Can You Wear Suspenders Under a Shirt? Yes, Here’s How

For personal reasons, you may desire to wear a pair of suspenders underneath your shirt, instead of wearing them over your shirt as commonly done. Is this something you can do comfortably? Yes. But you may not want to wear just any old pair this way. If you already own one or more pairs of elastic suspenders (forget about doing this with leather suspenders), you can experiment with wearing them over a t-shirt to see how they feel. Or, you can opt for undergarment suspenders, a specific style made especially for wearing under shirts.

Undergarment vs. Regular Suspenders

Undergarment suspenders look similar to regular varieties, but there’s one main difference—they are designed to be more comfortable next to your body. These suspenders are made of softer material that feels very much like an ace bandage, a light, flexible material that allows skin to breathe. When you put them on you can feel how light the material is, compared to regular elastic straps. A high level of comfort is especially important if you intend to wear them next to your skin. While regular elastic may chafe your skin, undergarment ones are hardly noticeable, and they don’t snag or get entangled in body hair, which is a concern for some people.

Keep in mind that undergarment suspenders come in two basic colors: beige and black, and this is fine, because no one is going to see them, except you. Also, you won’t be able to tuck-in your shirt with undergarment styles, something you can easily do with regular suspenders.

What About Sturdiness?

Sturdiness is a key factor when choosing any suspenders, and that includes those worn under shirts. Because they must hold up pants, good quality undergarment styles are designed to be durable and sturdy. Ideally, you want your suspenders to maintain their level of comfort and elasticity for a long period of time, even after daily use and many washings. Again, it’s all about quality construction.

Are the Clips Uncomfortable?

You may be concerned about whether the clips are going to dig into your stomach or back areas. Typically, this isn’t a problem for people doing daily activities in undergarment styles. Even so, a few people may experience some mild discomfort from clips when sitting for a period of time. This issue is usually resolved by shifting seating position. Opting for a different type of clip (plastic versus metal) or choosing side clip undergarment suspenders which fasten on the side of the waistband rather than on the back may also bring relief.

Travel-friendly Options

Whether you’re someone who travels occasionally or quite often, you want to make it through an airport security check without being stopped because of your chosen clothing accessory. Alas, those metal clips attached to your suspenders can set off alarms, causing annoyance and delaying your travel plans. Fortunately, you can easily find airport-friendly undergarment suspenders with durable plastic clips. These clips securely hold your pants just like metal ones, allowing you to sail through those checkpoints.

Choosing the Right Size

By now, you’re probably excited about the prospect of wearing hidden suspenders underneath your shirt or sweater. Great. Now, you can focus on making sure you get the right size, which is important for comfort. Before picking a size, always check a size chart to ensure you are choosing suspenders based on your height range—not weight. Go too large or too small and they aren’t going to feel right, no matter how you adjust them. When the fit is right, they feel so good and you can go about your day knowing your pants are staying put.