Braces on Casual Pants

[Brad Bowers]

Since I can't afford something like Bill's Khakis, I bought a pair of cotton trousers at Dillard's yesterday for $12.50, thanks to a thread on COW about their close-enough Indy pants. I wasn't looking for Indy pants, but just needing some casual khakis for around the house and to pair with an occasional sport coat or blazer.

I don't wear belts, as they don't hold up my britches, so all my dress pants have braces buttons. Would braces be out of line on these casual pants? With these new pants, the waistband is a single piece of fabric, so any brace buttons that went inside would have the thread showing on the outside. I could always put the buttons on the outside, but again, is that look appropriate for casual pants? If I have to, I can buy a belt and just keep hitching up my pants every so often.

Root, your historical perspective would be appreciated, but so would anyone else's modern perspective.

Thanks,

Brad

 

[binkmeisterRick]

I've put brace buttons on the inside of a number of my trousers, dress and casual. Any good pair of pants should have a layer or two of waistband material, allowing you to sew the buttons on firmly without having to poke the needle through the front of the pants. It may seem a bit tricky, it's not too difficult to do. In my opinion, I'd go ahead and sew them on the inside of the trousers. That way if you use a belt, it won't seem so akward.

bink

 

[binkmeisterRick]

You know, I also remember seeing something a long time ago which allowed you to use button braces on your britches (how's that for alliteration?) without having to sew on buttons. It essentially was something that snapped over your pants that had "buttons" built into it. Hmmm.. I'll have to see if I can find what that was...

 

[geo]

Use suspenders that button on, clip-on suspenders are bad taste, and they can unclip easily. You can put brace buttons on, it'll be OK. Even better is if you can remove the belt loops, if there are any.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Use suspenders that button on, clip-on suspenders are bad taste, and they can unclip easily.

Don't I know it! Many years ago, I first wore the clip-ons suspenders, before switching to braces. I've been smacked in the face with those metal clips when they let go. It's more embarrassing than it is painful.

bink, don't I feel stupid now. I went back and looked at the waistband, and it is two layers of fabric. As thin as it felt, I guess I just figured it was only one.

Thanks, gents, button on the inside it is!

Brad

 

[binkmeisterRick]

Shoot, I can't find on google what I was looking for. Essentially, these were stylish metal clasps/clamps of sorts which had metal "buttons" on the one side. You'd slide the device over your wasteband and (I believe) screw them in blace. Once set, you could wear your button hole suspenders with them. They were designed to look classy and not silly, but it's been ages since I've seen these anywhere.

I agree, though, typical clip on suspenders are cheesy. I still think it's be easy to sew buttons to the inside of your pants without having to show the thread on the outside. Take them to a tailer and she'll probably do it with no trouble at all.

EDIT: You posted at the same time as me! I'm glad it'll work out for you, Brad! You'll be up and running in no time. Just find some workable buttons and you'll be good to go!

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I recently asked myself this same question. I think it depends on the cut and style of the trousers. I got a pair of M1-style Bill's khakis and had suspender buttons added by my tailor. It looks really sharp because the cut of the trousers looks very vintage. High rise, wide leg, thick cuffs. The more modern the khakis look the less suspenders would work I believe.

Btw, I think adding the buttons on the outside and removing the belt looks would look really sharp. A lot of vintage work (and dress) pants had exterior suspender buttons like that.

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Shoot, I can't find on google what I was looking for. Essentially, these were stylish metal clasps/clamps of sorts which had metal "buttons" on the one side. You'd slide the device over your wasteband and (I believe) screw them in blace. Once set, you could wear your button hole suspenders with them. They were designed to look classy and not silly, but it's been ages since I've seen these anywhere.

Rick, are these the clips you are talking about?

These are the so-called "Double-Ups?¢‚Äû¬¢" suspenders. The makers claim they have "the aesthetic look of button-on braces with the ease of clips". Has anyone had any experience with these?

Personally, I'm too much of a traditionalist to wear these things; but they might be a practical alternative for someone who doesn't want to fuss with sewing-on buttons.

 

[Braxton36]

They make clip-on ties, too. Would you wear one? My opinion, in a word: yuck!

 

[binkmeisterRick]

Nope, that's not them, although I did see these while looking for what I thought existed. I'm like you, I prefer the real thing.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Recently I got a three piece suit made up from my tailor. I requested the buttons to be added to the trousers so I could use braces if I wanted instead of a belt. His response was this.
"If your pants have belt loops you must wear a belt. Belts were made as a fashion accessory. They were never intended to hold your pants up. The look nice with a shiny buckle. That's it. So if you are wearing suspenders on trousers with belt loops you must still wear a belt."
Being he is a fourth generation tailor in a family owned business. I take his word in it. He also told me I could stand to loose a few pounds, but that's another story. But how this relates to the topic at hand. If you have belt loops, and are wearing a belt, you don't have to be concerned about thread showing threw. The belt hides it.

 

[David V]

Recently I got a three piece suit made up from my tailor. I requested the buttons to be added to the trousers so I could use braces if I wanted instead of a belt. His response was this.
"If your pants have belt loops you must wear a belt. Belts were made as a fashion accessory. They were never intended to hold your pants up. The look nice with a shiny buckle. That's it. So if you are wearing suspenders on trousers with belt loops you must still wear a belt."
Being he is a fourth generation tailor in a family owned business. I take his word in it. He also told me I could stand to loose a few pounds, but that's another story. But how this relates to the topic at hand. If you have belt loops, and are wearing a belt, you don't have to be concerned about thread showing threw. The belt hides it.

Regardless of how many other members of his family have been tailors he is wrong.

If you are wearing braces you do not wear a belt!

 

[johnnycanuck]

Why? If your pants have belt loops it was made for a belt. Without a belt, you now have silly loops on you pants serving no purpose. If you are going to only wear braces, remove the loops. Or at least that is what I would do.
Besides there is nothing wrong with wearing braces and belts. Ferris Bueller? Bueller? Beuller?

 

[John in Covina]

Double Indemnity

I have worn a Belt with braces, but only if I knew I would not take of my jacket. It is one of those rules, and I can't say that there is a good reason for either, with / without.

"Red wine with fish, that should have told me something." Bond to Grant in "From Russia With Love" train portion.

 

[binkmeisterRick]

Is there a steadfast rule for the belt plus or minus braces? I've seen both and I've done both...

 

[Flitcraft]

It looks really sharp because the cut of the trousers looks very vintage. High rise, wide leg, thick cuffs. The more modern the khakis look the less suspenders would work I believe.

Btw, I think adding the buttons on the outside and removing the belt looks would look really sharp. A lot of vintage work (and dress) pants had exterior suspender buttons like that.

Good points, Mr. Berkov!
Check out "Brideshead Revisited"- lots of examples of exterior brace buttons- especially on pre-War trousers.

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Is there a steadfast rule for the belt plus or minus braces? I've seen both and I've done both...

Yes, there is a steadfast rule. The rule is that you get to choose one of the two, or neither. You can never choose both.

Thus it is perfectly proper to wear pants without either belt or suspenders if the pants are properly fitted, preferably with side-adjusters. It is proper to wear suspenders with no belt, or a belt with no suspenders.

It is NEVER proper to wear a belt AND suspenders.

In general, wearing two different articles which have the same purpose looks bad. You don't wear both a pocketwatch and a wristwatch. You don't use a collar pin with a tab collar. You don't wear sock garters with over-the-calf socks. You simply pick which option you like best and go with it, even if it means giving up some other benefit.

With respect to suspenders and belts, johnny's tailor is wrong but there is a small element of truth to his rationale anyway. Suspenders predate belts as a method of holding up pants by quite some time. When belts first began to be used to hold up pants, people still wore their pants high at the natural waist. Most men can't wear pants at that height without something to hold them up. Suspenders work best but belts will also work if only adequately.

Over time, the length of the rise on mens pants got lower and lower and today the vast majority wear their pants sitting on their hips, not at their natural waist. With pants of even vaguely the right size there is almost no need to wear a belt when the pants are hanging from your hips. Plus, since practically nobody wears vests anymore, this combined with low-cut trousers means that the belt is an element on public display at all times making it an element of fashion rather than function.

 

[John in Covina]

VB that is the best rational explanation I have heard on this subject yet. Bravo!:eusa_clap

 

[binkmeisterRick]

Thanks, Vladimir! Just curious, is this actually written anywhere, or is it just something that's been handed down through the generations? Regardless, it's an excellent explanation. If I wear a vest, I always wear braces only, unless I don't have brace buttons. Still, I rarely ever wore both belt and braces together, though I admit to having done so a couple times in the past. Only did this after seeing it done elsewhere. I guess the guy never logged on here.

 

[Doghouse Reily]

Bachelor buttons

http://www.hanksclothing.com/suspenderbuttons.htm