That is the age old conundrum. Sweaters help, as does wearing a jacket as much as possible.

Wearing a waistcoat (better known as a vest) also helps.

 

I am basically the same proportions as you and another poster on here. My trousers are shortened to at least 29 and my waist is a 39. I just have a short and stocky build. I do have extra weight at this point, but at best I can slim down to a 34 waist or so and I would look quite thin.

I started wearing braces a little less than a year ago. I was tired of belts. The trousers sink down to below my gut, the belt buckle then digs into my stomach and I become uncomfortable. All I can think about is wearing a stupid belt and how it's uncomfortable for me. So, I just stopped one day. I bought braces and had buttons sewn in all my trousers. I was getting a new wardrobe to start a new job at the time anyway. I never went back. I have literally worn a belt one day where I have worn trousers in that time span.

Here are my tips:

1. This is the most important - be confident. Don't be afraid to wear braces because they're different. It's ridiculous that people think they're funny or out of place. They hold your pants up well. I don't wear them for style. I wear them for utilitarian purposes. I don't usually want them to be noticeable but if they are oh well. If you go on being confident in yourself people are likely to think they're cool or just not say anything. I think you're very unlikely to draw negative attention to yourself with them.

2. I try to blend mine in with what I'm wearing. I don't wear loud braces. I have some plain ones and I have some with vertical stripes. I think gray and tan or brown are great colors. I don't have burgundy yet but I think that would be a really nice color too.

3. I do hide mine for meeting with clients or walking around in public. I'm an attorney so I wear a jacket to meet with clients. I wear sweaters with a tie underneath quite often around the office or to and from the office as well. This would probably be a similarly good look for you. I've gotten compliments on it lately.

4. I think it's ok to walk around the office without a jacket and since I wear braces 100% of the time, my coworkers do see them. Nobody cares. They compliment them, if anything.

5. I don't abide by the rule that you aren't to wear braces with trousers that have belt loops. I do this all the time. The belt loops are a fact of life on the pants I wear, in general. I wear the braces to keep my pants up and they do that really well. Nobody would know the pants have belt loops if you were wearing a jacket or sweater.

6. I try to match the leather ends to my shoes but I don't always. Due to limited selection, I can't always make this happen. It doesn't look bad to me, per se, when I can't match them.

7. Albert Thurston makes really nice braces. You should check them out when you're ready to buy a serious pair. They are pricey.

 

I agree with you ndlutz, although a lot of times, if I know I will always wear the braces, I'll skip the belt loops. Especially on a pair of dark pants, the belt loops aren't all that visible anyway if there is not a belt in them.

 

I am basically the same proportions as you and another poster on here. My trousers are shortened to at least 29 and my waist is a 39. I just have a short and stocky build. I do have extra weight at this point, but at best I can slim down to a 34 waist or so and I would look quite thin.

I started wearing braces a little less than a year ago. I was tired of belts. The trousers sink down to below my gut, the belt buckle then digs into my stomach and I become uncomfortable. All I can think about is wearing a stupid belt and how it's uncomfortable for me. So, I just stopped one day. I bought braces and had buttons sewn in all my trousers. I was getting a new wardrobe to start a new job at the time anyway. I never went back. I have literally worn a belt one day where I have worn trousers in that time span.

Here are my tips:

1. This is the most important - be confident. Don't be afraid to wear braces because they're different. It's ridiculous that people think they're funny or out of place. They hold your pants up well. I don't wear them for style. I wear them for utilitarian purposes. I don't usually want them to be noticeable but if they are oh well. If you go on being confident in yourself people are likely to think they're cool or just not say anything. I think you're very unlikely to draw negative attention to yourself with them.

2. I try to blend mine in with what I'm wearing. I don't wear loud braces. I have some plain ones and I have some with vertical stripes. I think gray and tan or brown are great colors. I don't have burgundy yet but I think that would be a really nice color too.

3. I do hide mine for meeting with clients or walking around in public. I'm an attorney so I wear a jacket to meet with clients. I wear sweaters with a tie underneath quite often around the office or to and from the office as well. This would probably be a similarly good look for you. I've gotten compliments on it lately.

4. I think it's ok to walk around the office without a jacket and since I wear braces 100% of the time, my coworkers do see them. Nobody cares. They compliment them, if anything.

5. I don't abide by the rule that you aren't to wear braces with trousers that have belt loops. I do this all the time. The belt loops are a fact of life on the pants I wear, in general. I wear the braces to keep my pants up and they do that really well. Nobody would know the pants have belt loops if you were wearing a jacket or sweater.

6. I try to match the leather ends to my shoes but I don't always. Due to limited selection, I can't always make this happen. It doesn't look bad to me, per se, when I can't match them.

7. Albert Thurston makes really nice braces. You should check them out when you're ready to buy a serious pair. They are pricey.

Much good advice here.
Just a couple additional thoughts. First, there is no rule that one shouldn't wear braces with trousers that have belt loops, though most well-dressed gents would agree that the better look is sans loops (and a very few gents affirmatively dislike braces with loops). But wearing braces with pants that have belt loops is perfectly fine and not a rule violation.
Second, while there is nothing wrong with preferring to match the leather of one's braces to one's shoes, it is hardly necessary. Anyone who thinks it is is trying way too hard and flirting with the horrid matchy-matchy obsession.
Braces are great.

 

I also prefer braces to belts, however for me it's mostly aesthetic (my waist is smaller than my hips and I have a rather muscular rear so pants have no trouble staying up by themselves), but I like them none the less. A few things I've learned/noticed over the years, though, are:

1. Have the belt loops removed or buy trousers without them.
1a. Side tabs really are your friend, they'll come in handy if you choose to wear your suit w/o a tie (in which case braces will look silly).
2. Saves time from having to match belt to shoes.
3. You'll probably need to have your trousers lengthened, since you'll likely wear them about an inch higher than before.
4. When having trousers tailored, have an extra inch left in the waist to both accommodate the leather attachments and also to ensure they can move up and down as you sit and stand.
5. Don't buy really cheap ones; I had a pair from Jos. A Bank and the dye from the leather rubbed off on the waist of my shirts as well as the upper back.

 

ndlutz's tip number 1 says it all. - be confident

In this day and age, I've seen people in suits that look very out of place and others that fit in and the only difference is the latter person is comfortable in the suit. The same thing holds true for braces. People will notice, some will even comment & friends will tease, however I don't recall a truly negative comment. Make sure you have a bold pair or 2 around, as I've found that they can be good conversation starters, especially on day 2 or 3 of a conference with people people from other offices that I know but not well.

Chris

 

I've been wearing suspenders always with suits for the last 27 years. When I worked in an office I would take my jacket off and when needed walk around the office without the jacket, never thought twice about it.

I also take my jacket off when I get in a car to drive or ride as a passenger, been doing this for 27 years also.
The only time I don't do this is if its raining.

I guess those of you in the East and Midwest may keep your jackets on while driving when the temps dip.

I alternate braces and belt with suits. Belt with sport coat or blazer. Walking around the office spaces with braces and jacket off is not a big deal. Here in SE Virginia, I remove my jacket in the car, unless it rains or is colder.

 

I'm tired of wearing belts with my dress pants. I have a bit of a gut sticking out and my pants ALWAYS fall and I hate the look of how my belt sags under my belly, adding more attention to this region.

I wear a 36x29 pant, and I'm 5'8" so my legs are shorter than my broad shouldered torso. I want to ditch the belt, make the necessary adjustments and use the more functional method of keeping my pants up by wearing suspenders/braces.

I turned 30 a few months back and am wondering if this will just make me look awkward. I wear a fedora which already puts me in the outlier category but this would push me even further down.

What's your opinion on Gen Y wearing suspenders/braces (the good ones with loops, not the snap on)

Make the switch. Braces will keep the trousers at the right level, and even allow a little looser fit in the waist. That looser fit makes it easy to keep the shirt properly tucked.

As for being an outlier accessory, I don't think so. Braces are mainstream.

 

I have been wearing braces with suits since 1983. I am comfortable with them and do not think anything about taking my jacket off in the office or anywhere else. Braces are not underwear, and I find it strange that some people would think so. By the way, I don't consider belts to be underwear either.

Here is the point with braces: they hold up one's pants at a constant level, without need for adjustment throughout the day, thus helping to ensure that the break of the pants remains constant.