Women and Suspenders

When did women start wearing suspenders? That is a fair question, considering that more and more women are wearing suspenders and braces nowadays.

You may be surprised to find out that women have been wearing braces for as long as they have been wearing  pants - dating back to the early 1900s. A November 3, 1913 article from the New York Times states...

This trend has come and gone through the generations. During the 1940s and 1950s, braces were very popular.

College Fall Fashion, 1941

College Fall fashion, 1950

 

 

Ginger Rogers

Women generally wear braces for two reasons:

1. The pants/skirt comes with braces already attached and so they are worn them with the outfit.
2. Suspenders are attached by them to be fashionable.

Therefore, do not think that braces are only for men. Women enjoy wearing braces just as much as men.

Looking for some ideas?

Discussion time:

• As a women, do you wear braces? Have you worn braces in the past?
• What do you wear with braces? Do you stay within menswear or branch out?

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

Braces in advertising

Have you noticed braces and suspenders popping up in ads more recently? They are definitely a trend for 2011 and advertisers are using them in various products - from fragrance to boots to clothing. Here's some examples:

Kiera Knightly for Chanel Mademoiselle

Kodak Boots

Here's some ads from a few years ago...

 

 

Braces have also been the center of advertising for many years. Shirley President Suspenders, Paris Suspenders, Hickok Suspenders, and Bulldog Suspenders were prominent companies that advertised back in the day. Here's a samples of historical suspender ads. Note that the advertisements even show women wearing braces and suspenders.

And a number of international ads:

This is not a complete list of ads with braces in them, but this should give you a good picture - keep an eye out for them!

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

Origin of Clip-on Suspenders

Suspender straps were originally designed to be attached to trousers with buttons. The 1897 Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalogue displays 2 pages of button-on braces. Button-on braces support the trousers evenly in the front and the rear. 

Nowadays, people also wear clip-on suspenders rather than button-on braces. One may ask the question: When were clip-on suspenders invented?

I decided to do some research on this topic - you may be surprised to find the answer. I perused vintage department store catalogues and searched vintage photographs from the late 1800s, during 1900s up to the current era. You may be surprised to learn that clip-on suspenders have been around since the early 1940’s. In fact, the 1943 Sears and Wards Catalog clearly displays 4 styles for clip-on suspenders. They came in a elastic plastic weave, and rayon webbing, as displayed below along side the button-on braces:

Therefore, clip-on suspenders have been around for more than 70 years. Buttons have held their place (pun intended) among clip-ons, and remain the preferred choice of brace wearers. Refer to previous blog post on this topic. However, there is a place for clip-on suspenders.

Clip-on suspenders work well when you are wanting to achieve a minimal, clean-cut look or to add a little extra dash of fun to an outfit.

Today, clip-on suspenders are everywhere in magazines and online. Many stores carry a wide variety of colors, styles, and designs. So go out there and wear some suspenders!

Discussion time:

• Did you imagine that clip-on suspenders were invented in the 1940s?
• When was the first time you wore clip-on suspenders?
• Do you prefer to wear clip-on suspenders or button-on suspenders? Why? 

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

Suits and Braces

Trousers were originally made to be worn with suspenders, which held them on the waist, not the hips, and that is where they look and hang best. No professionally dressed man would wear trousers that rested anywhere else. This is not an arbitrary gesture. Every man, no matter how thin, has a slight bulge in his stomach area. When trousers are worn on the waist, they pass smoothly over this bulge in an even drape. This bulge is very evident when a suit is worn. The flow of the suit is interrupted when a belt is worn, as the trouser material or the belt buckle bunches up at the waist. In addition, unless the trousers are perfectly tailored, they will constantly be slipping down (and constantly be pulled up). This constant adjusting also bunches up your dress shirt. These problems are easily solved by wearing braces with your suit.

 

Historically men have worn suits every day. By the fashion of the day, suit trousers were worn higher on the waist and held up by braces. This was a day to day look, not just for the office, but in the evenings and weekends. Men would come home from work, hang up their suit jacket and then keep their pants and braces on for the evening. If they were going out, they may put on a cardigan.

 

Show your Personality

Braces allow you to show your personality when wearing a suit. In addition to the color and design of a tie, socks, and shirt, a pair of tasteful braces adds a special touch to an otherwise standard business suit. If you have interest in a sports team or hobby, for example, you can wear braces with that theme underneath your jacket. You are professional and clean, but able to display your personality when you take off your jacket. And you will take off your jacket to display your braces!

Women can wear braces with suits too...

Discussion time:

• Do you wear braces with your suits?
• What brace colors do you coordinate with your shirt and jacket?
• When wearing braces, are you hesitant to take off your jacket to show your personality and style?

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