# Are Braces an ageist thing? - Who wears them?



## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Are braces an ageist thing or am I one of the few younger guys who wear them? Who else out there wears them and what age group do you fall into? I don't think I am alone, but you never know !

I used to wear them just now and again but have now taken to wear them most days at work and often when out at weekends. I just find them much better than a belt and far more stylish. I don't see many other young guys wearing them but do get loads of positive comments from others when they see me with them on. I only ever see very old guys wearing them and then only as a real necessity and not as a fashion accessory or a bit of style.

I know many guys still hide them under jackets, and maybe thats why they are not seen but I just wonders how many guys out there do wear them, when they wear them and what age group most wearer fall into.

It would be nice to know I am not alone and that more guys than I think do actually wear them (maybe just hidden from sight).


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## Cardinals5 (Jun 16, 2009)

Age bracket: 30-35
When: almost always with suits (jacket rarely comes off), sometimes with sport coat/odd trousers
Why: not for "style," but because they're more comfortable than a belt.


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## Phenom (Apr 10, 2010)

Age Bracket: 40 - 45

I have worn braces on-and-off for 20+ years. Belts have more practical purposes, but braces are more comfortable.


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## Nerev (Apr 25, 2009)

Age Bracket: 25-30

I wear them with suits and the coat always stays on. Braces are just so much more comfortable than belts and they hold up pants better too. This definately isn't a "style" item for me, it is just more comfortable.


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## sowilson (Jul 27, 2009)

I'm fat and 50 - braces look good.


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## David V (Sep 19, 2005)

Not an "ageist" thing. It's an adult thing.


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)

.
Braces look good in all situations.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

Only we geezers! +90. Jeesh!


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

To some extent it inevitably will be. We gone from it being the norm 50 years ago to being occasional nowadays as styles and fashion have both moved on. Older people will tend to wear fashions more common when they were young but equally some younger people will wear braces because they choose to. Always remember that most trousers sold RTW are not suitable for braces so that further restricts the numbers who do - older people tend to be more senior which means higher salaries which means bespoke clothing.


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## Reptilicus (Dec 14, 2004)

If you want a pair of these babies from Filson, you're going to want the braces.


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

+1 to everyone

Age Bracket: 15-20

I like wearing braces with suits because they are more comfortable than belts. They also look good, too!


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

Bracket 45-50. I have converted to braces after seeing the light here at AAAC and Will B's ASW blog. They're more comfortable.

I'll even wear clip-ons, but only furtively, i.e. around the house or if I can cover up my shameful deed with a vest or sweater.


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## De-Boj (Jul 5, 2009)

30 - 35 
I own them, but I lost some weight and no longer wear most of the pants that have the buttons. I still have one pair with the buttons, and use the braces every now and then. Maybe I should add buttons to all of my current pants...


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## bluesman (Aug 17, 2009)

I'm 60+ and have been wearing them since college because I like the way they keep the waistband of my pants level. I'm not overweight (6'2", 34 waist), but the waistband of my pants rides a bit lower in the front than in the back when I wear a belt at a comfortable length. It's not a big deal, but I like the way braces counter it.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Loved to Rab C Nesbitt photo but that is not the style I was thinking of Ha Ha.

I myself am 35-40 age range and wore braces off and on until a few years ago when I changed over fully and now wear them almost all the time. If I turn up at work without them on people ask "where are the braces today". 

Sounds like lots of guys do wear braces but prefer to hide them away, why is that? Is it a USA thing or a Brit thing?

So I am not alone with wearing braces, but sounds like I may be alone with wanting to show them off without a jacket. (unless you do also !!)

I love to show mine off and mix and match them with different shirt & ties, adds a splash of colour to the place. I have never found anyone offended by me wearing my braces without a jacket, lots of people comment how good they look. I just think because people tend to hide them away other people must think like me that no one else does wear them and my feel a bit awkwark about trying to wear braces themselves. If a few more people would give them a try they would find out how comfortable they are and how stylish they can look (without being hidden by a jacket!!!)


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## katon (Dec 25, 2006)

No, although I imagine that trousers specifically designed for them (fishtail back, etc.) are.


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> Sounds like lots of guys do wear braces but prefer to hide them away, why is that? Is it a USA thing or a Brit thing?


Here's some evidence from a fellow Cumbrian that it is (or at least was) a Brit thing (though possibly _also_ a USA thing).


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Kurt N said:


> Here's some evidence from a fellow Cumbrian that it is (or at least was) a Brit thing (though possibly _also_ a USA thing).


Wow how can they say wearing braces without a jacket is like wearing your underwear outside !!! You would like to think things have changed a bit these days, mind you if I went out in my underwear I don't think I would get as many positive comments back as I do when I wear my braces out. I don't think the sight of me in my boxer/briefs would be a good one Ha Ha.

Any other Brits got a point of view on this? Maybe we can turn the trend around and shake off the underwear image.

I will stick to the braces without the jacket and try and squash this old school thing of hiding them away. Power to the Braces !!!


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## Benjamin E. (Mar 2, 2007)

I just turned 21 and have been wearing braces almost exclusively for 2 years now, and for another 2 or 3 years prior have been wearing them with suits. I had about a month where I wore a belt extremely sporadically, probably enough times to count on both hands. I am more often than not jacketless and for about 7 weeks or so have been wearing fishtail trousers (still jacketless!). While I've been trying to wear a jacket more often, the fact that it's getting hotter and the ones I have are wearing out hampers this.


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## Hanzo (Sep 9, 2009)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> Wow how can they say wearing braces without a jacket is like wearing your underwear outside !!! You would like to think things have changed a bit these days, mind you if I went out in my underwear I don't think I would get as many positive comments back as I do when I wear my braces out. I don't think the sight of me in my boxer/briefs would be a good one Ha Ha.
> 
> Any other Brits got a point of view on this? Maybe we can turn the trend around and shake off the underwear image.
> 
> I will stick to the braces without the jacket and try and squash this old school thing of hiding them away. Power to the Braces !!!


Yes, the braces are the same as underwear thing has been around for awhile and is "proper", but then again, the same used to be said of a shirt and it was considered rude to remove one's coat with a lady present. Times change. As far as I'm concerned, if they were never supposed to be seen, why do they make them in different colors?

I rarely wear them but I think that is in part due to the fact that no one else here at the company does and I don't want to become "the guy who wears suspenders all the time". Though I do own a suit that doesn't have belt loops and I wear them with that and usually get compliments.

Oh, and I'm in the 25-30 range.


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## brendon (Jun 24, 2008)

hi im 28 and only wear a suit once in a while but i always wear braces with them, i also wear them with jeans. As for hiding them i dont go in for that if your scared of what people might think then you are silly just wear them be proud and most of all have fun.


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

I'm 22 and I wear braces with my suits. They are far more comfortable and secure than belts. I'd wear them all the time if I could always keep them hidden. I don't like to display them, so they are always underneath a suit, sports coat or sweater.


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

Hanzo said:


> As far as I'm concerned, if they were never supposed to be seen, why do they make them in different colors?


Just please don't apply that logic to boxer shorts!


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)




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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Kurt N said:


> Just please don't apply that logic to boxer shorts!


Yes I could not agree more, but you do see lots of young guys with jeans at half mast and boxers on full show, I think they are the ones who need the braces Ha Ha.

The point below that Hanzo made is exactly my issue, if more guys showed off their braces then others would not be embarrassed about wearing them as well...

QUOTE... [I rarely wear them but I think that is in part due to the fact that no one else here at the company does and I don't want to become "the guy who wears suspenders all the time". Though I do own a suit that doesn't have belt loops and I wear them with that and usually get compliments.]

Sounds like more people than we think wear braces but still hide them away. If young guys can walk about with their boxers on full show what is wrong with walking about with braces on full show?​In this day and age is it really still thought of as underwear that should be hidden?

Should I cover them up from now on or still go for it and show my braces off?


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## Hanzo (Sep 9, 2009)

Kurt N said:


> Just please don't apply that logic to boxer shorts!


Well, its 87 degrees and 90% humidity here today, so believe me when I say that if I could get away with wearing a banana hammock into the office, I'd probably go for it.


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## Douglas Brisbane Gray (Jun 7, 2010)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> Loved to Rab C Nesbitt photo but that is not the style I was thinking of Ha Ha.
> 
> I myself am 35-40 age range and wore braces off and on until a few years ago when I changed over fully and now wear them almost all the time. If I turn up at work without them on people ask "where are the braces today".
> 
> ...












Better ?


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Douglas Brisbane Gray said:


> Better ?


No I think I brush up a bit better than Rab C.

Nice to see a fellow Scot on the site, even if you are a West Coast guy !!!


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## MikeDT (Aug 22, 2009)

Douglas Brisbane Gray said:


> Better ?


Thanks for reminding me of one of the reasons why I moved from the UK.


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> ...In this day and age is it really still thought of as underwear that should be hidden?
> 
> Should I cover them up from now on or still go for it and show my braces off?


Well, now in all seriousness: it's been a while since Mahon got ticked off (is that the right expression?) for going out in shirt and braces--and even then, the braces-as-underwear rule was obvious a bit of an archaism Mahon ran afoul of due to working for a very traditional establishment. So: no, they're not generally considered underwear.

However, while there are lots of folk for whom rules get in the way of "having fun" (hellooo Brendon!), there are others (including myself) for whom rules are one of the main ways of _having_ fun. Learning rules like "Belt should match trousers" and "Derbies are more casual than oxfords" (and, incidentally, learning the differences between British and US terminology) provides the same sort of pleasure as understanding the infield fly rule in baseball or of knowing what flowers are best on what occasions. It's the pleasure of mastery. Of course it's possible to get petty/snotty about this ("Stand up, you idiots! That's Handel's Messiah they're playing!!"), but at its best this kind of rule-following is an innocent pleasure and gives one a sense of connection with generations past.

That, I surmise, is why a lot of guys prefer to keep their braces hidden.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Douglas Brisbane Gray said:


> Better ?


Well I did once give that style a go but that was a serious dress down Friday...and not one of my better days.

So whish one is you?

No seriously I just think more more guys should show off their braces a bit more.

The comments by Kurt N make it sound like a criminal offence to be seen wearing a pair of braces, that can't be true !!!

These thug picture give the wrong image, nice smart guys in good braces can cut a dash when it comes to style, as well as being more comfortable as eveyone says they also just look so much better than having a belt tied around your waist. I think its about time braces had a real come back and were no longer thought of as underwear to be keep hidden.


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

^^^^


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## De-Boj (Jul 5, 2009)

I think the reason many guys hide the braces, is thanks to TV. Isn't sort of a stereotype that unpopular, dorky guys wear suspenders(sorry gang I am American, and can't call them braces any more). I think they are up there with bow ties, where we all know there isa nothing wrong with them, but can't get over the image.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

De-Boj said:


> I think the reason many guys hide the braces, is thanks to TV. Isn't sort of a stereotype that unpopular, dorky guys wear suspenders(sorry gang I am American, and can't call them braces any more). I think they are up there with bow ties, where we all know there isa nothing wrong with them, but can't get over the image.


I think that is the best explanation I have had for why guys hide their braces/suspenders. It is a shame that guys find them so good to wear but have to hide them from sight unless they want to be seen as the dorky guy. I felt a but strange when I first started to wear mine and show them off but after a while you realise that no one bats an eye and I feel very comfortable wearing them out and about in full view.

My point is maybe we should crush this stereotype image and get more guys to wear them and show them off so that they look as normal place as a guy wearing a belt. Could you imagine how strange it would be if guys all tried to hide their belts from view!! so why do it with braces/suspenders?


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## Hanzo (Sep 9, 2009)

I think they can be very stylish, and regardless of some of the negative feelings some have about these images from the 80s, I still think they look good.


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> The comments by Kurt N make it sound like a criminal offence to be seen wearing a pair of braces, that can't be true !!!


I was just reporting Mahon's experience, and obviously standards vary with place and time. Here are two famous, respected men appearing in shirtsleeves not only in public but before the national media during arguably the most important week of their lives. Note also others in the background.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Scopes_trial.jpg
That's Darrow and Bryan, 1925. Admittedly the weather was brutal.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Kurt N said:


> I was just reporting Mahon's experience, and obviously standards vary with place and time. Here are two famous, respected men appearing in shirtsleeves not only in public but before the national media during arguably the most important week of their lives. Note also others in the background.


Kurt I took your comment the wrong way, sorry..I think it looks so natural for guys to be seen dressed like this and no one cares about whether they hide their braces or not. There are lots of photos of big name people who all wearing braces and show the world they do, so I think we should take their lead and don't care what history says about braces being seen in public, just be yourself and go for it and others will follow.


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## IlliniFlyer (Sep 20, 2009)

I just wanted to say thanks for those that have contributed to this tread so far. The post about braces/suspenders being stereotyped as dorky opened my eyes. I think in certain parts of the US (meaning everywhere I have been so far), the trad style of dressing is incredibly dorky. Andy Bernard on the Office (US version of course) is the epitome of being a dork. Among clothing enthusiasts it is probably stylish and very appropriate... to everyone else it is simply a funny way of dressing.

I agree that if more guys (or more specifically athletes, fighter pilots, or ranchers) wore suspenders, they would lose the stereotype of being a) not cool or b) old and not cool.

As for me, I want to one day sport the suspenders with some Filson tin cloth pants.


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## Sean1982 (Sep 7, 2009)

Under 30 and wear button braces daily


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

IlliniFlyer said:


> I just wanted to say thanks for those that have contributed to this tread so far. The post about braces/suspenders being stereotyped as dorky opened my eyes. I think in certain parts of the US (meaning everywhere I have been so far), the trad style of dressing is incredibly dorky. Andy Bernard on the Office (US version of course) is the epitome of being a dork. Among clothing enthusiasts it is probably stylish and very appropriate... to everyone else it is simply a funny way of dressing.
> 
> I agree that if more guys (or more specifically athletes, fighter pilots, or ranchers) wore suspenders, they would lose the stereotype of being a) not cool or b) old and not cool.
> 
> As for me, I want to one day sport the suspenders with some Filson tin cloth pants.


I will have to Google Andy Bernard as we don't get the US Office here in the UK but it does not only have to be macho guy starting to wear braces to turn around the dorky trend I think the "normal guy" in the street or office can wear them more often and be seem wearing them is more to the point.

The more braces/suspenders are seen being worn the more normal they will be thought of and the less dorky they will become. Go on guys flash those braces.

My original question of "are braces an ageist thing" sounds like the answer is no but sounds like the real answer may be they are worn by lots of guys but rarley seen as most people hide them because they think others will see them as dorky to wear them. I am not a dork but still plan to carry on wearing mine and showing them off.


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## Douglas Brisbane Gray (Jun 7, 2010)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> No I think I brush up a bit better than Rab C.
> 
> Nice to see a fellow Scot on the site, even if you are a West Coast guy !!!


West Coast?
I was born in rural west Stirlingshire in the shadow of the Campsie fells - No Coast and pretty much in the middle.

But nice to see you here too.


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## Dennis V. (Apr 20, 2010)

I'm in the 25-30 years old bracket, and I love wearing suspenders with my suits, sadly I don't get an oppertunity to wear my suits very often. I'm currently in the process of adding suspender buttons to my suits, but I will probably not put them on my jeans, they stay up without any assistance anyway. As I don't like to take my jacket off, and do like 3 piece suits, my suspenders generally go unnoticed.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Dennis V. said:


> I'm in the 25-30 years old bracket, and I love wearing suspenders with my suits, sadly I don't get an oppertunity to wear my suits very often. I'm currently in the process of adding suspender buttons to my suits, but I will probably not put them on my jeans, they stay up without any assistance anyway. As I don't like to take my jacket off, and do like 3 piece suits, my suspenders generally go unnoticed.


Nice to hear from The Netherlands...Good luck sewing all the buttons on it can be a real pain, but worth it in the end as button braces do look the best. I have two pair of jeans that came with button braces attached when I bought them so some the manufactures must plan for some poeple wearing braces on jeans out there.


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## Cardinals5 (Jun 16, 2009)

I now interrupt this thread for some pictures.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Cardinals5 said:


> I now interrupt this thread for some pictures.


Nice to know that some people are willing to show off their braces to the world!!!

Bet loads of other guys out there would love to feel comfortable enough to wear their braces without jackets, just think of the nice splash of colour and style we could give to the world. Maybe we need a "World Braces Day" !!!


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## suspenders2010 (Jun 10, 2010)

Hey Edinburgh LAD, I am in the same boat as you. I started wearing braces around college and now I am going to be 30 real soon and choose to wear braces all the time with my suits, tux, and random dress slacks. I became a full convert right away. Braces look more professional and just simply feel better than belts. I don't even own a belt for suits anymore. When I am in my suit, I usually take the jacket off relatively quick. I live in FL and the heat sometimes demand it. I have several pairs of braces and am always on the look out for new ones. I wear suits/slacks close to 7 days so naturally I wear braces 7 days. I also wish more men would wear braces. I always get questions,comments, compliments, etc when I wear them. It seems to me that more men are curious about wearing them but are anxious about the attention. I have found out that once you start wearing them regularly, people start forgetting you are wearing them. One thing, when wearing braces, make sure that your slacks are long rise as the slacks should sit at your natural waistline and not below your hips like jeans. BTW, Edinburgh I would also be right next with you on World Braces Day. lol

Cardinal--nice pictues. Have a quick question. Where did you get that yellow/navy pair? That is a nice one. Keep up the good work on wearing braces.


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## Cardinals5 (Jun 16, 2009)

suspenders2010 said:


> Cardinal--nice pictues. Have a quick question. Where did you get that yellow/navy pair? That is a nice one. Keep up the good work on wearing braces.


The yellow/blue and red/blue pairs are from Brooks Brothers and the solid burgundy from Trafalgar. I only have about 8-10 pair of braces - mostly BB and Trafalgar - but I'm planning on a pair from Winston Tailors (wool challis) later this summer after I see some fabric samples.


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## KenR (Jun 22, 2005)

Age bracket: 56 - 60

I think they are very stylish, but with the move towards casual and the 80's connotation, I don't think there they will be seen much. Not so much dorky as passe. _(Unless the 80's become cool again, which is ok by me)._


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## Bookman (May 19, 2010)

I think we are assuming a convenience decision is actually a fashion decision. Fewer and fewer pants seem to be coming with the buttons for braces (at least in my store visits). Certainly you can have a tailor sew them in; but, I think the decision to avoid them probably has a lot to do with the general American male desire to not be noticed for how he dresses, and that you have to go out of your way to use them. 

That said, I am in my mid thirties, and I am wearing braces today. I have no problem showing them when I take my coat off at the office. I don't wear them often; but, do enjoy them when I choose to wear them.


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## brendon (Jun 24, 2008)

pics of me in braces and im 28


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## clotheshorse69 (Jun 4, 2010)

It depends on the braces; the less ostentatious, the better.


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## yellow braces (Jul 28, 2007)

As someone who has always liked the comfort and style of braces, I am glad to see the positive response to this thread. 
I like to wear a suit with braces, but being now retired, I wear jeans or other casual trousers much of the time. Most pairs have buttons for braces, some the metal type on the outside. Like other contributors I would say that after a while nobody bats an eyelid anyway. 
So guy's, if you like 'em wear 'em and lets not by shy!


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Hi Guys Great to know there is a lot of support still out there for wearing braces and nice to see a few people putting photos on the site too.

Sounds like the general thing is lots of guys do wear them and feel good about them from both comfort and style. Also sound like it is a personal choice to want to show them off in public or keep them hidden. I feel better for asking the question and plan to carry on wearing mine whenever I feel like it and won't feel uncomfortable walking about in public with them on show. Maybe "World Braces Day" is a bit too much to ask but at least if a few more guys take the plunge and take the jackets off now and again maybe we will all feel a bit more comfortable wearing them in public.

Have you never noticed if you are in a meeting or group and know a few other guys are wearing braces it only takes one guy to remove his jacket and very soon the others will do the same, it must be that wanting to conform this in us that holds guys back from being the first to remove thier jacket.


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> Have you never noticed if you are in a meeting or group and know a few other guys are wearing braces it only takes one guy to remove his jacket and very soon the others will do the same, it must be that wanting to conform this in us that holds guys back from being the first to remove thier jacket.


Not quite; people like to conform if it means dressing down. Once all the jackets are off, put yours back on and see how many do the same (I'm not talking about at the end of a meeting as everyone is about to leave).


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

DougNZ said:


> Not quite; people like to conform if it means dressing down. Once all the jackets are off, put yours back on and see how many do the same (I'm not talking about at the end of a meeting as everyone is about to leave).


Now that sounds like a bit of fun. I have found it however that when I take my jacket off in a meeting and show off my braces I get a few comments or looks intially and then find anyone else who may be wearing braces will take their jacket off soon after and say something about me wearing mine and them not feeling so bad or something similar. Gets back to that old thing about not wanting to show off ones braces.

I think I will try the putting my jacket thing back on again especially if someone else in the meeting follwos me and is sitting wearing their braces too. It would ne good to see if they feel comfortable being left as the only one with braces on show.

Anyone else game to put this to the test. I will let you know how I get on at the new opportunity I have to test out the theory. I may make an excuse to leave the meeting, put my jacket on and see if the other guy or guys still remain the rest of the meeting sitting with their braces on show if I cover mine up again. It may make some boring meetings a bit for exciting.


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## Pink and Green (Jul 22, 2009)

I'm 32, but the last time I wore them was college. I love the 80's, but as someone else displayed, they are a bit "Gordon Gekko" to me. Also, one of the primary advantages is for a larger person, braces can be more comfortable. Since I'm rather slender, belts will continue doing the job I think.


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## Sir Royston (Nov 10, 2005)

Hello All
I wear Braces every day. I don't feel my trousers hang correctly without them.


I have of course considered following fashion and having my trousers hanging just below my backside.. .. then again.. maybe I will stick to Braces

RBH


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## amplifiedheat (Jun 9, 2008)

Pink and Green said:


> Also, one of the primary advantages is for a larger person, braces can be more comfortable. Since I'm rather slender, belts will continue doing the job I think.


I'm fairly slender, but if there's one thing I've learned, it's that belt+large meal=:crazy:. Suspenders+large meal=


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

Thought I'd throw a different slant (slants?) on this thread.

Firstly, note the diagonal wrinkles in the shirt from the right underarm running up towards the left shoulder. Those are being caused by the braces. So my first different slant is that as the shirtmaker I object to the damage Alan's braces did to all the work I invested in fitting the client.



Hanzo said:


>


​
Second different slant: Although I wore them for many years, I gave them up around the same time I advanced past the embroidered socks:

​
Third slant: Having personally eschewed them in favor of a belt lo these last two score years, I still firmly believe that they are perfect in certain situations:

Sometimes BOLD:

​
And at other times much more subdued:

​


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## Dressed for business (Mar 11, 2010)

Great photo collection.
I wear braces / suspenders exclusively. I order all suits with buttons, MTM or OTR. I find that trousers hang best with them, day into evening. I wear mostly three piece suits, so the braces are mostly for personal preference rather than for look, with or without the suit jacket on.
Btw, I like your tie bar as well. Very sharp.


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## suspenders2010 (Jun 10, 2010)

How about some more pictures of braces on this post gents. I'll try to get some up if I have any.


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## chang (Feb 16, 2006)

I'm 25 and have sloped shoulders. Have a few nice braces, but no matter how I adjust them, they start to slide and eventually I end up wearing them on my deltoid. Very frustrating, and I hate belts so now I just get side tabs on my suits. Is there a way to prevent my braces from sliding off my shoulders?


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

I wear them with a coat. Never without. I think it would make me look too much like an "80's Guy." I fall into the 20-25 bracket.


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## lizardking (Oct 18, 2008)

Besides being essential for keeping belted trousers from creating the pot belly look (on me), I think nothing looks crisper than a pair of heavy weight trousers hanging from suspenders. The crease hangs best when the trousers are cut for suspenders, meaning a loose waist so that the trousers truly hang. There is the Gordon Gecko factor, but IMHO the white collar on colored shirt is much more the signature of that look than the suspenders. Use suspenders close to the color of the shirt and the look is more subdued.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

suspenders2010 said:


> How about some more pictures of braces on this post gents. I'll try to get some up if I have any.


Yes good idea, it is nice to see what others are wearing for braces as you don't often get to see many guys with braces on display. I will just have to work out how to post photos. I can upload to my profile but can't work out hot to post with a thread reply yet as I have a good few photos I could post, but I will have a go.

Are many of you wearing braces today, and if so have you removed your jacket yet?


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

chang said:


> I'm 25 and have sloped shoulders. Have a few nice braces, but no matter how I adjust them, they start to slide and eventually I end up wearing them on my deltoid. Very frustrating, and I hate belts so now I just get side tabs on my suits. Is there a way to prevent my braces from sliding off my shoulders?


Yes. Have them made with a longer rear blade in order that the yoke is higher up on your back. You would want to use the standard yoke construction (top left in the picture) as it offers more stability than the double back blade setup.


​


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> Now that sounds like a bit of fun. I have found it however that when I take my jacket off in a meeting and show off my braces I get a few comments or looks intially and then find anyone else who may be wearing braces will take their jacket off soon after and say something about me wearing mine and them not feeling so bad or something similar. Gets back to that old thing about not wanting to show off ones braces.
> 
> I think I will try the putting my jacket thing back on again especially if someone else in the meeting follwos me and is sitting wearing their braces too. It would ne good to see if they feel comfortable being left as the only one with braces on show.
> 
> Anyone else game to put this to the test. I will let you know how I get on at the new opportunity I have to test out the theory. I may make an excuse to leave the meeting, put my jacket on and see if the other guy or guys still remain the rest of the meeting sitting with their braces on show if I cover mine up again. It may make some boring meetings a bit for exciting.


Ha Ha it works. I was at a meeting today and as the weather was so hot here (very rare in the UK I must admit) I took off my jacket at a project meeting to reveal my braces to the others. Within 5 mins a few other slipped off jackets too and one guy was wearing braces also. He just looked at me and smiled.

Later in the meeting I made an excuse to go and get some copies of a report printed and took my jacket with me makinmg sure I put it on before re-joining the meeting. When I went back in the other guy noticed I was wearing my jacket and I could see by his body langauge that he felt a bit uncomfortable being the only one sitting with braces on in full view.

Not sure if it was real or not but during the coffee break he left to the toilet and returned with is jacket back on again. Just to tease I removed mine again later in the meeting but he never did follow that time.

Don't know if that proves a theory or not but it was fun and broke up a long and boring meeting. Anyone else tried the jacket off and on prank at any meetings yet. I don't mind wearing my braces openly but it is funny to watch what other will do when they do conform with the others but then find themself out on their own sitting there with braces on display. The funny think is everyone already kenw this guy was wearing braces so why did he cover back up again?


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## Keith Taylor (Jun 25, 2010)

> Should I cover them up from now on or still go for it and show my braces off?


No question, you should show them off.

Braces have been a regular annoyance to me in recent years. Unlike many who favour the look (including yourself, Edinburgh Lad, judging from your quite dressy braced and bow tied picture) I've always preferred them when combined with traditional workwear of the sort offered by the likes of Old Town, like so:

It's not that I don't admire braces worn as part of a suit, but simply that my job doesn't require one and I often find myself in parts of the world where formal clothing would be both impractical and incongruous. Nevertheless, whether in the heart of London or the middle of the Karakum the need to keep your trousers from falling to your ankles remains, and in both locations I think braces are a more practical and appealing solution than a belt.

The problem with braces, though - and this is where we get back to your original question of age - is that they require a hell a lot of confidence to wear, if only because they are decidedly far from the norm. This confidence is a different animal to the bravado of youth (the cause of all those old pictures you'd prefer never see the light of day, and the reason why the current generation of young men will look back in later years and cringe at the memory of skinny jeans). The confidence of the older gentleman comes from decades of figuring out who he is and coming to the conclusion that he'll wear what he pleases, and damn the whims and vagaries of fashion. 'These things hold my trousers where they should sit, damn it,' he'll say, 'and if you don't like it you can kiss my well-supported ass.' It's the same sort of confidence you'll see on sites such as the Sartorialist, in the occasional picture of an older gent wearing an outrageous suit and eccentric accessories with an enviable insouciance, looking great because he doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks of him.

As it takes many years to reach this stage of sartorial maturity it's rare to see a relatively young man openly sporting braces. When he does so, as you saw in your meeting, he'll be quite sheepish about it and ape the behaviour of other brace wearers for fear of standing out even further from the crowd.

What really p*sses me off about braces is that when I wear them out to my local I'm invariably the only one. I'm approaching 30 and haven't yet reached the required level of confidence, and as such receive far too much attention, both positive and negative. While I'd love to ignore the comments and just enjoy wearing something that I know looks good and feels comfortable I'm held back by that niggling urge to fit in and blend with the crowd. On the other hand, the moment braces swing back into mainstream fashion (and it's surely just a matter of time) they'll be bloody everywhere for a season before quickly becoming passe.

So I'm afraid you can't win - a brace wearer in each part of the cycle will be seen as either wacky and pretentious, a fashion victim or tragically behind the times. The only respite from judgement comes with age, so you might as well keep wearing them proudly as an example to those of us who feel we can't.

In my case, while I wait for that blessed self-assuredness to arrive I'll be taking my high rise chinos and Albert Thurston button braces off to Mongolia for the summer, where I can wear them in the knowledge that nobody in Ulaanbaatar would ever judge me for my odd taste in clothing.


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## At Law (Apr 15, 2008)

I like braces and I think they look outstanding.

In the field of law, dress is a very important method of obtaining
credibility with clients, judges, and other attorneys.

Wearing braces suggests a traditional look and one which instantly
makes you look very well put together and polished. This is very
important in a traditional profession such as the law.


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## Keith Taylor (Jun 25, 2010)

A good point, At Law. It reminds me of the claim that people are more inclined to trust a builder who smokes a pipe than one who smokes a cigarette. Whatever the item, whether it's a pipe or a pair of braces, anything seen as traditional seems to convey a sense of trustworthiness and, I suppose, something that could be referred to as 'old fashioned values'. 

Personally I spend most of my time scrabbling around in the dirt covered in sweat and sand, so I just pick my clothing based on whatever makes me look more like Indiana Jones


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## chang (Feb 16, 2006)

That sounds like it might work for ne, but I assume I would need to order special or custom made braces?



Alexander Kabbaz said:


> Yes. Have them made with a longer rear blade in order that the yoke is higher up on your back. You would want to use the standard yoke construction (top left in the picture) as it offers more stability than the double back blade setup.
> 
> 
> ​


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## Top Guns (Apr 29, 2010)

In military dress uniforms (such as my avatar picture), braces are worn exclusively. And since a military dress uniform is always worn WITH the jacket, braces are one area where military members can break free from the lock-step rigidity of uniformity. Therefore, when formal events are concluded and jackets do come off, what do you know--fancy, colorful, and whimsical braces abound! And just for the record, sometimes the portion of the formal shirt that isn't seen might be a bit unexpectedly altered also.

I say, wear braces if they are more comfortable or more your style. If you're going to remove your jacket, then you decide if you want to be subdued or brash. Whatever you do, if you do what is uncomfortable the result will show to all who see you. Ultimately, your style rests on how you wear your clothes and how confident you are in them.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

chang said:


> That sounds like it might work for ne, but I assume I would need to order special or custom made braces?


 Yes ... but we, for example, charge the same price for completely bespoke braces** as we would for a ready-made one. The work is the same.

** That doesn't include the ones custom printed with a client's images.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Keith Taylor said:


> No question, you should show them off.
> 
> Braces have been a regular annoyance to me in recent years. Unlike many who favour the look (including yourself, Edinburgh Lad, judging from your quite dressy braced and bow tied picture) I've always preferred them when combined with traditional workwear of the sort offered by the likes of Old Town, like so:
> 
> ...


You make so many very good points, cheers. I think it must be down to the individual themselves to feel confident to wear them. Good for you approaching 30 and wearing braces out and about, like you say they will come back into fashion again.

But like the comment below from At Law... This too is very true...

*I like braces and I think they look outstanding.*

*In the field of law, dress is a very important method of obtaining
credibility with clients, judges, and other attorneys.

Wearing braces suggests a traditional look and one which instantly
makes you look very well put together and polished. This is very
important in a traditional profession such as the law.*

Good to know others out there are "holding up" the traditions (if you pardon the pun) and keeping braces in the forefront of tradition wear and style, and good to see a number of younger guys also supporting the trend.


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## Douglas Brisbane Gray (Jun 7, 2010)

Top Guns I have to say I have seen the same in the British Military.


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## Keith Taylor (Jun 25, 2010)

Cheers, Edinburgh Lad  I just took mine out for a trip to my local haberdasher in York (needed some brace buttons for a new pair of Gieves and Hawkes trousers) and returned home to find that I'll be working for a month in India at the end of the year. My first thought was 'great, I wonder how I can incorporate braces in an outfit suitable for the heat'. I've lost control


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Keith Taylor said:


> Cheers, Edinburgh Lad  I just took mine out for a trip to my local haberdasher in York (needed some brace buttons for a new pair of Gieves and Hawkes trousers) and returned home to find that I'll be working for a month in India at the end of the year. My first thought was 'great, I wonder how I can incorporate braces in an outfit suitable for the heat'. I've lost control


Funny A guy who works beside me and is over here from India for a couple of years and he sometimes wear braces, when I first saw him with a pair of braces on I remember asking him if that was usual for him to wear them back home but he said it was not but he just likes the look and thought they were very traditional British wear.

Maybe you should just go out there and "fly the flag" with your braces on (but please not Union Jack ones I have to add). I an sure you will be able to incorporate them into your dress code for the heat out there.

I find braces are cooler to wear than a belt anyway as they move about with you and don't just squeeze you together in the middle, so you may find that you are better off with braces and perhaps set a new trend for India, I am sure the braces industry would love to get a foot-hold out there.


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## Keith Taylor (Jun 25, 2010)

> I find braces are cooler to wear than a belt anyway as they move about with you and don't just squeeze you together in the middle


You're bang on the money. I'd never considered it before these last few warm days but I definitely feel much more comfortable sans belt - especially while driving, which is always a problem with a tight leather strap cutting off the airflow. The only downside is the unfortunate transfer of pressure from the waist to the shoulders, but even so it's undoubtedly the best option for warm weather.

I've just pulled the trigger on a pair of Vauxhalls from Old Town - fishtail back in tan medium weight drill, with a slightly longer than necessary inseam to allow for rolled cuffs - in preparation for the trip. Like below but, you know, in tan 

They should be ideal for a little flag flying  Unfortunately I've just learned that I'll likely be sponsored by Merrell footwear on the trip, so I'll be contractually obliged to walk around in a pair of God awful GORE-TEX monstrosities rather than my beloved Clarks desert boots. Bloody marketing.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Keith Taylor said:


> You're bang on the money. I'd never considered it before these last few warm days but I definitely feel much more comfortable sans belt - especially while driving, which is always a problem with a tight leather strap cutting off the airflow. The only downside is the unfortunate transfer of pressure from the waist to the shoulders, but even so it's undoubtedly the best option for warm weather.


I must admit I tend to slip my braces down when I am driving in hot weather as they do get a bit hot on the back. I have even been known, and perish the thought but I have slipped my braces down while at work before when it had been too hot, even been seen walking around with my braces hanging down, much to the appreciation of the young guys in the office who think is the real cool Ha Ha.

I know it is not the done thing but it is so much more confortable when too hot andf I am sure I am not the only one who has slipped their braces off for a bit on comfort on a very hot day !! Come on you know you have all done it at sometime, maybe even at home, at least you can do that with braces and not look/feel too strange, but with a belt I can't see anyone removing a belt during the day to keep cool in the heat, unless you know otherwise!


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

Keith Taylor said:


> They should be ideal for a little flag flying  Unfortunately I've just learned that I'll likely be sponsored by Merrell footwear on the trip, so I'll be contractually obliged to walk around in a pair of God awful GORE-TEX monstrosities rather than my beloved Clarks desert boots. Bloody marketing.


Reminds me of the guy who crapped all over JAB in another thread, right after landing a job with them--although at least you know how to spell Merrell. You might Google the phrase "Cisco fatty" for a quick primer on the risks of gratuitous self-expression.


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## Keith Taylor (Jun 25, 2010)

> ...a quick primer on the risks of gratuitous self-expression.


Yep, I suppose you're right, it's not a great idea to bad mouth the guy who writes the cheques. I suppose a more politic comment would be that they make excellent shoes for outdoor enthusiasts, but they don't belong below my usual tweedy outfit :tongue2:


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> Are braces an ageist thing or am I one of the few younger guys who wear them? Who else out there wears them and what age group do you fall into? I don't think I am alone, but you never know !QUOTE]
> 
> Cheers guys for all the comments on this thread I can't believe it has got up to +2681 views and loads of replies. And I thought I was alone out there flying the flag by wearing my braces and letting them be seen by the world, but sounds like there are many more of us who do still wear braces out there and a real mix of age groups too. I know some keep them hidden, but that's a personal choice I understand. At least it is good to know others still enjoy the comfort and style of braces. Guess I should just keep on wearing them in the knowledge I am not alone after all.


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## dcjacobson (Jun 25, 2007)

Age bracket: between 51 and 53.

Had them, liked them, wore them in the late 1980s and early 1990s. But not often--I worked in a large midwestern bank as a middle-managment level employee. The vibe I picked up was that it was "uppity" and not appropriate for someone on my level. Ditto for french cuffs. So I ditched them. (The french cuff/braces look was huge with investment bankers at the time. Don't know if it still is.)

Even in the financial and legal community here business casual has taken over completely, so you rarely see someone with a tie, let alone braces.


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## jst (Oct 22, 2008)

Keith Taylor said:


> Cheers, Edinburgh Lad  I just took mine out for a trip to my local haberdasher in York (needed some brace buttons for a new pair of Gieves and Hawkes trousers) and returned home to find that I'll be working for a month in India at the end of the year. My first thought was 'great, I wonder how I can incorporate braces in an outfit suitable for the heat'. I've lost control


I work in nothern Iraq now, temperatures are around 43° - 46°C. Wearing braces with a suit is quite comfortable when it is necessary to have coat on whole day. But sitting in an office with so many power (and air condition) outage coat on can be a nightmare. The belt seems to me a better solution in this case.


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## dukekook (Sep 5, 2008)

dcjacobson said:


> Age bracket: between 51 and 53.
> 
> Even in the financial and legal community here business casual has taken over completely, so you rarely see someone with a tie, let alone braces.


I am in IT, and I get abuse just for wearing a tie. If I could wear anything requiring braces, I would. I am all for fighting the good fight , which, in this case, is against the anti-business casual look (and world view). I say wear your braces proudly and with a little attitude for those of us who can't right now.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

dukekook said:


> I am in IT, and I get abuse just for wearing a tie. If I could wear anything requiring braces, I would. I am all for fighting the good fight , which, in this case, is against the anti-business casual look (and world view). I say wear your braces proudly and with a little attitude for those of us who can't right now.


I think you should just rebel and wear your braces as you say "proudly and with a little attitude" Why should a working environment dictate what you like to wear. What's the worst that could happen if you turn up with braces on?


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## Bracemaker (May 11, 2005)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> I think you should just rebel and wear your braces as you say "proudly and with a little attitude" Why should a working environment dictate what you like to wear. What's the worst that could happen if you turn up with braces on?


You could end up with your shopping attached...
https://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/02_03/bagmanDM2002_800x1507.jpg


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## Kurt N (Feb 11, 2009)

Edinburgh Lad said:


> I think you should just rebel and wear your braces as you say "proudly and with a little attitude" Why should a working environment dictate what you like to wear. What's the worst that could happen if you turn up with braces on?


What's the WORST that could happen? Well, one could get cranky and distracted from all the ribbing about one's attire, and as a result one could commit a major blunder, such as talking back to a superior, or getting a system setting wrong resulting in a companywide IT crisis.

Or one could be seen as an eccentric and for that reason not get a promotion one was up for.

Since you asked!


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Let's be clear on at least one thing.

If they're anchored with clips as opposed to buttons, you are wearing suspenders, not braces. As in, I have never seen anyone wearing jeans with braces, but I have seen folks wearing jeans with suspenders. And I have seen plenty of folks in Golden Fleece or Pressidential suits wearing braces, but never anyone with suspenders.

That said.

I like bow ties, and bow ties look great with braces. Somehow--and I can't articulate exactly how--braces balance things when the bow is in play. I wear a jacket to and from the office, but, for the most part, I'm in shirt sleeves for the better part of the day, at least during the summer, so my braces are not hidden. The challenge, at least for me, is figuring out exactly how far to take things. Solids--navy, maroon, tan, etc.--are easy, as are classic (vertical) stripes such as burgundy/navy. The challenge comes with prints/patterns. I have a pair of white skull-and-crossbones on black that I break out perhaps three times a year, and always after careful contemplation: Who is it, exactly, who needs to see this today? On the other end of the spectrum, I have mallards-in-flight on pink. Same sort of consideration. Then there are the foulard prints. Puts color matching into an entirely different dimension, and they're tougher than the aforementioned prints--I'm far from mastering it. Even further beyond are the madras braces I found last weekend at Goodwill for 99 cents, NWT (albeit a sketchy brand, but we are, after all, talking cotton braces.) I couldn't walk away at that price. They're going to be perfect with something, I just haven't figured out what. And I have no idea whatsoever what to do with the two pairs of woven leather braces I've owned for more than two years (suggestions welcome).

I've found it's a high-risk game, depending on the casino in which you play. I'm fortunate. In my office, ties with short sleeves are not uncommon, and there are some who wear nice suits every day--it's the equivalent of a $5 minimum table with a $5,000 limit. In this environment, it's not tough to wear braces successfully if you play conservatively. It's easy to blow it if you press too hard. There's a sweet spot somewhere in between that's brilliance, and which I've attained, IMHO, less than a handful of times.

I speak as someone who has merely dabbled. I don't think I've spent more than $35 on a pair of braces (the skull-and-crossbones being a gift from Mrs. 32). I find most of mine in thrift stores, cast away, I suspect, by folks who have given up, or their wives/heirs. In the end, braces are, I think, the crack cocaine of fashion, cheap and addictive. I have a drawer full, some of which I have never worn (red foulards on sky blue, for example), and which I may never wear. But I can dream.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

32rollandrock said:


> Let's be clear on at least one thing.
> 
> If they're anchored with clips as opposed to buttons, you are wearing suspenders, not braces. As in, I have never seen anyone wearing jeans with braces, but I have seen folks wearing jeans with suspenders. And I have seen plenty of folks in Golden Fleece or Pressidential suits wearing braces, but never anyone with suspenders.
> 
> ...


Wow a lot of thought went into that reply, thank you for your insight on braces. I have quoted a few of the remarks that I picked up on and am pleased to hear that you are able and willing to wear your braces without as jacket, the way they should be in my opintion.

I like the comment on wearing braces successfully as I think they can add style to a look but go the wrong way and disaster. Stick to tradition plain or stripe and don't cause a riot by wearing novelty style.

The crack cocaine of fashion is a good one, yes they are additctive and once you wear them and better still once you feel comfortable to wear them out and about and let them be seen you will be hooked and not want to give them up.

Great reply and very thought provoking.


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## Edinburgh Lad (May 11, 2010)

Kurt N said:


> What's the WORST that could happen? Well, one could get cranky and distracted from all the ribbing about one's attire, and as a result one could commit a major blunder, such as talking back to a superior, or getting a system setting wrong resulting in a companywide IT crisis.
> 
> Or one could be seen as an eccentric and for that reason not get a promotion one was up for.
> 
> Since you asked!


Wow and I thought you were just going to wear a pair of braces and not distroy an IT company.

I wore these braces below to work one day and after the intial shock factor most people thought they looked good and brought a splash of colour to the office. I don't think wearing braces would be the end of your career, it may even give it a boost as someone who is confident and willing to do what they want and have belief in themselves, not worry about what other say or think.

I think you should go for it, what to others think should he just wear them and see what happens, it can't be all that bad, honest.


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## Scoop135 (Jan 29, 2013)

Absolutely, they're more comfortable. And there's no need to hide them in my opinion.


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## s1722 (Sep 7, 2011)

Age bracket: 25 - 30. 

I started wearing them after losing some weight. Fearful of the 'Gekko' label, I kept my jacket on at all times. I work for a City law firm and I have not seen anybody in my office wear braces.

Once my weight stabilised I had my trousers taken in, to be worn with a belt. I lasted less then a fortnight before I had my trousers let out again. The belt was simply uncomfortable and ineffective. 

I have returned to wearing braces pretty much every day and only hide them beneath a jacket during client meetings. I avoid contrast-collar shirts, rolled sleeves and cigars. That aside, whilst nobody else in the office wears braces, I have somehow managed to survive the ignimony of not wearing cheap, fashionable clothes. Alarmingly, my colleagues and supervisors don't seem to give a damn about my choice of trouser-suspension.


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