I do not know how Larry King, the American television host, began wearing his signature braces, but I do know that converting from belted trousers is not easy. It took more than a decade before my wardrobe was consistent, meaning I had braced trousers and trousers with side adjusters but none that required belts.
Now I am certain that the majority of men, belt wearers all, will wonder what the issue is and that is a fair question that has to do with the rise of the trousers in the first place. For trousers should be worn at the natural waist, several inches above the hips, which requires that they are made with a high rise. That high rise means the waist is covered under a buttoned jacket, which is a cleaner look than the clutter of an exposed belt or waistband, and the trousers hang in a straight line over the belly that sedentary men pick up over the years. It, meaning that same high rise, also precludes belt-wearing.
Recognizing that the overwhelming majority of western men have supported their trousers with belts since the rise of ready to wear clothing sometime after the Second World War, any move away from belts is likely to occur in stages. It usually begins with evening clothes or a vested suit, where dissatisfaction with protruding belt buckles leads to a change in trouser suspension for one or two garments. And then over time a man notices that he is no longer required to pull his trousers up several times during the course of the day as braced trousers do not require periodic adjustment. After that, new suits begin arriving with buttons already on the waistband.
Once a wardrobe enters the mixed phase, with some belted trousers and some suspended, change tends to accelerate. Unused belt loops make the waistband look cluttered, and are removed. Next, low rise trousers are replaced with high to achieve the clean waisted look. Some of the new models may be worn suspended and others cut to remain in place without aid but it is only a matter of how many years go by before the belt wardrobe is donated to a worthy cause.
Now I am willing to wager that flat bellied younger men reading this are thinking that they will always have their belts, and some of them are correct. Unless one wears tailored clothing regularly, the issues are unlikely to arise. But, for those for whom the suit is daily garb, the transition to unbelted waistbands is, in my opinion, an inevitable part of becoming well dressed.
Photo: MM Tussard
Posts
17 comments:
Of course all basically correct Will but for those of us who for reasons of sentiment or economy aren't going to dispose of perhaps expensive elderly suits I'm afraid it's a question of living with the mix. My solution has been having the belt tabs removed where it was an easy operation and I always bought fairly high rise pants in my more slender belted days. The great advantage of braces is they keep your pants in more or less the right place. One of the most egregious sartorial solecisms is masses of trouser bottom concertined over your shoes and yet one sees it everywhere. The one thing to be said for the Browne flood pant trend is that it has made many of the young get their pants sitting properly on their shoes unlike most of their elders.
Will,
I completely agree with You that bellied people do need braces in order to wear properly high rise trousers but this is not the case for people with no belly that can wear very properly and elegantly belted high rise trousers.There are many examples from the classical universe of masculine elegance in support of this including Fred Astaire and the Duke of Windsor. As far as the latter I believe that, apart from the juvenile periode, he never wore braces with the exception of formal outfits such as dinner suits and tail coats. Braces are not a superior choiche in terms of elegance but a necessity for avoiding to appear inelegant and awkward in case of people with belly.
Angelo
We agree Angelo. I was arguing against belted trousers, not in favor of braces.
" Braces are not a superior choiche in terms of elegance but a necessity for avoiding to appear inelegant"
My girth at 34" is not over large for a six footer but I still prefer braces because as I mentioned earlier they are simply more effective at keeping your pants in the right place. With belts or side adjusters there's an inevitable downward drift producing the awful spectacle of bunched fabric on shoe tops. For what it's worth I've noticed a tendency amongst US tailors to give too much break (Brit and Italian tailors seem immune). When buying pants off the peg no matter how much you say "tiny break" they always overdo it thus requiring a second visit. I think it probably arises from a tendency in the US to wear your pants with a lot of break which when combined with a belt produces dire results in wedding pictures.
There are other advantages. Braced trousers hang better with a little waistband freedom. So, if you sit down to a meal in them there is some room for expansion. Belted trousers will only work comfortably in this instance with an elasticated belt. Then, of course, you do not have to suffer constant constriction around the stomach area. The RTW industry seems geared up only to produce belted trousers and, I suppose, that must reflect perceived demand. IMHO they've got this one wrong. They can source mass produced trousers, and therefore suits, at less than 10% the bespoke price. There must be a universal market out there for optional alternative RTW braced trousers for suits. Or is it really the case that all mature men want to try to dress to remember their youth?
All well and good, and yet--and yet--Fred Astaire eschewed suspenders and always wore belted or side-adjusted trousers. (Idiosyncratically, he also often used a tie or a scarf in lieu of a belt.)
However, unlike most of us, Astaire made this choice because of his profession: dancer. Given that he was also one of those few who retained his slender waist throughout his life, it was the right choice for him.
I'm still trying to make the transition to suspenders.
Dear Will,
Well done on your well-written piece on belted trousers.
I have recently made the switch to braces and threw away all of my belts!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, ideas and tips with us.
Alkis
I will agree that in some circumstances braces just produce a more pleasing effect, to my eye. The solution, of course, is for men of all ages to take regular exercise and eat a proper diet to keep the belly away. It's not as difficult as it sounds.
Horatio:The problem, as you point out, is that we are not all Fred Astaire. Braces level the playing field so to speak.
Joe,
I know, I know! I had a slender waist until I had to stop dancing. I'm slimmer than I was at my largest, but still would like to drop another ten. If I could do that, then I could fit into all, instead of just most, my old clothes.
Hmm, lose ten pounds... sounds like a good New Year's resolution!
Agreed!
So - if I'm having suits made for me by a tailor in a foreign country (Afghanistan, for example) how would I get him to understand that I want high waisted trousers, and what spacing should be used for braces buttons?
MP, unless you can give him or her a sample pair to copy, I would not even try. Have him make you a suit with regular rise trousers with side tabs instead of belt loops, and sell you an extra 1.75 meters of cloth. Take the cloth to a tailor that knows how to make high waisted trousers sometime in the future and have that person make you a pair.
Will - hopefully he can figure out side tabs.
He will need to buy the tabs. Give him a photo of a pair with tabs and attaching them should be doable.
Will,
can you recommend any good fitting guides online for getting trousers made to wear with braces?
Also, recommendations for spacing of buttons for braces?
MP, there is nothing to fit, save that the waist of braced trousers can be an inch larger for comfort.
Regarding placement, the front buttons go over the inside trouser pleats and the rear are attached an inch to each side of the center seam.
Post a Comment