The Dos and Don’ts of Wearing Suspenders

Suspenders are a unique wardrobe accessory that offer you an easy way to hold up your pants and expand your fashion creativity. If you are new to the world of suspenders, you probably have a bunch of questions. Since we're the suspenders experts, we're going to devote this entire page to answering the most common questions we get about choosing and wearing suspenders. We hope this information helps you select the business and dress suspenders, clip suspenders, button suspenders or other suspender styles that work for you!

How Many Types of Suspenders Are There?

There is a wide range of suspender types that vary based on the type of attachment, the width, and the fabric used as well as other additional elements of construction. However, there are two broadly known categories of suspenders - button suspenders and clip suspenders, each with their own subcategories. Our informative video - All About Suspender Types & Styles provides a comprehensive overview of the many different types and styles of suspenders available.

What Kind of Suspenders Should I Get?

The only person who can answer that is you; everyone has different fashion preferences and tastes. Browse through the different suspender styles to get an idea of which styles are most appealing to you, and be sure to factor the purpose of the suspenders (function versus fashion) when making your selection.

Do Men's Suspenders Come in Different Sizes?

Yes. In fact, youth suspenders and adult suspenders - which can be worn by men or women - come in different sizes to ensure everyone who wants to wear them can find styles that fit their body type.

How Do I Know What Size Suspenders I Need?

Sizes for teens and adults range from small to XXL. We make it easy to figure out what size you need by providing you with our online suspender sizing guide. You can also watch our "How to Measure and Size Suspenders" video to learn how to get the most accurate sizing.

Can I Wear Suspenders Under My Shirt?

Yes, however most suspenders are not designed to be worn underneath a shirt because the friction from the suspender material may cause discomfort. If you want to wear your suspenders under your shirt, you should select undergarment suspenders which are made with extra soft fabric for just this purpose.

Is It OK to Wear Suspenders Without a Jacket?

Yes. There's no rule that says you must wear suspenders with a jacket. Have fun pairing various suspenders with different types of shirts and let everyone see your personal style.

Do Suspenders Go Under or Over a Vest?

When wearing both suspenders and a vest, most people wear the suspenders under the vest, which is the classic approach. However, some people do wear them over a vest for a cool fashion statement. Suspenders are also quite capable of standing on their own so you can ditch the vest altogether and let the suspenders take center stage!

Is It OK to Wear a Belt with Suspenders?

This is the reason why belt clip and belt loop suspenders were invented! NOTE TO EC: Either just include belt clip or be sure to list it first as I changed it here - belt loop suspenders are a very minor and obscure category - we want people to see/go to belt clip suspenders first!

Should Your Suspenders Match Your Tie?

If you want to create a traditional look, then yes, the tie - whether a bow tie or a necktie - should either be an exact match or a close color match to your suspenders. If you're going for a creative, modern look, choose a tie with colors that complement your suspenders instead of matching them.

Should Your Suspenders Match Your Shoes?

If you're wearing button leather end suspenders, fashion experts advise that your shoes should ideally match the color family of the leather (ie. black leather with black shoes; brown leather with brown shoes) for a classic look. However, in practice, many people mix and match leather colors or choose to wear shoes that complement the color palette of the outfit as a whole.