Wearing Suspenders: How Do Suspender Clips Work?

Suspenders with attached clips are popular with most people who enjoy wearing suspenders. Various clip styles allow you to easily attach suspenders to any type of bottom (i.e. pants, shorts and skirts). Beyond that, there are some basics you should know regarding their function and how to properly wear them.

How Do They Work?

How do suspender clips work? Well, suspender clips are machine constructed of metal and include a mechanism that allows you to press or pull the clip to open its “jaws” so the clip can be clamped onto the top of pants. Please note that regular clips should never be attached to belts or belt loops because doing so quickly wears out the mechanism.

Finding quality suspender clips is an easy task, since they should continuously hold their grip when placed on pants fabric and you’ll know quickly if they don’t.

How to Attach Clip Suspenders

There are two popular styles of suspenders, and the following tips are helpful in understanding how to position clips for both styles when attaching to pants and other bottoms. We also explain how to attach side clips. If videos are more convenient for you, here’s a video guide to attaching clip suspenders.

Positioning X-Back Clips

When figuring out where to position X-back style clip suspenders, you can start by taking a look in the mirror at your physical build, which includes your height and the width of your torso. In general, the two back clips should be positioned between three inches and five inches from the center of your back. You’ll need to experiment to see where your comfort zone falls within that range. When the shoulder straps are attached, and buckles adjusted for fit, the suspenders should feel comfortable to wear and look smooth and straight in front and back.

Positioning Y-Back Clips

The Y-back suspenders have a single back strap with a single clip attachment. Once again, the center is a starting point, only this time you can use the belt loop found on the back center of your pants (if there isn’t one, use your center back). Position the back clip just to the side of this loop (either side is fine). Next, position the shoulder straps so that they appear straight in front.

Positioning Side Clips

If you decide to wear suspenders with side clips, keep in mind that these should be positioned at the sides of your torso, and your proportions determine exactly where. Make sure the straps lay flat against your body. The clips should not be placed on belt loops.