Once upon a time, men had to make a decision when they decided to wear suits: belt or suspenders.
OK, maybe it wasn't so long ago, but it was definitely long enough ago that men have completely forgotten the protocol when it comes to selecting which method to hold your pants up.
Belts have won the day in the latter half of the 20th century, leading all the way up to today. But ever since retro-faux nostalgia has become trendy, men have rediscovered suspenders, as well as the bow tie and a few other accessories from the old world.
That's not something to begrudge. The issue, however, is that this new generation has no idea how to wear suspenders. The most egregious violation? Wearing suspenders and a belt.
The only reason this could possibly happen is if you don't realize that a belt and suspenders are meant to hold your pants up. You don't need both to do that — one or the other will work fine. The look of both together is far too busy and makes you look like you're trying to set the world record for wearing the heaviest pants.
We recommend just sticking to the belt. Suspenders have an iffy connotation, and can make your outfit look more like a costume from another time period when done poorly.
Or just go without both — an actual cutting-edge style that doesn't recall a time when women didn't have the right to vote. Further to this point, you shouldn't need either of these to keep your pants up if they actually fit.
