'Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.' So states the much-loved author Mark Twain, and it must be said, it seems the man was onto something. A good sense of style can speak volumes, and there have been a number of studies undertaken that appear to show that dressing in a more formal, 'classic' style has a marked effect on the confidence and self-perception of the individual. He who dresses well does well, and there are a great many stylistic weapons a gentleman can employ from his arsenal in his search for the right 'classy' look. Today, we are going to look at one such item: the braces aka suspenders for our North American readers.
The legendary Mark Twain taking on a cigar break
Like our History of the Tie, our story begins in France. Although this time in the 18th Century, rather than the 17th. The first braces were little more than strips of decorative fabric attached to the buttonholes of men's trousers. However, this all changed in 1822, when a London Haberdasher, Albert Thurston, first brought them into public attention, marketing them as 'braces'. At this time, Thurston's braces were exceptionally popular as, due to the wide-fitting style of men's trousers at the time, they were a functional asset for the discerning gentleman, lest his trousers end up around his ankles.
Once Mr Thurston had successfully popularised the men's braces, an enterprising chap in America decided to put in a patent of his own. Thus, Samuel Clemens took out the first US patent for braces, referring to them as 'Adjustable and Detachable Straps for Garments'. The question is, why have we not heard more of this fashionable man? Why has Samuel Clemens mainly faded into obscurity? The answer is, of course, he hasn't. For who is Samuel Clemens, but the man whose very quote began this post. That's right, Samuel Clemens adopted the Nom de Plume Mark Twain! It would seem that the man really did have his head screwed on, and, by all accounts, his trousers properly held in place.
New recruits to the British Army are measured circa 1917
Now, it is only fair to warn you, dear reader - sad times lay ahead for our protagonist, the braces. Soon, braces would come up against and ultimately lose to its arch-nemesis: the belt. As the days of peacetime ended, and the world plunged into the First World War, the brave military men in the trenches were required, rather sensibly, to wear slightly tighter-fitting and vastly more practical trousers. This decision resulted in less demand for braces, with men adopting belts instead. Post-war, the soldiers decided that they enjoyed wearing belts and tighter trousers, and as such brought the belt back home, where it steadily gained in popularity, as did the more practical trousers.
The brace’s nemesis, the belt
While this wasn't by any means the death of the braces, it led to a shift in popularity towards the belt. There was one major difference, however, between the two at the time. Although belts were undeniably part of one's outward attire, up until as late as the 1930s, braces were still considered underwear. In fact, in 1938, a town in Long Beach, New York, attempted to ban wearing braces without a coat on top of them, calling such a heinous act' sartorial indecency'. Does one wonder if there was a similar reaction to the 'mankini'?
Slowly, however, braces began to rebel against their position as purely under-garment items and instead began to take a more aesthetic role. Nowadays, there are a vast amount of different styles and types of braces. There are X-Type, Y-Type, and V-Type, striped, block, novelty, leather, silk, Oxford cloth, elastic, jacquard, and more. Braces have become a symbol of style, class, and the occasional calling-card of the new 'Hipster' movement. It is somewhat ironic as, at one time, braces were a symbol of a poorer social standing. Without the financial means for tailored trousers, braces carried out the job of holding up ill-fitting lower garments.
Some of the braces available at our online shop
Well, there it is - the history of men's braces. We've reached the end, via Mark Twain, the First World War, and much more. Maybe the next time you tighten up those braces, you'll chuckle at your 'sartorial indecency'. Remember, clothes make the man, and braces make the outfit.
If we’ve piqued your interest in a pair of braces, please visit our our online shop here.
M&M