I have started to wear something I would never have worn through much of my life -- suspenders. I grew up in a rural area where suspenders weren't so uncommon but I never chose them for myself as a kid, and certainly wouldn't have considered wearing suspenders when I moved to California in my teens. Suspenders were something that old people wore. Old people, and people who never left the farm. Well, I wouldn't be ashamed to be a farmer today, and I must be old now, because I have learned why old people wore suspenders. A belt doesn't do a good job of holding my pants up anymore. When I put a pair of pants on, a belt does a perfectly good job of holding them up but within a few hours, that is no longer the case. I find that I can't carry anything that requires both hands without a realistic fear of my pants falling off. That has actually happened before, but thankfully not in a public place. So I either wear sweatpants, which will stay up, or I wear suspenders with my jeans. I do have a couple of pairs of pants that have an elastic waistband, and I can wear them with a belt, but otherwise I'll opt for the suspenders. I have some that I can wear under my shirt, but most of them are just basic suspenders. Unfortunately, it's not so easy to find pants that come with suspender buttons anymore, and the clip-on suspenders come loose too often. So with my jeans, I use the Duluth suspender buttons that are hammered into place on the waistband. Buttons can also be sewed on, but I prefer the suspender buttons. But I'd rather buy jeans or pants that already have them. Jeans used to come with them, and dress pants once had suspender buttons on the inside of the waistband, but they are no longer standard.
My hubby use to wear suspenders too. He had a little tummy, and his pants were always slipping under that. When the fad started for young men to wear their pants so low that they had to always hold them up with one hand, Michael saw the benefits of wear suspenders. Buy the time he died, he had an extensive collection of designer suspenders. He said that if he was going to wear them, he might as well make a statement.
@Ken Anderson OK, this opens up yet another "old-timers" consideration: the wearing of a hat or cap. I wore my Cubs baseball cap until maybe 6th grade, but wore no cap or hat after that, ever. Used earmuffs in the coldest winter times, no cap. Today, we see numerous old codgers wearing caps, cowboy hats, straw hats, in the various public places we frequent. It irks us that they do not remove them in the restaurants. Now, is it US, or THEM? I ask myself, do they wear them in church, too? Surely, when young, these guys lived by a similar code to the one I grew up with, no? A store in our mall sells all likes of caps, a lot declaring "Viet Nam Vet", Korean War, etc. The worst cap slogan I've seen was worn by a guy about 65, otherwise well-attired, physically-fit, which declared, "Muslim is the Problem". Suspenders? My Dad used them forever, don't think he even owned a belt. Me? Strictly belts, or if pants tight, no belt. No cap, for sure! Frank
You had me confused there Ken as suspenders have a different meaning over here They are what the ladies wear to hold their stockings up ! So initially I was then by your post I get it now, they are what we call braces and I've always liked them. They used to be very fashionable and you see them a lot in the old movies I recall when Clark Gable wore a vest on screen - the sales of vests soared ! So Ken, you may be setting the trend for a comeback of braces - suspenders
With me it's shoes. I spent the best part of my life tottering around on the most ridiculous height heels. In the seventies I spent so much time in emergency as yet again ankle sprain all in the pursuit of fashion. I did love those platform shoes though. Later on in my working career high heels even though I am 5.7and a half inches tall often after a long shift. My back ached. Then retirement aaagh, sensible shoes or in my case a good walking sandal. On my last visit home I found myself pouring over the latest hotter catalogue. Sensible footwear in abundance. Heaven. Welcome senior years
@Honey Gee - Ah yes sensible shoes, been wearing them for years I was fed up with me foot tipping over - no, I like sensible shoes as long as they're nice and pretty Back to Ken - honestly the image I had in me head of Ken in suspenders was so funny and it wasn't till the ending of the post, that I got the gist of it all
I wasn't confused, I've always known the Americans call Braces..suspenders.... These are braces... in the uk.... Suspenders as the other British ladies have already pointed out, are what ladies use to hold stockings up... but what I don't know is what American ladies call them...
When I wear jeans I wear a belt and suspenders both. And a cap. Used to get by with just a belt. Now I look like Red Green, or Chester on gunsmoke.