Figure 1.--The photo was taken in the mountains north of Milan. We do not know enough about Italian 19th century photographer to date it. An Italian reader belieces that it was taken in the 1890s. The boy wears button-on H-bar pants. (We are not entirely ue id the buttons here are functional or deciorative.) Suspender pants were common troughout Italy, but H-bar pants sometimes seen in the north where the Austrians were involved fo many years, especially South Tyrol.

We have some information on Italian trouser suspension based largely on the available photographic record. We are not entirely sure about the early-19th century, but for most of the century, We note Italian boys using suspender straps to hold up their pants. This of course is a major problem with younger boys because of their slim waists. A problem girls wearing dresses did not have. Actual Suspenders in Italian are 'bretelle'. This does not mean suspenders in the American sense of separate elasticized items. They were presumably available for men, but we do not see boys using them. Rather Italian boys wore pants with straps commonly in the same material as the trousers rather than separate elasticized suspenders. They were both sewn on to the pants or attached to buttons on the pants. Italian boys thus wore suspender pants with straps that were part of the pants and often made in the same material as the pants. They might be sewn on to the pants permanently, but some were buttoned on to the pants. The attachment was dome both outside and inside the waist band. This is a little difficult to assess because so many boys wore jackets and we can not see how the pants were suspended. This was especially the case in the 19th century. We continue to see suspender pants in the early-20th century. We are not sure what suspender pants were called in Italian. These Italian suspender pants generally consisted of two straps that crossed in the back. We also notice 'H-bar' pants as seen here (figure 1), but they are not nearly as common as the two separate straps. There were major changes in the 20th century, especially after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s when even working-class boys began wearing short pants. The resulting suspender shorts were very common. Pants with elasticized waistbands appeared (mid-20th century). Short pants became very common. They were also done as suspender pants, but after World War II (1939-45) we begin to see the shorts often done with elastic or part elasticized waists. Older boys in the 20th century might wear belts, but they did not appear to any extent until the post-World War II era.

Chronology

We have some information on Italian trouser suspension based largely on the available photographic record. We are not entirely sure about the pre-photographic early-19th century, but we have some paintings. For most of the century, We note Italian boys using suspender straps to hold up their pants. This was especially the case in the 19th century. We continue to see suspender pants in the early-20th century. There were major changes in the 20th century, especially after World War I (1914-18) in the 1920s when even working-class boys began wearing short pants. The resulting suspender shorts were very common. Pants with elasticized waistbands appeared (mid-20th century). Short pants after World War I became very common even for working-class boys. They were also done as suspender pants, but after World War II (1939-45) we begin to see the shorts often done with elastic or part elasticized waists. Older boys in the 20th century might wear belts, but they did not appear to any extent until the post-World War II era.

Anatomy

Trouser suspension of course is a major problem with younger boys because of their slim waists. A problem girls wearing dresses did not have.

Terminology

Actual Suspenders in Italian are 'bretelle'. This does not mean suspenders in the American sense of separate elasticized items. They were presumably available for men, but we do not see boys using them. We are not sure what suspender pants were called in Italian.

Construction

Rather Italian boys wore pants with straps commonly in the same material as the trousers rather than separate elasticized suspenders. They were both sewn on to the pants or attached to buttons on the pants. Italian boys thus wore suspender pants with straps that were part of the pants and often made in the same material as the pants. They might be sewn on to the pants permanently, but some were buttoned on to the pants. The attachment was dome both outside and inside the waist band. This is a little difficult to assess because so many boys wore jackets and we can not see how the pants were suspended.

Types

These Italian suspender pants generally consisted of two straps that crossed in the back. We also notice 'H-bar' pants as seen here (figure 1), but they are not nearly as common as the two separate straps.

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Created: June 2, 2004
Last updated: 1:17 PM 2/22/2026