blue shirt are chic

Diagonally stripped braces again on a solid shirt.
The braces are the centerpiece of this outfit

Patterned braces go well with a solid shirt

Suspenders can turn a good outfit into a great outfit. For example...

From personal experience, I started wearing solid black or blue braces. After a few years I became more adventurous and now wear braces with reds, browns, green - anything to add some color. I've received many complements on the braces from observers and friends. I'm wearing a pair of red and white stripped braces today!

Discussion time:

• What’s your favorite brace color/pattern?

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

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.