Joshua Kissi: Next to bowties, suspenders are on the list of items a lot of people stray away from. The primary reason is because these are difficult items to incorporate into an outfit and maintain a natural look. That isn’t the case for everyone, though: My dad, for instance, swears by the use of suspenders instead of a belt. Suspenders, or “braces” as our good blokes across the water would call them, were originally a functional accessory (i.e. to suspend your pants) before being deemed “fashionable” and finding a home on runways. Whether your style is more on the punk / skinhead or something more formal, suspenders are a piece to consider.

Accessory: I purchased these suspenders a year ago, though I was uncertain of how I would implement them into my wardrobe. There are a plethora of choices design-wise when considering suspenders, from plain leather to nylon or other materials. Jon and myself trade off on different type of suspenders here, his with snap closures and my own button closures.

Trousers: I’ve been on the search for a nice pair of denim trousers to wear since last summer. The specifics of my search were simple: A lightweight, medium-to-light-wash and a looser fit than I normally wear. I had some work ahead of me, especially if I had to include thrift shops in my search, which were littered with denim bellbottoms.I came across these perfect  indigo trousers from J.Crew obviously more expensive than my initial thrift idea, but were too nice to pass up.

Alterations: Let me first say that these trousers did not come manufactured with suspender buttons. I took a trip to the garment district and selected an assortment of buttons to get sewn into my trousers.  It’s your choice whether you want to get the buttons sewn on the outside, or on the inside as I did. It’s a fairly easy process if you know how to sew, and inexpensive at your local tailor.

Footwear: To cut to the chase, I found these great Italian-made woven strap shoes on eBay. I haven’t seen anything similar to them before. The shoes are unbranded; I suspect they were samples that never made the cut for the line.  All of the details—canvas woven front, leather upper and a great strap—really make this shoe one of my favorites by far. And yes, that includes the double monk straps.

Sartorial dilemma: We receive quite a few emails about the juxtaposition between wearing a belt and suspenders at the same time. Functionally, both are meant to hold up your trousers. When it comes to this issue, I prescribe to the notion of “knowing the rules well enough to break them.”

People: As you guys know, we like to branch out and feature our friends in select posts from time to time. Meet Jon Jury, a Brooklyn musician with eclectic stylish pieces that obviously could only be found in thrift shops. The studded stars on his shirt were taken from a vintage military jacket and applied on his shirt – I think all of his details add to his look perfectly.

History : “In the early 1820s, British designer Albert Thurston began to manufacture the first known modern day suspenders (known as “braces” in Britain). The fashion of the day dictated that men wear high-waisted pants — so high-waisted, in fact, that a belt could not actually be used to hold them up. Thurston’s suspenders attached via leather loops; the company still sells them today.”- Claire Saddath of the New York Times

All photos taken by Cleon Grey of Avederoutfit


 

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