Maybe you’ve caught yourself staring longingly at the expensive pairs at Urban Outfitters or American Apparel, maybe you dig the JBeals look, or maybe you’re just looking for something new, but I think we both know that it’s high time you get your own pair of suspenders.
Suspenders — which are apparently called braces by British/American people who try too hard — are slick little babies that make pretty much any outfit look just that much better. With jeans and a t-shirt? Obviously. Over a button down? Hello! Clipped onto a high-waisted skirt? Why not?
Today I’m going to teach you how to make suspenders for yourself. It’s the first in a few installments I’m going to be writing on DIY clothes because sometimes that’s what has to happen: you have to do it yourself. When it comes to girls who like “menswear,” it can be hard to find what you’re looking for. I know that lots of times I get frustrated when I go shopping because they don’t have what I want, and if they do it’s priced outrageously. There’s really no good reason why you should have to spend twice as much for the women’s version of the exactly same shirt that’s sitting over in the men’s department but isn’t quite made to fit your body. So we’re going to do something about that. This is mutiny: arts and crafts style.
If you have no idea what you’re doing, don’t worry! We’re starting small. Grab a friend to help you with measurements, pull on a pair of pants, and you’re ready to go.
Ingredients:
+ one d-ring or o-ring (available at a hardware store)
+ three suspender clips (available at a craft store in the sewing department)
+ two tiny safety pins
+ three yards of elastic
+ thread to match your elastic
+ a needle
+ scissors
+ pliers
Tips for nascent seamstresses:
Step One: Bend the suspender clips
+ If you bought elastic that’s thinner than an inch, you’re going to have to bend your suspender clips so that your suspenders don’t go sliding around all over the place. Using your pliers, carefully bend and pull the metal piece out until you have a triangle-shaped top. Like so:
Step Two: Make the back piece
+ First, sew the elastic to the suspender clip. Make sure that the piece you fold over is going to end up against your body because you don’t want to show your stitches to the world!
+ Because you’re only making five seams in this project, it won’t kill you to make sure that they’re really reinforced. Sew back and forth at least twice, and quadruple knot the ends because nothing’s more obnoxious than having your suspenders fall apart when you’re just trying to casually rock them.
+ To get the measurement right for the piece of elastic, attach the clip to the back of your pants and have your friend mark the place where you want it to end. Or just do it yourself if you’re bendy. Don’t forget to add an extra centimeter for folding over and sewing.
+ Sew the d-ring or o-ring on to the other end, remembering to keep the folded-over bit to the inside.
Step Three: Sew the front clips
+ Sew a second suspender clip to a new piece of elastic.
+ Snap all the clips on your pants and slide the elastic through the ring and back over your shoulder so that you can get a feel for how long you should cut it. Get your friend to make sure that it isn’t twisted in the back and add an inch or so because it’s better to have too much elastic than not enough.
+Sew the last suspender clip in place.
Step Four: Secure the back ring
+ This step is especially important if you’re using a d-ring because you don’t want it to be turning sideways. All you’re going to do is make a little seam right along the edge of the ring to keep the back of your suspenders in place.
Step Five: Adjustments
+ You’re almost there! Clip them on, grab your safety pins, and tighten everything up by pinning any excess elastic so that it hides above the front clips. Voila! You’ve got suspenders.
24 responses to “This is a Holdup: Make Your Own Suspenders”
Firstly: best headline ever
Secondly: on behalf of all the british-english-speaking readers, I politely demand you include some pictures of girls in real suspenders (you call them garters?)
I couldn’t agree with Sally more. I was overjoyed at the thought of girls in suspenders! We need this fixed up! Please, please, please give us some gender queer girls in suspenders!
there are maybe a couple of girls in suspenders here, but mostly ties:
http://www.autostraddle.com/girl-on-gallery-hot-girls-in-menswear/
new gallery idea hollerrrr…
Thanks. I love girls in menswear!
I’ve definitely seen it a few times.
New gallery idea most definitely…
this is a truly valuable service you are providing here. i thank you. times are hard and i love getting crafty. i’m excited to try this.
I must commend you on your illustrations because once in high school for a project I made a tutorial of how to make a skirt and drawing how to sew/make things is REALLY hard. And extra points for detail, ie: the silly bandz.
Sweeeet. Now I need to find myself outrageously brightly-colored elastic.
laura, can I just pay you to make me some? (pay you in alcohol I mean)
All I can think of when I see a person in suspenders is my Pop rocking his with his pants still slightly sagging, revealing that his polo shirt is actually tucked into his underwear.
wow, your model sure is good looking.
she looks a bit funny, a kinda like a half-Chinese Canadian.
i know right? wish i could hang out with her
I just about died when I saw my present girlfriend in suspenders for the first time. Fastest way to get a girls pants off? Put on suspenders, in my book.
THIS IS THE BEST THING ON THE INTERNET TODAY. THE WHOLE INTERNET. THIS IS IT.
LIKE.
OMG I LOVE THIS SO MUCH LAURA OMG
i need friends to make these for as gifts, cause i don’t think they’ll mix well with my enormous chest :/
I hear ya there. My best gf got me rainbow suspenders for Christmas last year. I’d wanted them so bad. But these big suckers make them impossible to wear. Its really very sad
i’m a fan of wearing them hanging down instead of over my shoulders.
you could try that if you have a snazzy pair that you want to rock.
I had braces when I was little. They were my favourite things to wear to pre-school.
That and my polka dot dress.
I really want to make these, but I can’t sew.
Oh, who cares, I’mma make me some bad braces.
And wear them with my short shorts. Because you know that would look hot.
“+ one d-ring or o-ring”
I immediately thought “Why would you need a strap-on harness ring to make suspenders?”
Bye. I think I out-gayed myself.
nd I’m jealous of your g…
TOTALLY agree that the quickest way to get my attention is to put these on.
Sadly, I went to the great expense of purchasing a pair, only to find that yes, my big norks make it look like I’m strapped into a childs car seat or something, ugh.
So the moral of the story is I LIKE SMALL BOOBS!
That is all x
I like that the girl in your illustration is wearing those shaped elastic bracelet thingys. Perfect.