On Style: Braces...

A tough one to get right without looking like Al Capone.

If that’s what you want, then you might want to buy some slim white braces, a black shirt and a Tommy Gun, but working on the assumption you are not, in fact, insane, avoid all of the above and stick to thick braces (one pair will do).

Good braces are generally made of woollen boxcloth and edged in black or brown leather. Due to the fact that braces should never be seen in formal situations, it is OKAY to only own one pair – black or brown, you decide.

Whatever you do, do NOT wear a belt with braces. It is totally unnecessary and looks ridiculous.

If you have a particular pair of trousers you want to wear with braces you might find they have belt loops. There is nothing particularly wrong with wearing suspenders with trousers intended for a belt (as most these days are) but if you want to do things really well, get a tailor to remove them and ask him/her to fit braces buttons to the trousers if you’d prefer the button to the clip style – button braces do not pinch the fabric like clamps and thus last a little longer.

The benefits of braces a re manifold; most notably comfort and appearance. Where a belt will constrict and bunch the material around the waist, trapping the shirt in the process, braces allow the cloth to hang naturally. Thing natural suspension is also very comfortable – especially after a big meal – and is favoured by larger gentlemen due to the ability to create a false, ‘floating’ waistline as opposed to fastening the trousers beneath the obligatory bulging beer gut of middle age.

In short, they are smarter and, in a lot of ways, more comfortable than belts, but they should NOT be statement piece – especially on the Queen’s side of the pond – nor can they rival a belt in that department. They should, in fact, never be seen, expect, perhaps, by your wife/secretary, unless you are going for a particularly Gekko-esque vibe. Remember! In the era most commonly associated with Braces (1822-1920s) they were considered UNDERWEAR, and so it would be gauche to flaunt them if you attempting to emulate that style. Only when pretending to be Charles or Sebastian can you wear stupid braces with no tie and beige chinos and get away with it...

Good shop for men’s braces:
http://www.albertthurston.com/categoryfast2.cfm?catid=4


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