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Sewing on suspender buttons

TrenchGuy

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123
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Finland
So, I've been planning to get suspender buttons sewn in the inside of the waistband of my new dress pants.

But if the buttons are sewn, wouldnt there be stitching visible on the outside and it would look untidy? I guess it would be really hard to sew them only on the lining, but a tailor can do it, I guess?
 
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chanteuseCarey

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Northern California
So, I've been planning to get suspender buttons sewn in the inside of the waistband of my new dress pants.

But if the buttons are sewn, wouldnt there be stitching visible on the outside and it would look untidy?

There are two layers of the waistband fabric or one of waistband and one of facing material and then usually an interfacing layer too. I'm pretty sure they would not sew through all the layers, if they did they would catch only a tiny bit of the outer fabric. Should be okay. I once sewed many years ago suspender buttons on four pairs of a roommate's trousers for him, and don't remember it going through to the outside of the fabric.
 

Methuselah

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Manchester, England
Interesting, I've never found the need for a shank on brace buttons - the ones I get have sloped backs so they aren't flush against the cloth anyway.

I've wondered how to avoid stitch marks on the outside of trousers too - easily avoided by sewing the buttons on the outside :)
 

chanteuseCarey

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Interesting, I've never found the need for a shank on brace buttons - the ones I get have sloped backs so they aren't flush against the cloth anyway.

I've wondered how to avoid stitch marks on the outside of trousers too - easily avoided by sewing the buttons on the outside :)

I believe the buttons on the outside were only done up through the 1930s tho...
 

Tomasso

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Interesting, I've never found the need for a shank on brace buttons - the ones I get have sloped backs so they aren't flush against the cloth anyway.
Yes, there are special buttons used for braces which do away with the need for a shank.
 

Jupiter

New in Town
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31
All my pants have suspender buttons sewn into them. Every inside button is sewn through to another button on the outside. I replace every other button on the outside so they all match. Gives a very vintage 1920's/30's look, which is what I am going for. I have been stopped MANY times, often by very lovely women (of all ages, too), asking where I got the great pants. Braces and tie are my standard "look" and I never have to worry about having a button pop loose by sewing them on this way.

Mr. J
 

TrenchGuy

One of the Regulars
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123
Location
Finland
So, how should the buttons be placed? Somebody said that directly over the pleats, but the pants I'm going to get suspender buttons sewn on have 4 pleats in the front. The distance betweeen the two pleats is only around 4 centimeters and I guess the buttons would be too close if sewn like that?

A tailor should know, though...
 

Edward

Bartender
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London, UK
I find four inches apart is about right. Best if you have another pair of trews to copy, but if not.... the buttons at the rear are easy - one either side of the seam! At the front, it can be a little trial and error (if they have belt loops, you could use those as a guide)... I don't think there's any exactly "correct" point for them - I'd measure to make sure they're even, of course, but you could try pinning them on the trousers and trying them on to make sure they hang right, and are in a comfortable place.
 

dnjan

One Too Many
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1,687
Location
Seattle
But if the buttons are sewn, wouldnt there be stitching visible on the outside and it would look untidy?

But that would be covered by your waistcoat wouldn't it? Or by your belt if you happen to be wearing the pants without braces.
 

Tomasso

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So, how should the buttons be placed? Somebody said that directly over the pleats, but the pants I'm going to get suspender buttons sewn on have 4 pleats in the front.
My tailors place the inside button (the one closest to the zipper) over the pleat that rolls into the front crease of the trousers.
 

SmokingMonkey

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www.smokingmonkeys.co.uk
There are 2 approaches for the positioning of buttons for braces/suspenders that I'm aware of. Apologies from the lack of reference point for this detail, but I tend to read all sorts of random things online, and often regret not "bookmarking" sites I later want to revisit.

One is to have the "outside" button on the side seam of the trousers. This has a military background to it, probably to make sure that any decoration on the seam stays taught (though having never served in the Forces, I am guessing).

The second is to have the "inside" button in line with the crease in the front of the trousers. This is the approach I take when nervously stabbing at my suit trousers with needle and thread. This seems to help keep the crease in the front of the trousers looking sharper

How far the other button is placed for either of these choices is a mater of personal taste I guess.
 

Jupiter

New in Town
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31
image.jpeg
View attachment 99698
Photos please................

OK!

Just finished sewing these buttons on a new pair of canvas Carhartt work pants. Nothing fancy, but shows you what I do. I like my pants, especially winter work pants, a bit on the loose side, especially if I am wearing long johns, which I do pretty much every day from September until May here in NE Ohio, and of course, the suspenders keep my pants up where they belong. (By the way, these high-waisted Carhartt canvass dungarees have a long rise and a very 1930s look... I often wear them with vintage pattern home-made vests and a white shirt and a solid dark gray or brown tie and a pair of brown LL Bean cap toe work boots and I get a LOT of very positive feedback!) Sewing on the suspender buttons in this way means I have never lost a button, bend and stretch as I may (and I build houses for fun and profit, so I do a lot of bending and stretching).
 
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