What to wear with braces?

Braces are more formal than belts, and so generally go with more formal wear, such as suits and dress skirts. However, that doesn’t exclude them from wearing braces with jeans, shorts, or khaki pants – they all need support!

Instead of describing the different looks, I think it’s better to just show photos of people who know how to wear their braces correctly.

Based on these looks, you can notice the trend of high-waisted pants or skirt, and a fitted shirt.

Discussion time:

• How about you? What do you wear braces with?
• Have any photos or links to share?

Note: all photos are used solely for non-commercial use and to illustrate braces in fashion. No plagiarism is intended.

HappyLand

I smell City Of God....


Parang may kulang. Or parang TH ang datetch. Ewan! Trailer pa lang naman. Pero parang di ko sya panoorin. Jim Libiran, wala na bang iba? Pls lang!

3 Hours Of Gay Cinematic Vibe

Gay and Experimental

Amazing Cinematography.

Less Talk.

Soft Porn.

Latinos.

If you're into all those in one, LTE recommends you to watch:

Rabioso Sol, Rabioso Cielo (Raging Sun, Raging Sky) 2009 by Julian Hernandez

This post is not to rate the film. Just a recommendation from a fellow bakla who love art films. Chos! Spare some time to watch it. Its 192 minutes will make you sticky and occupied, depending on your taste level. Try a little bit of what i am talking about here:

Hiyang ba? Goooooo! Watch it. Now na!

Brace Materials

Braces are meant to support your pants. Therefore, as little movement in the braces is desired. However, no movement will mean that there’s no flexibility, and the buttons could pop-off more easily. Therefore, balance is needed in the level of stretch in the braces.

•    Traditionalists will claim that box-cloth is the only true material. They are made of durable material, but don’t stretch very much when wearing them.

•    Certain elastic braces can be suitable, when they are firm and retain their shape. I generally prefer firm elastic braces that have some give.

•   There's also braided braces. These are bulky, like wearing two belts running down your shoulders, and appear uncomfortable.

•    Pants or skirts may also have fabric braces, which are made from the same material as the bottoms. These could include denim material. Fabric doesn’t stretch very much, and so do not provide the necessary movement when wearing them. But they do make a good fashion statement!

Regardless of the material, the back strap of the braces is generally elastic. This is to provide stretch in the area it is most needed – the back half for bending over.

You may not want to get the super stretchy braces, like those shown below, unless you are planning to do some major stretching!

Discussion time:

• What brace materials do you prefer?

Note: all photos are used solely for non-commercial use and to illustrate braces in fashion. No plagiarism is intended.

Brace Colors and Patterns

Braces come in all different colors and patterns. There are solids, strips, pastels, slogans, and even hand-sewn patterns. The countless colors and patterns are by far the main reason braces offer a fresh and interesting twist to any wardrobe.

When wearing a business suit, braces share the same vertical plane as the tie. As such, they should be coordinated (but not necessarily match) the tie. Solid braces are easier to coordinate than striped or pastels. Choose a blue or red colored tie and then pair it with blue or red braces. The shades don’t need to match exactly, in fact, they may complement the look more when they are slightly different.

These pants braces coordinate with his tie, and pants

Novice brace wearers generally try to avoid being noticed. As such, white colored braces are prevalent. But why not be proud of your braces and that your pants are comfortably in position? Break out of the white mold and try some more daring colors, like blue or red!

If you are very ambitious, go for rainbow color suspenders such as these:

Stacy London, fashion expert and co-host of TLC's “What Not to Wear", suited up her father with red, showgirl braces for a valentines day date. Check out the video from the 4:15-4:49 minute mark.


Here’s some examples of color with braces:

Suspenders can turn a good outfit into a great outfit. For example...

Discussion time:

• What’s your favorite brace color/pattern?

Note: all photos are used solely for non-commercial use and to illustrate braces in fashion. No plagiarism is intended.

Phil, Ali and Sam

Prologue:

I was born for Phil. But today, I said goodbye to him. Phil whom Ive loved so much. And will still love forever. Despite of not taking care of me very well as a partner, my heart will always belong to him. I left Phil a long time ago. We were pre-destined to be separated. But i did always do my best to see him once in a while as I can. It was a long distance love affair. Every time I am with him, even for just a short time, I feel the happiest.

Part 1: Phil

Phil is poor. Not blessed enough like the others. But it was his own fault for not doing his best. A guy with no goals. His mind corrupted. It was all "Bahala na!" He didnt provide me safety and comfort. I didnt even feel his Love for me. I figured I have no future with Phil, thus decided to leave him and seek for others. It hurts leaving him but I have no choice. I need to secure a better future for myself.

Part 2: Ali

My quest brought me to Ali. He provided me all of what i needed at that time: Freedom from disarray. My family was delighted to have him in my life. He's super rich, that's why. Though my heart doesn't belong to him, the sex were great. As we go along, I learnt how to accept Ali's Islamic culture but his family didnt embrace me. They saw me as just another girl from a third-world country, like their maid or their saleslady. I still chose to stick with him for all that, but left him eventually upon knowing his secret: his heart belongs to the Blondes. I was nothing for him but a servant, sex included. We lasted 4 and a half years.

Part 3: Sam

Not that long after Ali, I met Sam. For the past 8 years of my life, Sam has been good to me, offering me ease and opulence. He embraced me as who I am and even encouraged me to speak out and be independent. He taught me how to value myself. Motivated me to follow my dreams and gave me the opportunity to achieve them. He gave me everything what Phil and Ali cannot give. He is the whole shebang!

Sam's quite popular, good-looking and affluent, whom every family wants for their daughters. My friends envied me for having him. His family treated me as their own. Sam is my honey. The fantastic years we have together was my basis for good chances. He is the total package. Comfort, acceptance, and attachment to each other. That being so, 4 months ago, I asked his hand for Marriage. With no hiccups, he accepted my proposal.

Today, I was married to Sam. At the ceremony, mixed emotions ignited. I was happy to have him forever but there was something that pains me deep inside. I thought of Phil. My heart is still with my beloved Phil but my conviction, my allegiance is now with Sam. But when the priest said "you can now kiss the bride", Sam kissed me with all of his heart. He embraced me. He gave me importance. I never felt that love before. It was real.

Epilogue:

Tonight, I'm writing this while Sam is sleeping. I promised to love him like the way i loved Phil. And to Phil, you will always be in my heart. No matter what. Even though, you dont give back the love I have for you, Ill keep on coming back. And the good thing is, Sam doesn't mind and even encourages me to do so.

Who can wear braces?

Anyone! Young, old, tall, short, male or female, fat or slip, everyone should wear braces. Recall the previous discussion about placing the pants at the waist rather than on the hips. This allows the pants to smoothly pass over the stomach bulge (however small) that occurs (refer to previous blog).

Additionally, people that don’t have hips are almost required to wear braces. They cannot wear belts, as their pants will constantly slip down and eventually end up at their ankles. As a result, they have turned to braces.

For ladies, wearing braces can be awkward, due to their … assets. This is where button placement is key (refer to previous blog). The shoulder straps should come down from the shoulders and pass on the outer sides of the assets.

The buttons are too close to
the middle seam

The buttons are to far apart
from the middle seam

Tyra Banks weighs in on the topic on Access Hollywood Live. I disagree with her comment that the suspenders should be on top. If you notice, the left strap shifts to the side by the end of the video clip showing that they should be positioned to the side. Tyra has worn suspenders before:

As well as on her own show in December 2010.

Ladies wishing to wear braces should try to position the buttons as close to the main pleat as possible, so that the pants or skirt are adequately supported. Too far to the side seam and the pants will droop in the middle. Too close to the middle seam and it will squish the assets (refer to previous photo). The braces illustrated below are worn correctly and look stunning.

Women have been adopting menswear for a number of years, and I think it can be very fashionable. In 2010, Lena Hoschek has a fabulous Fall/Winter 2010 line hits it right on the button – this is how braces are meant to be worn by women.

Remember that pants to be worn with braces should always be worn a little larger at the waist so that they are actually "suspended" from the shoulders. But avoid going too far, as shown here:

This man needs to wear braces to support his pants. He does look fashionable for his time.

As Alan Fusser points out, “Perhaps the only person who might encounter some difficulty wearing suspenders is someone with sharply sloped shoulders. In such a case, the back fork of the suspenders can be raised to compensate. This may be accomplished simply by using the excess material from the hem of the trousers to make tabs that can be sewn to the back, thereby effectively raising the fork higher on the back, which in turn will keep the suspenders from sliding.”

The brace junction is higher to compensate
for this ladies sloped shoulders

Braces are also used for these shorts/skirt to hold them up:

Discussion time:

• What about you?
• Are you wearing braces?

Note: all photos are used solely for non-commercial use and to illustrate braces in fashion. No plagiarism is intended.

Checking Charlene's Progress

Just checking Charlene Almarvez's developments in New York under Ford.

She has a total of 8 shows in this recent NY Fashion Week so far. Walking in some up and coming designers like Rachel Roy and to some more established ones like Diane Von Furstenberg. And yes, she closes one of the shows. That of budding Juan Carlos Obando's.

Here she is in some Spring/Summer 2011 shows at NY Fashion Week:

[click photos to enlarge]

Oh di ba? Sana masapawan ang inabot ni Tita Anna Bayle natin. Next stop: Europe! Wala pa atang working permit. Pero teka, asan na ang Ate Charo Ronquillo ninyo? Ze-rowena? Pang catalog lang ata ang lola ninyo. Butt... More power pa rin sa kanilang dalawa. Sana madagdagan pa ang mga Pinay rampadora sa NY at kung saan pa. Kung babae lang sana si Paolo Roldan. Please lang!