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Suspenders

Wells

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Canada
G'day all!
Lately, I've been really want to get a nice pair of trousers with vintage styled suspenders. Similar to what Andrew Garfield wore in Hacksaw Ridge. Seems almost impossible to find anything locally. Any recommendations on where to start looking?
Just a picture to give you an idea:
doss.jpg


Thanks!
 

viclip

Practically Family
Messages
571
Location
Canada
G'day all!
Lately, I've been really want to get a nice pair of trousers with vintage styled suspenders. Similar to what Andrew Garfield wore in Hacksaw Ridge. Seems almost impossible to find anything locally. Any recommendations on where to start looking?
Just a picture to give you an idea:
View attachment 60316

Thanks!
I've used the on-line Suspender Store with excellent results, take a gander:

http://www.suspenderstore.com/

Ditto for the Gentleman's Emporium, which leans more towards the vintage look:

https://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/suspenders.php
 

viclip

Practically Family
Messages
571
Location
Canada
Note that the Suspender Store also carries clip-on suspender buttons. Instead of sewing buttons onto the pants, the clip-ons provide button-like protuberances for installation of the braces. A matter of taste I suppose, some find that buttons dig into their flesh so when not wearing suspenders, the clip-on buttons can simply be removed.
 

Wells

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Canada
Thanks for all the great info. I knew I would find some good leads from you guys.

I guess my next question is...who still makes nice vintage styled trousers with suspender buttons?
 

viclip

Practically Family
Messages
571
Location
Canada
Thanks for all the great info. I knew I would find some good leads from you guys.

I guess my next question is...who still makes nice vintage styled trousers with suspender buttons?
Here's a selection of vintage-styled trousers which come with suspender buttons:

https://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/trousers.php?page=1

At a glance it seems that their buttons are on the outside, perhaps only suit pants came with interior buttons for a sleaker look. Exterior buttons would be more comfortable for daily wear/work pants as they wouldn't dig into one's flesh with activity.

These days, you'd be hard pressed to find "modern" suit pants let alone casual pants with suspender buttons already affixed. If you can find a source of current trousers (i.e. not designed to emulate vintage pants), please let us know.

If the services of a tailor are needed to have a pair of pants retrofitted with suspender buttons, it costs $20 -$25 in my experience. That pretty well doubles the cost of half-decent around-the-house trousers.
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
Get the wife/girlfriend or even just friend who is handy with a needle and thread to sew some buttons in the right place on a pair of your favourite high waisted trousers?
 

viclip

Practically Family
Messages
571
Location
Canada
I prefer the non-elastic ones from River Junction.
Thanks for this. I just took a look at their site & was glad to find that they offer 6-button vests and with the full 4 pockets. Try finding those hanging on the rack locally!
 

Wells

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Canada
Here's a selection of vintage-styled trousers which come with suspender buttons:

https://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/trousers.php?page=1

At a glance it seems that their buttons are on the outside, perhaps only suit pants came with interior buttons for a sleaker look. Exterior buttons would be more comfortable for daily wear/work pants as they wouldn't dig into one's flesh with activity.

These days, you'd be hard pressed to find "modern" suit pants let alone casual pants with suspender buttons already affixed. If you can find a source of current trousers (i.e. not designed to emulate vintage pants), please let us know.

If the services of a tailor are needed to have a pair of pants retrofitted with suspender buttons, it costs $20 -$25 in my experience. That pretty well doubles the cost of half-decent around-the-house trousers.

Thanks for that link, sir. Some gorgeous trousers there. Looks like my size (28) requires a special order. It's nice to see that they offer that. It's often hard to find nice clothes in slimmer sizes.
 

drcube01

New in Town
Messages
22
Location
Caseyville, IL
Here's a selection of vintage-styled trousers which come with suspender buttons:

https://www.gentlemansemporium.com/store/trousers.php?page=1

At a glance it seems that their buttons are on the outside, perhaps only suit pants came with interior buttons for a sleaker look. Exterior buttons would be more comfortable for daily wear/work pants as they wouldn't dig into one's flesh with activity.

These days, you'd be hard pressed to find "modern" suit pants let alone casual pants with suspender buttons already affixed. If you can find a source of current trousers (i.e. not designed to emulate vintage pants), please let us know.

If the services of a tailor are needed to have a pair of pants retrofitted with suspender buttons, it costs $20 -$25 in my experience. That pretty well doubles the cost of half-decent around-the-house trousers.

Historically, suspender buttons were on the outside, for suit pants as well. (Not that it mattered, the waistband was covered up by the vest.)

Now that everyone has switched to belts, suspender buttons are often attached to the inside so they won't get in the way of your belt or belt loops.

I've often gotten a tailor to sew them on for less than the price of alteration, often under $10. But if I wasn't going to the tailor anyway, I'd sew them in myself. Buttons aren't hard, and I'm hardly a tailor.
 

Blackadder

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,822
Location
China
Thanks for this. I just took a look at their site & was glad to find that they offer 6-button vests and with the full 4 pockets. Try finding those hanging on the rack locally!
Welcome. They do carry brands other than the usual Scully and Frontier.
 

Benproof

A-List Customer
Messages
350
Location
England
G'day all!
Lately, I've been really want to get a nice pair of trousers with vintage styled suspenders. Similar to what Andrew Garfield wore in Hacksaw Ridge. Seems almost impossible to find anything locally. Any recommendations on where to start looking?
Just a picture to give you an idea:
View attachment 60316

Thanks!

They're really svelte stylish, aren't they?

I couldn't quite place which period reproduction it came from - whether it was British or Australian, or possibly American. Then, film directors are rarely ever faithful to period clothing and have variations.

If you are a 28" waist, you're perfect for a 30" pair of suspenders. Historically they were wore loose - study Garfield's and you see just how loose his are. They are usually designed this way with a high rise - don't be surprised if they are as much as 25-30cm. Fishtail backs with double mounting buttons are in line with the period. The artillery war pants from the same era which I came across all have this kind of design; the later British design, culled the fishtail however Austin Reed, the great war time suppliers hold true to the fish tail rear. You will be really fortunate to find a pair that is not moth eaten or destroyed, or charged $$$ for due to its authentic reproduction.

The buttons are always mounted externally; you can see variations where individuals reversed the buttons. Some of the original buttons are made of metal/tin; others are authentic horn. The later generation patterns moved towards a really hard kind of bakelite. The belt loops of the original artillery versions tend to be massive since they used belts like the Sam Browne ones - rather redundant by the 2nd world war.

Garfield wears bell bottom versions - it's hard to imagine then that these aren't American. The English versions i've seen were way modest.

Quite a large number of modern British makers replicate these designs. In the USA, I'm guessing that they are seen as quirky and eccentric although here they are very common, usually worn and hidden under a waistcoat. The smoothness of the way the pants sit, rise and fall doesn't bunch up like the way useless belts do. Garfield's looks like he's wearing a kind of medical shirt with a tropical cotton weave version. Aeroleathers do their own in tweed, which is a way thicker and more suitable for the freezing northern hemisphere you're in. They're not cheap - http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/products.php?cat=aerocloth There are many other British manufacturers who charge way more if you're interested...! They fall under British heritage brands, although Italian and French replicas are becoming common.

I'm personally not a fan of adding buttons to trousers which weren't designed for braces (suspenders). You can do it, but make sure you plan it carefully so that it hangs properly!
 

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