The pros and cons
Braces
• ‘The advantage of braces over belts is that you can have a looser and more comfortable waist, without trousers gliding down,’ advises tailor Erlend Norby. They are a more comfortable option for many wearers, as they hang from the shoulder without constraining the stomach
• Braces are more practical for high-waisted or wide-legged trousers
• They don’t affect the hang of trousers by cinching in the waistband
Belts
• The 1987 film Wall Street continues to cast a long shadow. Gordon Gekko, the rapacious financier played by Michael Douglas, wore boldly coloured and striped braces (including designs made by Albert Thurston), which set a fashion among financiers globally. More than 30 years later, negative reaction against brash City capitalists includes Gekko’s trademark braces
• Many wearers consider belts quicker, easier and more convenient
• Belts are widely considered more informal and less old-fashioned than braces
• They are better suited to trousers with low waistlines
• Belts formed an element of many historic military uniforms, used decoratively to emphasise a trim waist, which, in conjunction with upright posture, was considered imposing in an officer
• Belts are often a decorative clothing accessory, made in different colours, materials and patterns, with a range of buckle designs; a view persists that braces ought not to be seen