A female friend discovered that I loved braces and shared this with me:
~~~
I love swing dancing. I’ve been dancing for many years and going to a certain hall for some time. As a lady I love dressing up in vintage styles, particularly from the 1940s. I dream of dancing with a male partner that also wears vintage clothes – a tweed suit jacket, high-waisted trousers with suspenders, and classy, vintage shoes!
Well, my dream came true one night. I went to the dance hall wearing a floral, pleated skirt and a light pink blouse with puffy sleeves, along with a knitted sweater.
I had come alone, so I was dancing with another single dancer at the time. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed another couple. I had not seen them come in, but they were both dressed in classic swing style: the lady was wearing a beautiful, vintage dress hemmed just below the knee. The man was wearing an earth-brown suit with a beige, stripped dress shirt, and a vintage, wide tie.
After a few dances, I thanked my dance partner and headed off to take a break on the side. This allowed me to observe this couple. They were decent dancers, but it was their choice of clothing that I admired most. The male dancer had his jacket button undone - his suit pants were high waisted, but didn't have a belt, and looked fantastic.
This couple also took a break and moved off the dance floor, close to where I was sitting. I decided to meet them. I walk up and introduce myself, “Hi, I’m Jillian,” I said.
“Hello,” they reply in unison returning the introduction and their names.
“This is a nice place to dance,” the lady says, still catching her breath. “Sorry, I haven’t danced in a long time, I forgot how much exercise is involved in swing dancing; I’m out of breath!”
“That’s alright, catch your breath,” I respond. “I like this place too. They play classic swing music and there’s lots of dance partners. I love that you came dressed in vintage styles - it makes swing dancing so much more enjoyable! Your skirt and blouse are lovely and fit the era,” I say.
“Thank you,” she replies. “I love that era too. The clothes were so cute!”
I turn to the man, “And I love your brown suit too. Your tie is especially vintage!” I exclaim.
“Thank you,” says the man proudly, running his thumb down his tie. “I like the 1940s decade as well.”
The man removes his suit jacket, feeling the warmth in the room. This reveals his high-waist pants are held up by suspenders. They are stripped brown, with thin navy and white strips that pair with his tie.
“Would you mind if I have the next dance?” I ask the lady, wanting to talk to him about his style and his suspenders.
“Sure, go for it. You can teach him a step or two!” says the lady as she receives his suit jacket.
We walk onto the dance floor. “I love your vintage style,” I say with a big smile, “and you are wearing suspenders! They are perfect for swing dancing! So dapper and classic.”
“Yes, they are,” says the man, smiling. “I call them braces as they attach to my pants with buttons,” he says, moving his fingers to his waist and flipping over the waistband to show where the buttons are attached to the braces.
“Alright,” I say, reaching out and resting my hands on his chest. “Suspenders, braces, whatever you call them; they go perfect with your high-waisted pants!”
“Thank you,” replies the man. “They do a great job of keeping my pants securely in place. The alternative would be clips and those would snap off with all the movement of swing dancing.” While he’s talking, I tuck my fingers beneath his straps and lightly pull them towards me. With a smile I release my fingers and his straps lightly snap back to his chest.
He blushes and responds, “That’s the downside of wearing braces - everyone likes to snap them.”
“It is fun,” I say. “But I’ll restrain myself.”
“Thank you,” says the man.
“I don’t see men wearing braces every day, so forgive me for being fascinated with them. It’s so rare to see people wearing vintage clothing these days. I love your look. Your stripped braces go perfectly with your brown pants and tie – it’s all so stylish!”
“Thank you,” beams the man.
I place my right hand on his back as the next dance song starts. I feel his brace buttons on the outside of his pants, and tap the buttons with my fingers. These buttons are on the outside of his waistband.
“Your pants are floating on air, suspended by your braces,” I say looking at his waistline.
“That’s right,” replies the man. “Braces are designed to be worn with a looser waistline and that makes the pants comfortable to wear, especially when swing dancing.”
We join in to the music and begin swing dancing in slow step.
“Do you wear braces often?” I continue.
“Almost every day.”
“Wow, that’s uncommon! You must really love them.”
“Yes, I do. They’ve become part of my personal style. I couldn’t go a day wearing dress pants without braces. I love the classic men’s styles.”
“I agree. That era was so stylish. If you wear dress pants every day you must work in an office,” I say as we pick up the pace of our dance moves.
“Yes. I work in an office, spending my day sitting at a desk so my pants need to be comfortable when I’m sitting,” replies the man. “But when I stand up and walk, my pants need to stay in place as well.”
“And that’s where your suspenders, I mean, braces come in,” I say.
“Exactly,” smiles the man.
“Well, you look fantastic. Braces are much more distinguished than a belt.”
“I totally agree,” replies the man.
My hand intentionally nudges his rear brace strap as I spin behind him. He smiles. I love his braces.
We continue dancing for several more songs and then decide to take a break. We start to head off the dance floor from the centre, but it’s quite crowded and finding a path is challenging. He heads in one direct while holding my hand. About halfway along I’m losing my grip on his hand. In desperation I reach out and grab on to his rear brace strap. He stops and looks behind to inquire. I motion to continue but remain holding his rear brace strap. I maneuver off the dance floor holding his hand but also hanging onto his rear brace strap.
“Thank you for helping me out of there,” I say when we are off the dance floor, “I thought I was going to lose your lead and not get out!”
“No worries,” replies the man. “Would you like to wipe your brow?” he asks, reaching into his pocket and offering his clean handkerchief.
“Wow, yes, thank you,” I stammer. “Your vintage style keeps getting better! Vintage tie, braces, handkerchief!”
“Thank you,” replies the man.
“You know, women can wear suspenders too,” I declare.
“You’re right,” says the man as we head towards his dance partner.
“You’ve inspired me to get some braces for my high-waisted pencil skirt for next week’s dance,” I say. “I’ll need to buy a pair of button suspenders and sew buttons on the waistband, like you have,” pointing to his waistline.
“That would be lovely,” says the man.
“What’s that?” asks his lady friend joining the conversation.
“We were just talking about how women can also wear suspenders,” says the man.
“Yes,” said the lady, “I’m wearing suspenders right now,” she says with a smile.
“What?” we both say in unison as we stare at her. She’s wearing a knee-length dress, nothing requiring shoulder straps. She laughs as she lifts her dress hem to reveal her stockings attached to garters.
“Those are nice garter suspenders,” I say.
The man agrees, “yes, women also need to hold up their stockings just as much as men need suspenders to hold up their pants!”
“Yes, we all need suspenders!” I say as I reach out and pull on one of the man’s straps.
“Hey, that’s enough!” remarks the man.
“You’re just so snappy,” I say sheepishly.
“Just you wait until I snap one of your suspenders next week,” says the man to me.
“You wouldn’t dare!” I exclaim.
We all laugh. “Are you ready to dance again?” asks the lady as the man grabs a drink of water.
“Absolutely,” says the man. And that is what they did.
At the end of the night we say good bye and confirm to meet again next week.
~~~
The next following week the three of us return. We arrive at opening, eager to dance. The weather is warm and the man has left his suit jacket at home this time. He is wearing a grey suit with high-rise pants and stripped burgundy and white stripped braces over a blue dress shirt and dark tie. His female friend is wearing a floral dress. I’m wear my high-waisted brown skirt with stripped braces over a pastel blouse.
“You look great,” I say as we wait outside for the doors to open.
“As do you,” the man says. “I love your braces!”
“Thanks,” I say, putting my thumbs underneath the straps and sliding them down. “They take some getting used to. I’m not sure where the straps should lie – over my breasts or around them?”
“I think around,” says the lady, “similar to how the straps curve around a man’s chest.”
“I agree,” smiles the man, puffing out his chest.
“I'll try that,” I say shifting my straps to the side. “You two dance first; I’ll wait.”
After several songs, I feel a slight tug on my rear brace strap at my shoulder.
“Would you like to dance?” the man asks.
“Hey,” I reply jumping up. “Yes! Let’s dance.” I return the nod by flicking my finger across his brace strap as I rush past him onto the dance floor.
Off we go, dancing the night away wearing braces. The man dances with his friend and me throughout the evening, getting very little downtime, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He has learned some new dance steps and is full committing himself.
As the announcement for the final song comes on, the lady graciously lets me have the last dance with him. We get into starting position and I put my hand on his back. I feel a dangling piece of leather. I move my hand up and realize that it’s part of his braces, which have partially come detached.
“You’ve had a vigorous dancing session tonight. How are you holding up?” I ask.
“I’m doing great,” he responds.
“I’m glad to hear. Just like your braces are hanging in there?”
“Exactly,” he replies.
“Sorry to tell you though, but one of your brace attachments at the back has, um, come detached,” I say pulling and releasing the dangling brace tab. It twangs back into place with a snap. “I think you popped a button,” I say.
“Oh, I didn’t notice it with all the dancing tonight. Let’s finish this last song before inspecting,” he quickly replies as the song has already started.
We dance the last song and the dangling leather piece flutters around his back during our movements. At the end of the song we walk off the dance floor and rejoin the other lady.
“We had a vigorous dance session tonight,” I say pointing to the man’s rear brace tab.
“That’s right, it was intense,” says the man. He reaches around to feel the dangling rear brace tab and the lack of a corresponding button on his waistline.
“What happened?” asks the lady noticing the man’s arms behind his back.
“I popped a brace button,” he says.
“Was she snapping your braces again?” smirks the lady. “It must have just happened,” she continues, as she inspects his waistline, “as I didn’t notice anything during our last dance. And I had my hand on your back while dancing so I would have felt a loose leather piece flapping around.”
“Yeah, I didn’t notice it either until Julian pointed it out. That’s ok, these things happen, it’s only a button,” says the man.
“And buttons can be easily replaced,” I say. “I could sew on a replacement for you?” I ask.
“That would be appreciated,” replies the man sliding his fingers along his front brace straps to adjust them.
“Alright, having learned how to sew brace buttons to my skirt, I’m happy to sew on a button for you,” I say, tapping my buttons. “Let’s meet up this week. We can also practice our dance steps.” I say as we walk out of the hall into the cool evening air.
We breathe in and take a moment to relax before heading our separate ways.
