Monday, December 30, 2013

Plain Dress! part 2

Belts or Suspenders?

        Truly this is a matter of preference. But suspenders do offer certain advantages. We find them to be versatile in the pants they can hold up,and easy to use..

        Let me start by saying that both are acceptable in our family. The key isn't how we stay modest, only that we are. So we will use anything on hand to achieve this. In fact, I have used baling twine on occasion to keep a little boy's pants from falling down!
         Having been raised conservative Mennonite, my husband just feels more comfortable wearing suspenders. But the advantage in suspenders he likes the most is the versatility it offers him in waist size. He can wear a waist size of a couple inches too big with suspenders because the pants are hanging from his shoulders rather than his waist. If he wore a belt, the extra material would bunch at the waist. I have seen baggy pants that even dipped from the belt, which can be a bit revealing!
         Suspenders are very simple for little boys to take off and put back on when they are still new to dressing themselves. This makes bathroom time much easier for me. No buttons or zippers or belt buckles to to deal with.
          Suspenders also last a long time. As they stretch out or the boys grow, we simply adjust them. If the clips bend, we can usually fix them with a pair of needle nose pliers. If not, we have a supply held back from old pairs and we simply put on a clip we have saved.
          Hmmm. I can't think of any disadvantages to them!
         We buy our suspenders from GVS. (Goods Variety Store) This is a mail order catalog  that specializes in products plain folks buy. They are well priced and the quality is good. (I can vouch for the suspenders and large hair pins from personal experience.) You can request a catalog by calling 1-800-398-2494 or by emailing them at sales@gvsdis.com. You may also write them. GVS Distributors, P.O. Box 310, Versailles, MO 65084.
          They offer many sizes and widths. We  find the wider the elastic the more durable they are. Narrow straps on big boys or men are more for looks than function as the clips are not strong enough to hold up pants when put to the test. (Firewood, sliding in and out of tractors, weeding....ect) We also like the metal or plastic pieces that hold the back together. Sometimes you can find suspenders at Walmart or Target, but if they have a leather piece to hold on to the back they will fall apart if they are put in the washer. We do not recommend the "no slip suspender clip" as these literally pierce pants and are hard on the pants themselves.

        Suspender Tips!

       When we buy suspenders the boys wear the new suspenders to town and meeting only. As their chore suspenders become utterly useless we circulate the newer suspenders into their chore pants. They last a long time this way and we are not technically having to buy special clothes for town or dress. If the length adjusters wear out, which they will eventually, we simply use a sturdy safety pin to adjust them.
                                       Suspenders are very practical. We love them!
         

4 comments:

  1. I always vote suspenders; made them for my sons when they were young, in fact. Bought them for my German hubby but he refuses to wear them. Bought another set...he has yet to be sold on these, having apparently never seen them modeled. too bad. They are so handsome:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. I try not to "like the look" of anything of this world, preferring to be blessed by its practical nature. But sheepishly, I must admit, I THINK THEY ARE HANDSOME TOO! :-) Thanks for dropping by.

      Delete
  2. My husband is a big guy and wears the suspenders. He used to wear a belt but enjoys the comfort of the suspenders and believes the plain look helps him identify with being separate from worldly dress.

    ReplyDelete