# suspenders w/ pants, with belt loops?



## Bernard Arnest (Oct 22, 2007)

Hi,

Only one of my pants is suited for suspenders.

The others, however-- anyone can wield a needle and stitch some buttons on the inside to accommodate suspenders.
But then, I'd prefer to still leave the belt loops on, rather than have one half of my wardrobe for suspenders only and one for belts only (it's not that large!). Would this look funny?

Finally, do you have any particular makers of suspenders that you highly recommend, and is there anything I should know about conventions of wearing them (or is simply casually, without a suit, just fine?)


thanks!
-Bernard


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## suit yourself (Oct 8, 2007)

I think it is perfectly fine to wear suspenders with belt loops. I wear suspenders a lot of the time, but other times I do still wear belts, and it is handy to just keep the belt loops. I also think it is fine to wear suspenders without a jacket, but most other people here will say this is a bad thing.


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## Reddington (Nov 15, 2007)

Bernard Arnest said:


> Hi,
> 
> Only one of my pants is suited for suspenders.
> 
> ...


Wearing suspenders with pants w/ belt loops is fine....as long as you don't wear a belt. Belt + suspenders = bad form. 

I would also wear a jacket or blazer with the suspenders. Of course, you can remove the jacket when in the office. I just wouldn't wear suspenders without a jacket or blazer as it would look like 'Mork from Ork'. (LOL)

Cheers.


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## dfloyd (May 7, 2006)

*If all my woolen trousers were bespoke..*

I wouldn't have belt loops since I wear braces 100% of the time when wearing a jacket. Some trousers do not lend themselves to belt loop removal since the loops are sewn between the lining and the trouser fabric. When wearing cotton trousers and jeans, I wear a belt. The belt loops do not bother me that much since I never remove my jacket.


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## Aaron in Allentown (Oct 26, 2007)

I always have my trousers made with brace buttons and without belt loops.


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

IMO, suspenders without a jacket is a real country bumpkin look; sometimes a necessity, but one to be avoided if possible. As far as belt loops are concerned, they shouldn't show if your jacket is on, so no problem. However, if you are among the lucky few who can aford bespoke clothing, there is a difference in cut for trousers specifically for suspenders, a little higher in the back, a little more tailored around the waist.


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## Jordan Ross (Feb 4, 2005)

Bernard Arnest said:


> Hi,
> 
> Only one of my pants is suited for suspenders.
> 
> ...


Please stop calling braces suspenders. Suspenders are what ignorant Americans call sock garters.


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## jar2574 (Aug 30, 2007)

Jordan Ross said:


> Please stop calling braces suspenders. Suspenders are what ignorant Americans call sock garters.


Them, and Oxford's pocket dictionary.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-suspenders.html


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## Aaron in Allentown (Oct 26, 2007)

jar2574 said:


> Them, and Oxford's pocket dictionary.
> https://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-suspenders.html


LMAO!


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

As for definitions, here's what I have in the Chapter on Braces in The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes:

*Braces, Suspenders and Garters.*​These words have the similar meanings depending on what country you're in. ​A suspender is a British word used to describe elastic ribbon used to hold up women's stockings by fastening them to the corset, girdle or suspender belt! Suspenders are found at the bottom of some corsets and are sometimes removable. They are called a "garter" in America.​Braces, a British word, as well as the term used in high end men's clothing stores, and suspenders, an American word are synonymous. Although "suspenders" is often used to describe the type that clip on! ​Many clothing experts believe that braces are the only choice for suits. We don't go that far believing that belts vs. braces are a matter of choice. ​Braces allow trousers to drape by holding them in place at the waist from the shoulders so they don't slip to the hip. Your waistband then can naturally expand when you sit (unlike belts) and it also prevents the waist fabric from bunching up. ​Two circumstances *require braces* instead of a belt. ​
1. Under a vest a belt protrudes ruining the smooth line, and ​
2. With formalwear, braces are traditional.​If you have trousers made for you and you're only going to wear braces you can have the tailor exclude the belt loops.

But there is nothing wrong with wearing braces on a pair of trousers that have belt loops.


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## Bernard Arnest (Oct 22, 2007)

Thanks! I'm pretty much won-over to suspenders, then.

I won't be wearing sport coats or suits for a while. But if in winter, I still wear an overcoat when outside, suspenders may be fine? 

As a follow up on the fit of pants. I have a 40" waist, measured loosely with a tape. Since it is not all bone, I can very comfortably wear 38"-waisted pants-- indeed, to hold them up, I usually belt my pants to about 38" anyway. I often get 38" pants so that I don't have that extra cinched material after putting on the belt.

But would I want to wear 40" pants with suspenders, since they will do the work of holding up the pants, not the pants themselves or a belt?
on the other hand, is there any risk that the suspenders will start to pull the pants up too high in a clownish fashion, if the pant waist is exactly equal to my waist, no tighter?


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## flylot74 (Jul 26, 2007)

Bernard Arnest said:


> on the other hand, is there any risk that the suspenders will start to pull the pants up too high in a clownish fashion, if the pant waist is exactly equal to my waist, no tighter?


Not if the braces are properly adjusted. I've never had this problem.


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## Mark from Plano (Jan 29, 2007)

Bernard Arnest said:


> on the other hand, is there any risk that the suspenders will start to pull the pants up too high in a clownish fashion, if the pant waist is exactly equal to my waist, no tighter?


The great thing about braces/suspenders is that once they're set, they pretty much hold the waistband in that position, no matter what. No higher, no lower (or at least not much).


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## yellow braces (Jul 28, 2007)

Bernard Arnest said:


> Hi,
> 
> Only one of my pants is suited for suspenders.
> 
> ...


Hi Bernard,
I like to wear braces (suspenders) casually without suit as well as with suits. I have jeans (Levis) with metal buttons on the outside and wear braces with these, often without jacket, and they just look and feel fine. 
If you are new to wearing braces I'm sure you'll find them both comfortable and smart in appearance.


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## Mike Petrik (Jul 5, 2005)

Bernard Arnest said:


> Thanks! I'm pretty much won-over to suspenders, then.
> 
> I won't be wearing sport coats or suits for a while. But if in winter, I still wear an overcoat when outside, suspenders may be fine?
> 
> ...


I usually wear braces with my suits and sport coats, and typically have the trousers tailored to be an inch or so greater than my waist. The braces hold them up perfectly, and talk about comfortable!


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## ice (Sep 2, 2005)

rip said:


> IMO, suspenders without a jacket is a real country bumpkin look; sometimes a necessity, but one to be avoided if possible. As far as belt loops are concerned, they shouldn't show if your jacket is on, so no problem. However, if you are among the lucky few who can aford bespoke clothing, there is a difference in cut for trousers specifically for suspenders, a little higher in the back, a little more tailored around the waist.


Hey, suspenders without a jacket was corporate power dressing in the late 80's early 90's! Actually it has been about twenty years now, that look is due for a comeback.


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## Reddington (Nov 15, 2007)

ice said:


> Hey, suspenders without a jacket was corporate power dressing in the late 80's early 90's! Actually it has been about twenty years now, that look is due for a comeback.


Well, won't this guy be pleased. :icon_smile_wink:


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

Larry King's exposed galluses  look truly awful, especially with the shiny metal adjuster clips pulled up all the way to the level of his tie knot--much too close to his face.


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## gar1013 (Sep 24, 2007)

Jordan Ross said:


> Please stop calling braces suspenders. Suspenders are what ignorant Americans call sock garters.
> __________________
> You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression


Last I checked, you were residing in America. As such, "suspenders" is the more correct term.

If you were in England, you would say "crisps" when asking for what we call "chips". If you were to ask for a packet of "crisps" in the US, you would at best receive a tube of Pringles, although you would be more likely to receive some questioning stares. If you were residing in Australia, you'd probably ask for some "tomato sauce" to put on your "chips", but while in the US you would ask for some ketchup to put on your fries.

Many people I know who are from England and Australia have mastered the ability to use the local terminology in situations in which it could be considered confusing, and to be able to determine what is actually meant when someone uses an ambiguous term.

To criticize someone for using the proper terminology for the country in which they currently reside tends to make one look a pillock. Or pompous.

Unless you know what the word pillock means without looking it up, you would be wise to not refer to Americans who do not use English terminology as ignorant.


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## a tailor (May 16, 2005)

Bernard Arnest said:


> Thanks! I'm pretty much won-over to suspenders, then.
> 
> I won't be wearing sport coats or suits for a while. But if in winter, I still wear an overcoat when outside, suspenders may be fine?
> 
> ...


to be properly fitted you must be wearing the braces/suspenders at the time of fitting. 
if not you will not get the right length. 
or the true feeling of the fit.


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## flylot74 (Jul 26, 2007)

While we are at critiquing Mr. Kings wardrobe, would it be safe to say that his tie is a bit too long?



PJC in NoVa said:


> Larry King's exposed galluses  look truly awful, especially with the shiny metal adjuster clips pulled up all the way to the level of his tie knot--much too close to his face.


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

Jordan Ross said:


> Please stop calling braces suspenders. Suspenders are what ignorant Americans call sock garters.


That's funny; I never realized that Nevada was in the UK. "Braces" is a Britishism used by those Americans who have become overwhelmed by their anglophilia. These are frequently the same Americans who use "whilst" and "amongst". The word "suspenders" is quite correctly used to describe those devices attached to trousers by either clip or button to support or "suspend" those same trousers from the shoulders, thereby keeping said trousers around the waist rather than the ankles.


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

Bernard Arnest said:


> Thanks! I'm pretty much won-over to suspenders, then.
> 
> I won't be wearing sport coats or suits for a while. But if in winter, I still wear an overcoat when outside, suspenders may be fine?
> 
> ...


Rather than actually working against gravity by pulling the pants upward, suspenders merely let the pants hang from them at the proper height. You merely adjust the suspenders so that the pants cuff is where you want it, then forget about them. Unlike belts, you don't need to be constantly adjusting your pants.


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## windsor (Dec 12, 2006)

These glowing reports of braces/suspenders have convinced me to give them a try. I already have some on hand. No point in resting on my sartorial laurels just because I have fiqured out how to tie a bow tie.


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## JibranK (May 28, 2007)

rip said:


> That's funny; I never realized that Nevada was in the UK. "Braces" is a Britishism used by those Americans who have become overwhelmed by their anglophilia. These are frequently the same Americans who use "whilst" and "amongst". The word "suspenders" is quite correctly used to describe those devices attached to trousers by either clip or button to support or "suspend" those same trousers from the shoulders, thereby keeping said trousers around the waist rather than the ankles.


Um... I know I lived abroad for a bit, but did "whilst" and "amongst" become bad in the past three years?


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## gar1013 (Sep 24, 2007)

JibranK said:


> Um... I know I lived abroad for a bit, but did "whilst" and "amongst" become bad in the past three years?


Depends on if they're a sort of affectation, or if their use is more natural in origin.

Sometimes I'll say whilst, but that's from spending too much time around my fiancee. Somehow it misplaces what I would've said otherwise. A similar example is that when I came back from living in Germany, there were times when I could've expressed myself far better in German than in English.


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

JibranK said:


> Um... I know I lived abroad for a bit, but did "whilst" and "amongst" become bad in the past three years?


Not bad, but not American. The American words are "while" and "among".


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## JibranK (May 28, 2007)

Ah, well my parents were raised in the Commonwealth and educated in English schools - so my English is heavily, well, English.


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## Jordan Ross (Feb 4, 2005)

gar1013 said:


> Last I checked, you were residing in America. As such, "suspenders" is the more correct term.
> 
> If you were in England, you would say "crisps" when asking for what we call "chips". If you were to ask for a packet of "crisps" in the US, you would at best receive a tube of Pringles, although you would be more likely to receive some questioning stares. If you were residing in Australia, you'd probably ask for some "tomato sauce" to put on your "chips", but while in the US you would ask for some ketchup to put on your fries.
> 
> ...


I had no idea that there was this joyful opportunity sitting here for nearly a year, awaiting my droll response.

I'll plead guilty to response. And I still mainatain that it's vulgar to use the word suspenders to refer to braces. And now if you will excuse me, I will contemplate what a splendid fellow I am and how much I admire myself.


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## elegal (Oct 29, 2008)

Do you think it would be hard for me to personally remove my belt loops?


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## Preu Pummel (Feb 5, 2008)

elegal said:


> Do you think it would be hard for me to personally remove my belt loops?


Depends on the material of the pants, the craftsmanship of the loops, and the implement you use to remove them. And it takes patience.

Belt loops are usually super-duper stitched in to never break. Be very careful you don't ruin the waist band area as you cut them loose.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

:icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big: suspenders :icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big:

We call them braces. 

Suspenders over here are something far more sexy!


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