The start of summer means we change hats, shoes, suits, shirts, neckties and even braces with the season. In winter I support my suit trousers with braces, called suspenders in the United States, with straps of boxcloth, a heavy felt. For summer I switch to the barathea version, a lighter fabric made from silk and wool.
Summer or winter, braces support a man's suit trousers with less aggravation than a belt. They're "don and forget," unlike belted trousers that have to be pulled up several times a day.
Barathea is not quite as comfortable to wear as boxcloth, as the fabric is thinner and not as cushiony. But barathea braces are also considerably lighter than boxcloth and that makes a difference in the heat. Indeed, the dog days of summer are the only time I will occasionally do without as some of my summer suits have trousers designed to be self-supporting.
The two best-known makers of braces these days are Trafalgar and Albert Thurston. I endorse Thurston because its models are sized, and the boxcloth versions are designed so that they can be shortened. That means that the metal adjustors are always near one's waist where they belong. Trafalgar's products unfortunately are "one size fits none," which puts the adjustors at shoulder level - where they can be very distracting to someone who is supposed to be looking at my face.
My only complaint about Thurston is a very small one. Brace ends should match one's shoes, or be white, and most of Thurston's models come with black ends. I wear white, so I can wear any pair of braces with any shoes, but Thurston's in-stock selection of these is small. To their credit, the firm will make any of their straps with white ends, quickly, and if there's a charge it's so modest that I've never noticed it.
Summer is barathea braces time.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Barathea Time
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
Very informative as usual, Will. Thanks.
Most RTW braces are neither made of boxcloth nor barathea, but of elastic. Is elasticity an advantage or a disandvantage for braces?
Nice post, Will. I watched the movie 'Charlie Wilson's War' last night, and the preponderance of characters wearing braces got me thinking. When I wore suits everyday I wore braces with them maybe 50% of the time. I rarely wear suits now, but when I do I wear a pair of J.Press striped braces.
Will, some tailors have suggested to me that trousers meant to be worn with braces should be high-waisted. Do you agree? Is there any reason not to wear braces with trousers at the natural waistline?
Rather than an American-British linguistics difference, I was under the impression that braces were fastened with buttons, while suspenders were the clip-on style.
I never wear belt when I am wearing a suit. But instead of braces I have in my trousers (on the waist) two things that help to make it thinner if necessary (I am afraid I do not know the name in English and I could not find any photo). Each of them is located in each part of the waist. It is quite popular and many times advised by European tailors (particularly for those whose are not that tall
El aristocráta, "side adjusters"?
Will, how can people see the metal through your jacket?! ;-)
Paul, unfortunately braces today, including Thurston's, are made for people of 6 ft upwards, and they're made for low-waisted trousers. That makes sense because most people are large(r than my 5' 8 1/2") and trousers are made to end at the hips unless you go bespoke, specifically tell your tailor and he both understands and believes you.
That means that even with adjustable or even made-to-measure braces, the Y-part in the back will be too high between your shoulders, so that the angle of the two parts that go over your shoulders is wrong and they bulge. This is especially annoying when you're wearing a well fitted jacket, as if there was a knot.
Thanks Shaul-ike
There are like the ones in the photo. How correct are to use them instead of a belt or braces?
Thanks
I got this photo.
http://www.putfile.com/pic/8233077
Will will know this better, but I sh'd say they are primarily made to wear with braces, not with a belt and certainly not as an alternative to both.
When you wear braces, your trousers' waist should not show a gap nor be so tight that it keeps up on its own, because that would mean it's too tight when you move or sit down - a common problem with belts.
I think side adjusters are there to guarantee this close but comfortable fitting when you gain or lose a bit of volume, even in the course of a day.
I wear Thurston Braces all the time, my favourite being Boxcloths however i have a large selection of Barathea too. I also order my braces with black, brown, white etc differing runners (ends) thus eliminating the matching runner and shoes problem
Post a Comment