[Bruce Wayne]

I'm considering starting to wear braces with my RTW dress pants (I know you should have your pants custom made for this and all, but I'm just a 20 year old college student.). Anyway, I was wondering if braces are possibly harmful at all to your back and/or shoulders in the long run. Which are more "healthy," braces or belts?

 

[Cary Grant]

How could they hurt your back? Unless your pants weigh 500lbs?

Insert "package" joke here... ic12337:

 

[Bay Area Baritone]

How could they hurt your back? Unless your pants weigh 500lbs?

Insert "package" joke here... ic12337:

Cary Grant, he's a student, asking a legitimate question.

Lay off, please.

B.A.B.

 

[dfloyd]

You get more exercise wearing a belt, because ....

you'l be continuously pulling up your trousers. But wearing braces won't bother your back, and you don't need mtm or bespoke to wear braces. Braces are more comfortable to wear and they keep your trousers at your natural waist. My trousers are all rtw, and I wear braces with all my trousers except the cotton casual ones. However, don't wear braces if you are not wearing a suit or sport coat. You can wear braces with both pleated and flat front trousers as long as the rise is adjusted correctly. I don't worry about the belt loops because they are never visible. Don't scrimp on braces. Start off right by wearing Albert Thurston braces. Cheap, improperly adjusted braces will make you feel uncomfortable, although they probably wont do any back damage.

 

[M6Classic]

I'm considering starting to wear braces with my RTW dress pants (I know you should have your pants custom made for this and all, but I'm just a 20 year old college student.). Anyway, I was wondering if braces are possibly harmful at all to your back and/or shoulders in the long run. Which are more "healthy," braces or belts?

I have worn braces with all of my suits and dress trousers for...oh...nigh forty years, at least five days a week, often more. My back is in great shape. After seeing your initial question, I phoned an orthopoedic surgeon friend who says that braces alone should cause you absolutely no problem, but that there are a great many other ways to injur one's back.

Buzz

 

[welldressedfellow]

I'm considering starting to wear braces with my RTW dress pants (I know you should have your pants custom made for this and all, but I'm just a 20 year old college student.). Anyway, I was wondering if braces are possibly harmful at all to your back and/or shoulders in the long run. Which are more "healthy," braces or belts?

I wear braces 99.99% of the time (unless wearing casual trousers),and have suffred no back trouble at all.Braces do not constrict like belts.

 

[jackmccullough]

I wear a belt almost all the time. Back when I used to wear pants without a belt (wearing either suspenders or overalls) I would often find that after a while my back would be sore, and I think it was from not having the support that the belt provided.

If it's not an issue for you, don't worry about it. Still, I would try them out before going heavily into the world of suspenders.

 

[Preu Pummel]

I wear braces as much as possible. Belts always constrict and make me feel uncomfortable--either tight on the abdomen or cutting into the hip bones.

You don't notch the braces up so strong that you fight back vs. crotch and get a work out. The pants hang, and unless they are super heavy you will never notice any strain.

Try it out by attaching some buttons to some pants and give it a whirl. I used to hate braces until I was in my mid-twenties, and nowadays I can't get enough of them (42).

 

[M6Classic]

I wear a belt almost all the time. Back when I used to wear pants without a belt (wearing either suspenders or overalls) I would often find that after a while my back would be sore, and I think it was from not having the support that the belt provided.

If it's not an issue for you, don't worry about it. Still, I would try them out before going heavily into the world of suspenders.

Really, Jack? You know, that is the first time I have ever heard anyone observe that a belt...as opposed to a truss, say...provided any back support whatsoever.

I suggest that our O.P. go here https://www.albertthurston.com/categoryfast2.cfm?catid=4 and check out the many offerings. Nota bene that the prices in U.S. Dollars remain unchanged in spite of the falling GBP.

My wife and kids are particularly fond of these...

as well as the ones in purple.

Buzz

 

[PJC in NoVa]

If I could own only one pair of braces, it would probably be a navy boxcloth pair by Albert Thurston.

Since rounding one's shoulders arguably promotes the braces' slipping down, it could be argued that braces-wearing thus encourages the maintenance of an upright, square-shouldered posture, which my orthopedist says is healthy for the back.

Therefore, the wearing of braces very likely does not only NOT harm the back, but actually may help it.

As a young man, you probably have not experienced any serious back pain yet. But back ailments are very common, especially in those middle-aged and older, and anything you can do to avoid them will be to your advantage.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I have narrow shoulder (30 inch waist, 36 jacket size). Would that present any issues with wearing braces?
Also, should I maybe consider purchasing these?
https://www.albertthurston.com/pics/ProductFullLarge/AT5.jpg

 

[outrigger]

You're about my build and I've worn braces with no problems. As for the health question, then belts can give support to the back (think of weight lifters) braces shouldn't harm your back.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Really, Jack? You know, that is the first time I have ever heard anyone observe that a belt...as opposed to a truss, say...provided any back support whatsoever.

What's a truss?

 

[Cary Grant]

Cary Grant, he's a student, asking a legitimate question.

Lay off, please.

B.A.B.

Point taken but, unlike many of the recently derailed threads here, mine was an honest question, not sarcasm. And if you'll check my posts here you see that I believe you can count on me to be gentleman, not troll.

 

[Bay Area Baritone]

Point taken but, unlike many of the recently derailed threads here, mine was an honest question, not sarcasm. And if you'll check my posts here you see that I believe you can count on me to be gentleman, not troll.

I haven't read all your posts, Mr. Grant, so I can't comment on your activities elsewhere here.

On the other hand, I do not agree with your assessment that your post:

How could they hurt your back? Unless your pants weigh 500lbs?

Insert "package" joke here... ic12337:

was an "honest question," as you characterize it.

We all make mistakes from time to time, especially on forums. That is how I treated it--I did not at any point in my post dub you a "troll."

B.A.B.

 

[M6Classic]

What's a truss?

A fairly wide belt used specifically to provide back support or to hold in an abdominal hernia.

Buzz

 

[PJC in NoVa]

There may be no connection, but it's interesting to note that "bracing" as a gerund refers to the occasional military practice--I think it is or used to be done at West Point--of making a subordinate stand at a rigidly upright posture of attention (as with chin tucked and holding a penny to a wall with the back of the head). So maybe "braces" subtly make you "brace" . . . .

 

[Wizard]

Braces will do no harm to your back unless they are elastic and someone gets you with a good Three-Stooges snap!

A dress belt is not going to provide any noticeable support for your back. What is may do though is to remind you, subconciously by subtle pressure, to contract your abdomen which provides support and helps straighten posture.

 

[stant62]

I love the look of braces, and it avoids the uncomfortable constriction that belts have on the waist (luckily, I have a flat belly and good posture so no need for the "support" of a belt).

 

[Mad Hatter]

I have narrow shoulder (30 inch waist, 36 jacket size). Would that present any issues with wearing braces?
Also, should I maybe consider purchasing these?
https://www.albertthurston.com/pics/ProductFullLarge/AT5.jpg

If you are uncertain that braces are for you, I would rather see you just get a tailor to add buttons to one pair of pants. I bet the cost would be about the same, and easily-reversible. Those clip-ons necessarily bite into the fabric and will damage them if the braces are too tight or worn frequently.