Suspenders 101: A Brief History of Suspenders
Posted by Walter Schulz on Nov 13th 2023
Suspenders have been holding pants up since the late 1700s, and the design has changed more than most people realize. Here's the real history, from the first patented design to how suspenders became a modern wardrobe staple.
It Started With Albert Thurston
The first modern suspenders were created by Albert Thurston, a British designer who based his design on earlier strips of ribbon with buttonholes. In Thurston's time, men wore high-waisted trousers that needed extra support, and his design solved that problem directly. His original version featured an "H-back" shape, with straps made from a tightly woven wool fabric known as boxcloth. The design held up well, and this new accessory, worn buttoned to the trousers, became known as braces.
How Suspenders Became More Comfortable
Thurston's design was built for function first, and some men found the early versions uncomfortable. Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was one of them. In 1871, Clemens patented his own design for "Adjustable and Detachable Straps for Garments." His version had more influence on women's undergarments than menswear, but other designers kept refining the concept. In 1894, the invention of metal clasps meant suspenders could be clipped onto trousers instead of only buttoned, and the Y-back and X-back shapes gradually replaced the original H-back.
A Dip in Popularity
As high-waisted trousers fell out of fashion, so did the practical need for suspenders. Some doctors of the era still recommended them for posture, and plenty of men continued wearing them simply because they liked the look. By the start of World War II, belts had become standard issue with military uniforms, and many young men who served came home with the habit of wearing a belt instead.
Suspenders in Business and On Screen
Even as belts gained ground, suspenders stayed popular with a significant number of men, especially paired with sharp business suits. They also became a recognizable part of on-screen style, regularly worn by actors playing gangsters and businessmen alike.
The 1960s Resurgence
Suspenders picked up momentum again in the 1960s, when young men in Britain built a working-class look around jeans, plain t-shirts, and suspenders. That style influenced menswear well beyond its original scene, even though the broader move toward casual dress meant belts still outpaced suspenders for a while.
Suspenders Today
Suspenders are once again a regular part of the fashion landscape, helped along by a much wider range of styles and materials than Thurston could have imagined. Modern X-back and Y-back designs, elastic materials, and novelty prints have all helped suspenders find new fans well outside the traditional business-suit crowd.
From Classic to Modern: Shop the Styles
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are suspenders still fashionable?
Yes, suspenders remain a timeless and active fashion accessory. While they are less ubiquitous for everyday wear, they are widely worn for formal events like weddings and proms, specialized job sites, and statement casual wear.
Why did suspenders go out of style?
Suspenders never fully went out of style, but belts replaced them for everyday wear. As lower-rise pants became popular in the 20th century and military uniforms popularized belts during World War II, casual everyday wear shifted toward belts while suspenders shifted to formal and specialized wear.
Do men still wear suspenders?
Yes, many men wear suspenders for style, comfort, and functionality. They are popular among business professionals seeking a sharp dress look, tradesmen needing heavy-duty support, and anyone preferring trousers supported from the shoulder rather than cinched at the waist.
When did men switch from suspenders to belts?
The widespread switch to belts occurred around World War II. Military service uniforms issued belts to soldiers, creating a habit that returning veterans carried back into civilian everyday fashion.
In what decades were suspenders most popular?
Suspenders peaked in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the 1960s, and the late 1970s through the 1980s. Today, they enjoy ongoing popularity as versatile accessories across formalwear, vintage styles, and workwear.