Are Suspenders a Formal or Casual Wear Accessory?

Suspenders are certainly not a new fashion accessory. People have been wearing them in one form or another for more than 200 years. Yet they are often viewed as a clothing accessory that is either usually worn only for formal occasions or as an item worn mainly with casual outfits. So, what is the truth about the matter? Are suspenders formal or casual? We get to the bottom of this question and provide answers for both viewpoints.

Are They Formal?

There are those who only consider wearing suspenders for formal occasions such as a senior prom, formal parties or weddings where the groom and groomsmen are decked out in matching suspenders. Many professionals also enjoy wearing suspenders with formal business attire. So, for all of these folks, suspenders are definitely a formal accessory. Also, suspenders are not as prevalent among the general public as they used to be, another factor that contributes to their image as a formal accessory. If people are only exposed to them during special occasions, it makes sense to see them in this light. There are also styles that have a glamorous or upscale look that makes them a natural choice for certain formal affairs. When considering all of this, the answer is yes, suspenders can be formal.

Are They Casual?

In their heyday, suspenders were worn by most men with high-waisted pants for casual and work-related tasks. There was no other way to securely hold up a man’s pants back then. When lower-waist pants became the norm, people who enjoyed wearing suspenders casually continued to do so, not because they had to but because they wanted to. And that tradition continues today. As a matter of fact, wearing suspenders with casual outfits is once again on the rise, and that’s a good thing for everyone who loves suspenders.

These days you can find men and women of all ages wearing suspenders, and even toddlers and teens are looking casually cool in suspenders. So, we can only conclude that yes, suspenders double as a casual fashion accessory that can also hold up your pants.

4 Ways to Wear the Same Black Suspenders

As you can tell from the above answers, suspenders are both formal and casual depending on how you wear them. Luckily, this means you always have plenty of choices when it comes to pairing suspenders with various outfits. Here are four different outfit ideas that include suspenders:

The formal suit. Look classy and sophisticated by wearing high-quality suspenders with a professional style suit to a formal event or as professional business attire. Styles with leather button-on ends are traditional, but it’s also acceptable to wear clip-on styles thanks to sturdy construction.

Sporty casual. Look casual and cool in a blue, grey or white colored button-down shirt paired with beige, tan, blue or grey slacks. Choose suspenders and a sports jacket in those same color hues for easy coordinated style.

Laid-back casual. Slip on a pair of fabric or leather suspenders with a denim shirt, plaid shirt, T-shirt or sweater paired with jeans.

Glam look. Dress in all black and accessorize with black suspenders, glamorous-looking glittery suspenders or sumptuous silk suspenders.