What Are the Suspenders and the Benefits of Choosing Them Over Belts?

Suspenders are fabric straps that during the 18th century were made to hold the trousers in place and thus treated only as undergarments. But during mid of the 18th century, these straps were redesigned to wear them over the shirts and was taken as a fashion statement. Though during that time they had a general purpose; and that was that during those years trousers were pretty high waisted thus belts were rendered useless. So the suspenders became an essential part of one’s daily wear. Now in the 20th century, again suspenders were revived to give that extra oomph and sense of class in one’s attire.

Suspenders are straps that go over one’s shoulders while being attached to the front and back of the trousers. The attachments of the suspenders with the trousers are either done with clips or buttons. And to make sure that one’s suspenders don’t slip down from the shoulders, they should be given a shape of H, Y or X at the back.

Basic types of Suspenders

1. Black formal suspenders: these are perfect for a super classy look and go best with black tie formal events. These are perfect for any kind of statement attire.
2. Clip suspenders: these suspenders come with an attachment of clips which can be slipped over the belt line of the trousers. The disadvantage with these is that they can harm the fabric of the trousers.
3. Undergarment suspenders: these suspenders are worn over the shirts. They are worn under the undershirt and are mostly made of soft and nude fabrics.
4. Work suspenders: these are the durable and rugged type of suspenders. They can be worn with denim also and allows a lot of mobility.

Benefits of Suspenders

There are several advantages of suspenders against belts like:

• Comfort: belts can be very uncomfortable as it constricts the waist too much. However, the suspenders will not cinch the waist, but will also hold up the trousers properly.
• Variety: belts can be boring as they don’t really come in varieties especially the formal ones. But in the case of suspenders, one can find several options. One can find suspenders in different colors, width, fabric type, patterns, styles, and even the attachment types.
• Avoid bunched up shirts: one of the biggest aesthetic problems with belts is that they cause the shirts to bunch up. This can lead to a frumpy and unfashionable look. However, suspenders can be a great alternative as they keep the shirt straight and sharp without any bunching up.
• Improve posture: now that suspenders put a little pressure on one’s shoulder, a person unconsciously tends to sit or stand straight. This will make sure that one is not slumping.
• Thinning effect: suspenders are vertical in nature, thus it gives a thinning effect to one’s waist as compared to belts.
• Good circulation: belts cinch the waist, sometimes way too tight and this can interrupt a normal flow of blood, but the suspenders are not like that and one can be assured of proper blood circulation.