BRACES (SUSPENDERS)

[dnjan]

I recently noticed a few listings on ebay, (they are over now) but the item description listed the suspenders as being silk with leather. I think I should have bid on them now, but was not sure if they would be O.K. or not?

I have purchased a few sets like that on ebay. I prefer the coarser (heavier) silk weave ones, as they don't seem to wear as easily from contact with the metal adjusting clip.
I have some "no-names" as well as a couple of Trafalgar brand. The Trafalgar's are definitely better, and with patience you can still get them at a good price.

 

[Shangas]

Successfully converted another pair of my trousers to accept button-on braces. I took a member's advice (I forgot who, but if he's reading this, he'll know who he was), and spread the buttons out a bit more at the front and back. The one, second-hand pair of braces that I own now sit much more comfortably. Not that they didn't before, but the rise in comfort is significant.

I used six buttons from an old shirt to convert these trousers. The shirt was a castoff from the local thrift-shop which I bought for $1. The shirt has so many buttons that it gave up enough (another six) for me to convert another pair of my trousers to braces.

A friend told me about a shop in town that I might like (he made some comment about me and my 'oldschool style' of dressing) and said I should go find it. He could only give me a vague fixing on where the shop is. I'm gonna go hunting tomorrow and see if I can find it. Maybe they have braces. I love the pairs that people have put up here over the last few posts. The pair I have is bright red, but I would like a pair of standard black braces as well.

 

[Briguy]

Hey fellows! I left notice on the finds,etc. portion of the forum, but there is a fantastic pair of Vintage real-deal Calvin Curtis (not Trafalgar) braces up on eBay, and they are works of art! Topless majorettes! Real dolls, too. They don't make then like that anymore! Anyhow, it's worth taking a peep. They're up another 4 days. I wish I had the scratch handy, but Xmas is almost upon us. I'm glad to have found the site. It seems like a good place to swap ideas and info! Have a good weekend and happy Thanksgiving!

 

[scottyrocks]

Would you post the link here, please?

 

[Shangas]

All things come to those who wait.

Last week I went to the local thrift-shop and a pair of red braces came in for sale. I would've bought them, but one of the brass adjuster-slides was broken. So that rendered them useless.

Today, on a total whim, I went to the same shop and hanging in the menswear section with the ties, belts and bowties was a pair of black, cllip-on suspenders. All intact with no damage, breakage, rips or anything.

$5.

I bought them on the spot.

Be nicer if they were button-ons, but beggars can't be chosers. These have got an X-back to them.

 

[Briguy]

Here ya go!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-Ca...844?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbe9e2c5c

 

[Shangas]

A photo of my new, $5 braces:

Me wearing them (I apologise for the hair):

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I ordered two pairs of Albert Thurston braces on Thursday. One is red & the other is wine. They will be hanging right next to my black & navy/wine striped braces.

Also, does anyone know how to clean boxcloth?

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[esteban68]

I found these 'Society' beauties in a local charity shop, don't seem to have had much if any use and resultingly are in perfect order, possibly a bit small for me though might be ok with fishtail backed trousers?

adjusters appear to be stainless steel?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I like!

 

[GoldenEraFan]

I don't know if anyone's discussed it in this thread before, but is there a trick to determining the age of suspendors? I know that materials and manufacture labels help. Like if it's Calvin Klein, made in China etc it's obviously modern. Were 1910's-1950's suspendor's any different from a visual standpoint? Were they made shorter when pant waists were higher? Were narrow ones more common than wide ones? I'll leave it to you pro's.

 

[Shangas]

I may be wrong, but this is how I understood it...

Braces as we know them today, were invented in the 1820s/30s, in London. Of course, there are various widths, but it's my understanding that WIDER braces (beyond say, an inch wide), started coming out in the postwar period, and that prior to that, thinner braces were the fashion.

As for telling the ages of braces, I really couldn't say. I'd guess that examining WHO made the braces, and also country of manufacture, would be the best way to find out.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Sometimes you find braces that are very short and couldn't possibly fit with modern lowrider pants. Those are most likely old.

There are some catalog scans (in the sticky) that show different types of braces...

 

[Dinerman]

No rules ever hold true all the time.
1903. 1-5/8" wide.

 

[mooglesrcute]

Anyone know a place online to buy some real suspenders? (button to the pants) Was gifted some pants, and don't know where to get some real suspenders. Also, how do you know your size? are their sizes?!

 

[carldelo]

http://www.suspenderstore.com/button-suspenders.html is having a 10% off sale with code SPRINGSALE through June 16. Paul Frederick also has a few, be sure to check in the clearance section. Truthfully, most of my best braces were found in thrift stores, generally for less than $5, and usually unworn. Braces and French-cuff shirts seem to be heavily discarded gift items, and are easy to find used.

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

I generally buy them through Amazon.com. Broadly speaking, unless you are the size of an NBA center or have a waist size of 60 inches, the slide adjusters on the suspenders will accommodate.

 

[Rudie]

Darcy's and Juke Jive have some nice vintage styled suspenders/braces.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Darcy's and Juke Jive have some nice vintage styled suspenders/braces.

:arated:

 

[The Rag And Bone Man]

Yes Darcy's braces, are very good I have 3 pairs I recently purchased and at 16 quid a pair and postage next to nothing to Australia I was very happy.
Not only that they are made in England, and the quality shows.