How to Wear Suspenders in 2020

Every generation who discovers suspenders find ways to make this timeless fashion accessory its own. In 2022, the cues on how to wear suspenders comes from those who enjoy exploring all the various ways to enhance outfits with a range of different suspender styles, colors and widths. You too can join in on the fun of suspenders by getting ideas from current trends.

How to Wear Suspenders Your Way

Those on the fence about the modern appeal of suspenders sometimes ask, "Are suspenders in style?" If you're wondering if it's still cool to wear suspenders in the modern millennial age, the answer is an enthusiastic YES!

Suspenders have been worn by generations of people and continue being a top clothing accessory choice for thousands of folks who love their practicality and good looks. People also like their versatility. You can create countless suspender outfit ideas, casual and formal, with one or more pairs.

Suspenders for Men vs. Women

Clothing accessories for men and women are often found in separate gender categories. For instance, there are women's and men's socks, women's jewelry and men's jewelry, etc. When it comes to shopping for suspenders, there really isn't much that differs between what is considered to be women's suspenders and suspenders for men. Sure, some women may prefer certain colors versus what some men prefer but there are no hard and fast fashion rules regarding suspenders. This is essential to know when shopping for suspenders. Women can wear styles often associated with men and vice versa. If you want suggestions, we've put together a women's section for those seeking suspender fashion style ideas for ladies.

How to Put On Suspenders

In case you're wondering how to put on suspenders (like many first-time wearers), we can give you a brief overview. The key to a good fit is ensuring you choose the right size and positioning the attachments in the right areas before clipping or buttoning. Refer to our video about wearing suspenders for more information.

Elevate Jeans and a Shirt

Many people love wearing their suspenders with a casual shirt and a pair of their favorite jeans. This is an easy-going look that most can pull off and it elevates the pairing of two popular fashion basics to a whole new level of coolness. A white shirt is the most popular choice for this look, but you can choose other shirt colors. Black or dark brown suspenders made of stretch fabric or leather make this an effortless outfit to wear with boots or casual shoes.

Skip the Jacket

While suspenders and a tie are often worn together with a business suit, you don't have to wear the jacket unless a workplace requires it. For a great business casual or casual look, skip the jacket and let those suspenders be a focal point of your outfit. This tip applies for men and women. If you want to keep the tie, you can. Some prefer a colorful long tie, while others prefer a snazzy bow tie, which creates more visual space in front. Of course, you can also skip the tie altogether, which creates even more casualness. Since, the suspenders are so noticeable, you can have fun with this look by choosing solid colors and patterns that you like. Striped pattern suspenders are always a good choice for the no-jacket look.

The Vest Look

One of the newest ways to wear suspenders is with a vest. You may be thinking that a vest already comes with a certain amount of visual appeal, and it does. Yet, when suspenders are worn with a vest, it adds the extra snap that really makes this look more unique. It can work with suit vests and sweater vests, and you should experiment with solids and stripes in suspenders to come up with winning combinations.

Wearing a Suit with Suspenders

Everyday countless business professionals enhance the look of their business suit with suspenders. Suspenders can give you a bit more security for holding up pants all day, but they can also be useful in creating your own successful achiever look.

Make a Statement with Colors

Once you have suspenders in reliable colors such as black, red and navy solids, it's time to explore additional colors. Modern suspenders come in a vast array of color hues to suit everyone's preferences. Weddings have played a role in this expanded choice ever since it became popular for grooms and groomsmen to wear matching suspenders. It's common to see guys (and some gals) wearing wedding suspenders in hues of gold, green, burgundy, blue and even pink. At SuspenderStore, we make it easy to shop by color, and each color category can inspire plenty of ideas for outfits you'd like to wear with different wardrobe pieces. Yes, you can own pairs of pink, purple, grey, orange and white suspenders if you wish.

Make a Statement with Patterns

Another great way to expand upon the standard solids is to delve into patterns. We guarantee you can find at least one pattern to love among the many offered. For instance, plaid suspenders may become a favorite for fall and winter in addition to stripes. Patterns such as jacquard offer sophistication, while novelty patterns help you express your enjoyment of various personal interests. Some patterns celebrate holidays and others celebrate football. Patterned suspenders shine best when worn with solid color shirts or tops; however, you can do cool things like pair vertical stripe suspenders with a horizontal stripe top.

Experiment with Widths

Suspender widths range from ultra-thin (0.5-inch) to ultra-wide (two inches) and that provides lots of room for exploring ways to use width to enhance outfits. Again, there are no rules about this, so you can follow your creative instincts. Skinny suspenders (0.5-inch and one-inch) are admired for their trendy, sleek look. Mid-range widths (1.25 to 1.5 inches) are the most versatile, easily transitioning between casual, business and dressy outfits. The widest suspenders are often worn for rugged jobs that require stronger straps for physical work. These too can be worn as rugged fashion accessories.

Drop the Straps

Looking for an unconventional way to wear suspenders? Attach suspenders as normal but instead of draping them over your shoulders, let both straps fall to your hips. This is definitely a look for those who feel they can pull off this carefree fashion statement without worrying about what others think.

Shorts and Skirts

Just because suspenders are usually worn with pants doesn't mean they always have to be worn that way. Attach them to a pair of shorts and wear with a T-shirt. Or wear your trendy suspenders with a comfortable jean skirt, black fabric skirt or patterned skirt of any length. Another idea is to pair solid color suspenders with a tulle skirt for an ultra-femme, slightly rebellious look.