Suspenders can give the gentleman a classy, casual look, or they replace the belt for a more classic approach to the three piece suit. There is really no reason not to wear them.
Suspenders were all the rage in the early twentieth century. At the time, the waist of men’s pants were simply too high for a belt. Suspenders were worn much like an undergarment, between the shirt and vest, to keep pants up. As such, they were seen as underwear.
Suspenders went out of fashion after World War I due to the popularity of the uniform belt worn by the soldiers. They have gone in and out of style over the decades, and are no longer seen as something to be hidden. Suspenders now come in a wide variety and can dress a man up or look overly casual.
Good quality suspenders are attached by buttons sewn onto the waistband of the pants. Even today, they seem to be seen as an item for white collar/upper middle class, but are priced similar to belts. There is no reason anyone cannot wear them.
A few rules if you decide to pick up some suspenders:
- Wear either a belt OR suspenders, never both
- Suspenders on pants with belt loops is fine
- Buttons ONLY, never clips
- Like belts, the leather on one’s suspenders should match the leather on his shoes
- When dressing in a suit/formal wear, the suspenders go under the vest, as they were originally an undergarment
- Wearing suspenders under a suit or jacket without a vest is a good way to dress down an outfit and still look classy
- The suspenders should match (dressing up) or contrast (dressing down) the rest of an outfit, depending on the look one is going for
Keep in mind that suspenders are merely for keeping pants up when dressing up but are fashion when dressing down.
If one thinks they cannot wear suspenders now because their pants don’t have buttons, they should not fret. Just sew (or ask/pay someone to sew) some buttons on the waistband any pair of pants for the suspenders.
Final thoughts:
Don’t be afraid to try new things, and if they do not work, don’t worry about it. Just go back to what does. Trying new things should be the goal of every gentleman, how can one better themselves if they do not branch out of their comfort zone?