Figure 1.--This is a birthday card for a 9-year old. It was mailed in 1938. Note the boy's sake belt. It was often worn as a school unifornm belt, but as can be seen here was also worn with regular clothes.

We are not entirely sure about trouser suspension in England during the 19th century. The probem here is most boys wore suit jackets for formal portraits making it difficult to determin how the trousers were suspended. We note some boys wearing button-on clothing. We think most boys wore suspnders or braces as they were called in Britain. The first belts we see we more for fashion than trouser suspemnsiom. Boys wore belts over tunics and thus had no practical purpose. An example is a boy in an idealized Victorian family during the early-1850s. He wears a maroon tunic with a black belt. We know more about the 20th century. We see many boys wearing suspenders. We see some younger boys wearing button-on outfits. After World War I we note more boys wearing belts rather than suspenders in the 1920s. As far as we can tell, belts were the predominant form of trouser suspension by the 1940s, although we still see suspender into the early-50s. We do not see many boys wearing suspender shorts as were common on the Continent. Many suits, however, were made to be worn with suspenders, especially better quality suits. One popular belt style was the snake belt. I think this was an Englsh invention. I am not sure about the history of the snake belt, but believe it dates from the 19th century. It may have military origins. Another source suggests it originating as a sporting style. The snake belt takes it name from the S-shaped clasp. They were often worn as part of school uniform as they could be done in school colors. Elastic band shorts appeared at mid-century. They were called boxers in America, but I am not sure about England. Many school shorts were done with partial elastic waists. There were also shorts done with side tabs.

Chronology

We are not entirely sure about trouser suspension in England during the 19th century. The probem here is most boys wore suit jackets for formal portraits making it difficult to determin how the trousers were suspended. We note some boys wearing button-on clothing. We think most boys wore suspnders or braces as they were called in Britain. The first belts we see we more for fashion than trouser suspemnsiom. Boys wore belts over tunics and thus had no practical purpose. An example is a boy in an idealized Victorian family during the early-1850s. He wears a maroon tunic with a black belt. We know more about the 20th century. We see many boys wearing suspenders. We see some younger boys wearing button-on outfits. After World War I we note more boys wearing belts rather than suspenders in the 1920s. As far as we can tell, belts were the predominant form of trouser suspension by the 1940s, although we still see suspender into the early-50s.

Types

There were may different methods of holding up trousers. The popularity of these methods varied over time and were prially dependent on age. The first dedicated boys' garmet was the skeleton suit which was a button-on garment. Suspenders and belts were important methods. We do not sSuspenders were the orincipal method in the 9th century. Suspenders cintinud to bevimportant, but were dradully replced by belts in the 20th century. we see many boys wearing suspender shorts as were common on the Continent. Many suits, however, were made to be worn with suspenders, especially better quality suits. One popular belt style was the snake belt. I think this was an Englsh invention. I am not sure about the history of the snake belt, but believe it dates from the 19th century. It may have military origins. Another source suggests it originating as a sporting style. The snake belt takes it name from the S-shaped clasp. They were often worn as part of school uniform as they could be done in school colors. Elastic band shorts appeared at mid-century. They were called boxers in America, but I am not sure about England. Many school shorts were done with partial elastic waists. There were also shorts done with side tabs.

Created: 11:32 PM 10/5/2007
Last updated: 8:26 PM 12/14/2015