# Suspender Button Placement



## Mongo (May 9, 2008)

Ok, I've bought a couple of sets of proper suspenders, but my trousers need to have the buttons added to make use of them.

I went in to my dry cleaners today (who seem pretty competent at dry cleaning), and saw they had a sign claiming a "fully qualified tailor on premises". Ok, I thought, why not see if I could get suspender buttons added to the suit I was dropping off for dry cleaning?

"How much?", I ask. "$10.00", says the lady. "Great", I replied, "Go ahead". "Where do you want the buttons put?" asks the lady?

... confused pause while Mongo ponders ....

"Umm, where they would normally go?". 


Not good enough, apparently - I have to decide exactly where they should be sewn, or bring in the (not "a pair of", but "the") supenders to be worn with said suit. I decide to defer the button installation.

Does this make sense? Is there no standard width/location for suspender buttons? Will I get the same question if I go to a real tailor?


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## dba (Oct 22, 2010)

Afternoon Mongo,

The simple answer is no, a real tailor will know where to put the suspender buttons. Use a real tailor instead of someone that works at the drycleaner. 

The button placements for suspenders on my slacks are thus:

First Left Front button is inside waistband directly behind the first belt loop which also coincides with the first pleat. The second button is exactly three (3) inches towards the rear of the slacks from the first button.

First Right button is inside the waistband directly behind what would be considered the last belt loop and coincides with the pleat. The second button is exactly three (3) inches towards the rear of the slack from the other button.

The Rear Suspender buttons are exactly centered inside the waistband to the rear of the slacks. The buttons are exactly three inches apart. The measurements are taken center of button to center of button.

Hope this helps. 

Cheers,

David


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## Starch (Jun 28, 2010)

Some dry cleaners may have real tailors working there, but your experience establishes that this was not one of them.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

The placement of buttons depends on the suspenders, the pants in questions and your preferences, so I wouldn't be so hasty to condemn the dry cleaners. I recommend putting the rear buttons on the inside of the waistband so they don't get hung up on chairs. The front set of buttons should go on the inside if the waistband is nice and stiff. If it has a tendency to roll over, the buttons should go on the outside. The inside front buttons (closest to the center) should be placed above the leg crease to help keep it sharp and maintain the proper drape. The spacing between buttons depends on the length of the tabs. I would shoot for an equilateral triangle (space between buttons is equal to half the length between suspender tabs) since this is pleasing to the eye. 

Those are my preferences for suspender/brace buttons and you might find that some of those guidelines work for you and some don't, but there is no definitive set of guidelines for button placement, which is why it was nice of the lady to ask you instead of slapping them on wherever she thought they should go.


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## Starch (Jun 28, 2010)

I've had suspender buttons in probably 20 suits and pairs of pants over the years, without anyone ever asking where they should be. Though, I think, in some cases, the pants came with the suspender buttons, so not only did no one ask where I wanted them, they didn't even ask if they should be there at all.

A tailor asking a customer where he wants the suspender button is akin to asking him what type of stitch he should use for a particular seam. Knowing where the suspender buttons go on a particular pair of pants is what you go to a tailor for.

Among the things a tailor could do:
- Knowing where the buttons go and putting them there: normal behavior. If a customer has some particular preference, it'd be fair to assume he'll tell you that.
- Asking the customer if he does have some odd preference: sort of "nice," I guess, but strange.
- Asking the customer, and then being non-plussed when the customer doesn't know: not a competent tailor.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Since the tailoring in this case only involves attaching buttons, perhaps theyll do. Email Albert Thurston and ask for the button placement. I think they have a chart for it but its not online.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Found my Albert Thurston chart:

100mm from center until first front button, another 60mm to next front button

Back buttons are 60 mm apart.


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## Bandit1 (Jan 18, 2011)

I have the tailor place the most forward button, on each side of the front, directly above the front crease. Makes the crease stand out a bit, and the trousers to hang nicely. There is some controversy over the next one....the official version says 3.5 inches aft of the more forwardone. I don't like them that way. I prefer only 3.0 inches. The greater the spread, the flatter the angle formed by the suspender tabs, and the greater the tension on the waistband. I don't like that. 

The back buttons go 1.75 inches from the back seam(standard) or 1.5 inches (my way). And ¾" from the top edge of the pants to thecenter of the buttons.

Hope this helps.


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