What Should I Consider When Choosing Trouser Braces?

This guide helps you make informed choices about which mens braces to buy, particularly when choosing a pair of braces to wear or which to give as a gift. 

Size of the Wearer

Height and build are very important to consider when deciding what size braces to wear. Many “off the peg” braces are only cut to 40-42 inches which we have found to be small. Our standard size braces are cut to a generous 44 inches length. For any person who is over 5ft 10 inches tall or wearing an XL or larger jacket, the majority of “off the peg” standard trouser braces will not fit them. Please refer to our Trouser Braces Size Guide for more information.  The most popular width of braces is 35mm. Some workwear braces may be thicker at 40mm or even 50mm.  25mm wide referred to as slim braces are more a trend item. 

Material

Trouser braces are available in a wide range of materials including elastic, box cloth and silk.  Nowadays, a good quality braces elastic is most frequently used. 

Fastening 

This is how the braces fasten to the wearers trousers. Traditionally these would be leather ends either rolled or flat strips of leather secured to buttons on the trouser waist band. 

An alternative and by far the most popular are clip on braces. Clip braces are convenient as they do not require buttons to be on the waist band of the trousers. These simply clip onto the waist band of the trouser. Braces clips are available in silver or gold coloured metal. They range from a thin plain clip through to a more heavy-duty clip approximately 1 inch in size. The quality of the clip is very important. They should hold the trouser material firmly but not tear the trouser material. They should be capable of being repeatedly fastened and unfastened. Cheaper pairs of braces are available, but they may often have poor quality clips.

We also sell Combination/combination-braces.html or 2 in 1 combi trouser braces. These are suspenders with metal clips and leather ends. The wearer simply chooses which style they would like to use that day and switches between the leather end braces and clip-on braces. These are very versatile but generally more expensive.

Braces for All Occasions

Traditionally, more formal occasions such as a wedding or tuxedo function lead to formal leather end trouser suspenders to be worn. Other than that, either clip braces or trouser suspenders are for user’s preference. For a more casual day to day wear clip braces tend to be worn.

If attending a wedding, plain grey braces are very popular along with pink, purple and also light blue. Paisleys are also work frequently to weddings available on our website with either silver or gold clips. 

If wanting suit braces for the office or city, our polka dot our pin dot braces are in demand. These are like a plain brace but with a hint of colour perhaps to match a tie or handkerchief.

Plain braces are very popular particularly the main colours black, beige, blue, red, white and burgundy.  However, as clothing in wardrobes is becoming bolder in colour so is the demand for colourful trouser braces. Pink Braces, purple braces and our bright blue braces are gaining in demand. We are constantly searching for brighter elastics to add to our range.

Striped braces are very traditional. They may have a constant thick stripe of contrasting colour through the braces elastic or be made up of thinner stripes. Again, this is an easy way to add a hint of colour to an outfit and perhaps coordinate well with a tie or handkerchief.

We have a range of patterned braces including paisley braces, tartan braces argyle braces.  One of our favourite elastics is the skull braces made up of paisleys available in blue or black.

Our novelty range include themed music braces, fishing braces, country sports braces, skull braces, Union Jack flag braces and our very popular nautical anchor braces.  These are a fun way for a person to add a bit of flair to an outfit and often create a great talking point. These may be popular for a themed event, a sporting club event or perhaps a day at the races.

What Trousers are the Braces to be Worn With?

Formal trouser braces do not have loop holes for belts. They will have buttons fastened to the waist band. The expectation is that with formal trousers, trouser suspenders or just the trouser waistband size adjusters will be used by the wearer. Trousers with belt loop holes can obviously be used to wear a belt or clip braces may be used. Alternatively, the user may add buttons to the waistband of the trousers and wear them with trouser suspenders, leaving the loop holes empty.

X Shape Versus Y Shape Braces

The type of brace back is determined by what the braces look like from behind when you are wearing them. Some men’s braces form the letter X, whereas others form the letter Y.

X back braces are often favoured by men as they provide a better fit. They come with two clips or sets of buttons loops on the front and two clips or sets of buttons loops on the back which you simply attach to your trousers. Y backs on the other hand come with two clips or sets of button loops buttons on the front and one set on the back, because of this they are often referred to as three clip braces.

Whether you opt for X back braces or Y back braces, you will find that where the material crosses over at the back, there is a joint made from leather, metal or plastic keeping them in place. Obviously leather and metal joints look better than plastic ones and because of this we only sell braces with metal of leather joints.

GS Braces Made in England

Last but by no means least we are proud to say all our own brand GS Braces range are all made in England and are all finished by hand.