A staple of British fashion over the last 100 years, brace suspenders (or braces) were originally strictly utilitarian in function. Braces made their initial foray into fashion popularity in the late 60s as the Mod movement gained popularity and Mod youths began to adopt practical blue-collar clothing styles. Over time, Mods began to fragment and create factions of the subculture. Many working class youth adopted relatively minimalist fashions as a rebellion against the more meretricious garb of upper class Mods.
These clothing trends reflected working class ethics and employment. Army boots, pressed trousers, button-down shirts (gingham shirts) and braces became fashion staples for many blue collar youth. While this new skinhead fashion was initially largely pragmatic, it quickly became symbolic. Boots and braces were emblems of a new generation that shunned high-brow expenditures, appreciated hard work and embraced labor class ideals.
Skinhead Style
Skinhead style gained even more popularity with the inception of punk music. Revolting against over-the-top fashions and sensationalist modes of more well-to-do punks, skinheads began listening to and creating their own brand of street punk. Sticking to the ideas of 'The Spirit of 69', skinhead fashion became an integral part of punk music and lifestyle in the UK and in the United states.
The mixture of skinhead style with punk music in the UK & US led to a large reach for braces or fashion suspenders here in the states. Brace styles include the 1/2" skinny braces which are commonly worn in the UK & US. Skinhead braces are usually no more than 1" in width. Traditionally, punk and skinhead braces are worn in a X shape on the back.
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