Q: What’s up with suspenders? I noticed that my favorite haberdasher sells only the button variety. I’m not willing to commit to having my pants altered for a look that I’m still unsure of, so I bought a few clip-on pairs. Is either variety of suspenders more or less appropriate for certain occasions?

A: Clip-on suspenders, like clip-on bow ties, are appropriate for Halloween and Mardi Gras—not to mention they’re hard on the trou fabric and are best reserved for denims and other workman-type clothes. The button-type suspenders (or braces, as they are called in the executive suite) are preferable for all other occasions. But unless the trousers are tailored with sufficient rise (i.e., length from crotch to waist), a rare thing in this waist-at-the-pubic-bone era, it’s a difficult look to make work. I still sport braces with evening dress, and on New Year’s Eve it’s tempting to pull out these old-fashioned Stork Club suspenders I got from J.Press. They’re festive, considered adorable by many women, and they hold your pants up.

December 2005

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