Specifications for brace buttons

You may not put much thought into the type of buttons you use to attach your braces to your waistband. While it is true that any button can be used, there are better types of buttons and worse types. 

Brace buttons have the important duty to secure your brace tabs to your waistband. So it’s important to know what will work best. Let me explain two key features of brace buttons:

1. Four holes on the button, not two: 4 holes provide better security to the waistband than 2. Each pair of holes be sewn to have independent thread securing the button. That way, if 1 side tears, there is another side of threads to hold the button to the waistband.

2. Cone-shaped surface: The leather of the brace tab pulls on the button throughout the day. As such, when the button is cone-shaped (concave to be specific) towards the brace tab, the tab is pulling more on the button rather than on the threads attaching the button. This has a significant impact on the life of the button. A securely sewn button will rarely come detached. However, a leather brace tab that constantly rubs against the button thread will eventually dig in, wear down and tear open. I’ve experienced that, and it's usually at the worse possible moment. I bend down, or twist, I feel my braces shift and I look down to see a torn brace tab, with a button still attached to the waistband. That’s a terrible thing to happen to a pair of braces, as it’s almost impossible to repair the leather on the brace tab. To minimize this from happening, brace buttons should be concave to apply pressure away from the thread and to the button itself.

Moving to the color of brace buttons, generally aim to match the waistband of the pants. If the waistband is white, it’s traditional to have a white button for example. However, you can be creative, especially if the buttons are on the outside of the waistband. 

This is an area that I, in particular, like to push the boundary; I love using decorative buttons on the outside of the waistband. The buttons coordinate with the fabric pattern, but do not match exactly. When the brace tab is attached to the button, the tab circles around the complimentary-colored button and makes a visually appealing sight on the waistband. I’ve received many compliments about my exterior brace buttons and braces.

Lovely accent of brown color on these standard black pants and braces

 

Beautiful pair of patterned burgundy and grey pants with burgundy braces. 
Note the buttons have 2 holes, 4 holes would be better 

 

Tia Mowry wearing tweed pants with brown braces

 

Here's a young man wearing traditional fish-tail back pants with braces. The brace buttons are on the outside of the waistband.

The exterior brace buttons accent against the brace tabs nicely on this man's fish-tail pants

A light tug of his braces is her way of showing her affection and love of his braces

I'm currently love wearing a pair of grey, high-waisted chinos with exterior grey buttons. When I pair the pants with black or brown brace tabs, the brace buttons add a pop of color! I also have a pair of navy chinos with exterior navy brace buttons. When I wear light brown brace tabs, the buttons add a special nod to the vintage nostalgia of braces.

Turning to buttons on the inside of your waistband, you can use any, or every color, of button as no one will see it but you. I’ve used mismatched buttons for work jeans and pants, and on thrifted pairs of pants that may have a button missing. The buttons are out of sight on the inside of the waistband, but are performing their duty. This is also helpful if you happen to lose a button while working – you can simply use a different button. But make sure it has four holes and is concave!

What brace buttons do you use to attach your braces?

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.

Placement of Brace Buttons

Now that we've addressed that braces should be worn with buttons (see previous post), where exactly should the buttons be located?

The placement of buttons along the waistline is critically important to wearing braces. It determines where the brace straps lie and the "line of the pants". In fact, for those who know, you can see when a man is wearing braces even when the braces are covered by a vest or jacket. This is because of the way the pant material drapes (falls) down the legs. Another indication is where the pants meet the shoes. Not convinced? This is best illustrated in a photo. Check out this vintage photograph of this slightly portly gentleman:

Even with a vest on I can tell he is wearing braces by the way his pants lie. The material is generally flush against his torso. If you know where to look you can see two lines that straighten the pant leg. One is over the centre pleat or line of the leg, and the other is to the side. I've highlighted them below:

 

These lines cannot be the result of a belt. Rather, they are caused by a brace button that is anchored at this point along the waistline. By placing the brace button at these locations, the pants lay flush and clean. Going further, I'd expect this gentlemen's braces underneath his vest to be something like this:

I've added a horizontal line for where I think his pant waistline is, and then the brace strap attached to the waistline, giving the visible signs of the pant lines. This gives a perfect drape as the pants fall straight from the waistline to the shoes and look very classy.

Unfortunately the hedge is blocking our view of his shoes. If we could see his shoes we would likely see a slight "break" in the pant materials that is maintained when the man moves. The pant hem touches the brim of the shoes without having excess materials at the bottom of the leg. This can only be achieved if the pants maintain their same position, relative to the body. And that can only be achieved with braces. If both of these are present, you can be sure the man is wearing braces. These are the sure signs that a man is wearing braces. To the trained eye, you can confidently say this man is wearing braces.

I've had people stare at my pants with their clean drape, with the pants falling gently over the shoes with no excess materials. When they don't see a belt, they ask me how my pants stay up. I'm ever so happy to reveal my secret: I pull back my suit jacket to reveal my braces and the clean lines that are create by braces and the proper button placements.

Therefore, when wearing braces, it is critical to know where to place the buttons to achieve the proper drape. Buttons that are too close to the mid-section are uncomfortable and get in the way. If the buttons are too far apart they do not adequately support the drape or pant lines. This is true for both the front and back of the pants.

Where to place brace buttons
Alan Flusser points out that there should be four buttons at the front: one button over 
each of the main pleats of the pants (inner buttons), and the other two just forward of the side seam (outer buttons). Always start with the main pleat for the inner button, as this is where you will achieve the proper drape and a clean line on the pants. It doesn't matter if it's pleated pants or flat front, there will always be a line that should be straight. The button over the main line/pleat will anchor the pants and create the perfect drape. All tuxedos are made this way to have a crisp, straight line.

Moving to the outer buttons at the front, the placement depends on the width of the brace tabs and the size of the wearer. Some inverse-V tabs are narrower, while some inverse-U tabs are wider (more on this below). I've found that when I place the buttons 3 to 4 inches from the button at the pleat to the next button, this accommodates most brace tabs and is comfortable and provides superior support. As for waist size, for portly individuals, I'd recommend a wider placement of 4 or 4.5 inches apart to provide more surface area on the waistline.

Notice the button placement at the waistline: inner button above
the main seam and outer button about 3-4 inches apart.
This achieves a nice drape of the pants

Over the years I've worn braces with button placement at various positions along the waistband. I've learned that when there's a centre pleat, the inner buttons should be directly overtop to ensure this line stays taut. However, if the pants are more casual, such as with corduroy or jeans, the buttons can be shifted to the side by half to one inch. I have a pair of corduroy pants with buttons placed directly over the side seam and then 4.25 inches forward for the inner buttons. This means that the inner buttons are not directly over the centre of my pant leg, but that's fine, the pants are sufficiently supported. I find the brace straps shift slightly to the side of my chest and sit comfortably.

 

In  the back, there should be two buttons regardless of if you are wearing Y-back and X-back style braces. The buttons should be equidistant from the center of the fork of the braces, so it falls naturally. Here it depends on the style of braces you plan to wear – Y-back braces require buttons closer together (about 1.5 inch on each side of the middle seam). While buttons for X-back braces should be spaced a little farther apart. I’ve found that 2-3 inches on each side of middle seam is comfortable. If you happen to have 4 buttons with X-back braces (such as those illustrated below), then they should be farther apart.

Width between buttons
One common beginner mistake I see often is front buttons that are placed to close together (ie, less than 3 inches together). The placement of the buttons in the front of the pants is important to supporting the line of the pants. Let's review these two photos:

The one on the left has the buttons too close together, in addition to being too close to the centre of the pants. The one on the right has the buttons placed too far to the side, which supports the side seam but the main pleat and line will not be crisp. Aim for balance and support of the pants by positioning the buttons in between these 2 positions. This highlights the important of placing the front buttons on the main seam followed by the side seam. The placement of these buttons on the pants below could be improved by aligning them up with the front pleat.

Buttons should be aligned with the front seam,
generally with the pleat, marked by the red dots

If you are wearing military or regal apparel with a solid strip down the side of the pants, you may choose to support the side seam at the expense of the front seam. You may also be able to support both the main and side seam with certain the braces, depending on the size of the waistband and size of the brace tabs, such as in this photo:

When wearing braces with inverse-V tabs, if the button placement is improper, one tab may curve out from the waist. This looks strange and gets caught on things. I've circled an example in this photo below:

It is for this reason that, historically, inverse-V tab braces were made with one tab longer than the other, by about half an inch. The tabs that connect to buttons closer to the centre were longer than the tabs that were to the side seam to address this issue. This is one way to identify if inverse-V braces are vintage and more historically accurate.

 

Note, this problem does not arise with inverse-U tabs as the brace strap glides along the U-tab as it's not fixed in position.

 

Having worn braces for decades now, my preference is to have the front buttons placed as far apart as practical. I always start with the inner buttons above the main seam and then the outer buttons along the side seam. This works out to the buttons being about 4 to 4.5 inches apart for how I like it. This provides superior coverage over the front of the waistline.

I have a pair of grey high-rise pants with buttons above the main seam and above the side seam. When I wear inverse-U brace tabs, the straps slide comfortably along with my body's movement. With inverse-V brace tabs, the straps keep my waistline in line and tight.

 
What if you are wearing clip-on suspenders - where do you place the clip? This is precisely the problem with clip-on suspenders - they do not adequately support the pants! You must compromise and place the clips either on the main seam or the the middle between the main seam and side seam. Try a number of locations and see what feels most comfortable for you.



Clip placement on the back
Just as the placement of the buttons on the front is important, it is even more important on the back. This is generally the place where newbie suspender-wearers get confused, as they will likely be wearing X-back style, and attach the clips either too close together or too far apart on the waistline:

1. If the buttons are too close together, you can get a wedgie.

2. If the buttons are too far along the pant waist, the pants will not be supported properly and will be uncomfortable when rotating.

Also, if the clips are too far apart, you may cause the waistline to bulge outward, ruining the flat line.

Therefore, it is critical that you determine the right balance for the rear buttons along the waistline. They should be equidistant from the center of the rear seam, but not too far that they create a bulge out. This exact distance depends on the size of the individual, the position of the back junction, and length of the back straps, so this will vary by suspenders and braces. Here is an example of appropriate distance of the straps at the rear:

Belt Loops
Pants or skirts to be worn with braces should not accommodate a belt and so should have no belt loops. More to the point, to be historically authentic, belt loops should be removed, if you will be wearing braces.  

 

Roominess at the waistline
Pants or skirts to be worn with braces should be a little larger at the waist so that they are actually "suspended" from the shoulders. This achieves a very comfortable style.

The skirt on the right is too large
around the waist; on the left is
perfect size.

The front side of the skirt from the left picture displays
the correct waist size, button placement and suspension
(unfortunately the brace material is deteriorating)

 

I understand that the majority of suit pants and skirts are made ready to wear, and the majority of society does not wear braces. As such, the majority of pants and skirts come with belt loops, and so people keep the belt loops on when wearing braces (even with buttons). However, if you are to be historically and functionally correct, the belt loops should be removed. Think of it like wearing a cuff-link shirt with no cuff-links – you know something’s missing. 

Here's a example of how not to wear braces. Not only does he have belt loops, he also has poor button placement - the buttons are not aligned with the pleats and are too close to the center.

Wearing belts and braces at the same time - biggest newbie blunder
Pants and skirts to be worn with braces should not be worn with a belt. You don’t need both a belt and braces to perform the same function of holding up your pants or skirt. There is redundancy here, in addition to looking bad. Therefore, the wearer must decide how to wear the pants – with braces or with a belt.

 

To conclude, if there is one area that separates newbie brace wearers from seasoned veterans, it is in button placement. An expert brace wearer can tell the moment they see someone wearing braces if they are worn correct or not. So take note of these important details for the next time you sew on buttons or wear braces.

Discussion time:

• Where do you find button placement to be most comfortable?
• Have you noticed vintage photographs and wondered why the gentleman's pants are staying up and why they have such crisp, clean pant lines?
• Do you prefer buttons on the inside or outside?
• Do you find your buttons are popping off?
• Have any humorous stories of buttons popping off?

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