How to Adjust Suspenders

Co-authored by Melissa Young and Eric McClure

Last Updated: April 19, 2024 References

Suspenders offer a unique way to replace your belt and hold your pants in place. They can turn a standard suit into a trendy fashion statement, or make a dull outfit pop with some vintage energy. Suspenders come in a variety of styles, but the 2 most common types are clip and button suspenders. You cannot wear button suspenders with pants that don’t have buttons sewn into the waist line, so keep that in mind if you’re out shopping for suspenders. To adjust your suspenders, open the clamps on the slide adjusters, which are the horizontal clips on the straps, and move the fabric beneath them up or down to tighten and loosen the straps.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Putting the Suspenders On

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1
Attach the suspenders to the back of your pants before putting them on. Lay your pants out on a flat surface. If your suspenders have clips, open them by pressing on the metal where it meets the fabric. Insert the fabric at the top of your waistband between the open jaws and release the metal jaws to close around the fabric. If you have button suspenders, slide the button on the back of your belt loop through the slit in the fabric.^{[1]
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- Clip suspenders are much more common than button suspenders. If you aren’t sure which type you have, look at the end of the straps. If the straps have metal pieces, you have clip suspenders. If the ends have pieces of fabric with slits in them, you have button suspenders.
- If you have Y-shaped suspenders where there is only strap on the back, attach it to the middle of your waist line. For standard suspenders, clip each strap 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) away from the center belt loop on the back based on what is comfortable for you. If you have a broad back and you’re taller, start closer to the 12 in (30 cm) mark. If you’re on the shorter side, 6–8 in (15–20 cm) is probably going to be more comfortable.
- The buttons for button suspenders are typically located inside of the waist line. On some pants, they will be on the exterior side between your belt loops.
Tip: You cannot wear button suspenders if your pants do not have the buttons for them. Button suspenders are often custom-made, so take your pants to a tailor to get them adjusted for button suspenders. Button suspenders are considered vintage, but trendier than standard suspenders.
2
Put your pants on and let the straps hang behind you. Make sure that the horizontal slide adjusters are facing the right direction before putting your pants on. The slide adjusters are the horizontal parts of metal that you use to adjust the suspenders. These adjusters should face out when you’re wearing suspenders, so they’ll face the back of your legs as they hang behind you. Readjust the clamps on the back of the waist line as needed and put your pants on.^{[2]
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- If your pants start sliding down, feel free to do this while sitting down.
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3
Slide the straps over your shoulders and attach them to the front of your pants. Reach behind you and grab the suspender straps. Slide them over your shoulders and turn them as needed to make the fabric flat against your skin. Clip or button your suspenders to your waist line in the front.^{[3]
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- If you have clip suspenders, it’s up to you where to attach them on your waist line. Typically, the suspender straps should rest on, or just outside of, your nipples.
- If you have button suspenders, look for the buttons on the front that are similar in shape and size to the buttons on the back of your pants.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Adjusting the Straps

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1
Lift the clamp on each slide adjuster to unlock the straps. Apply pressure to the side of each clip and push it up and away from you. The clamps will click and pop open. This means that your straps are now unlocked and you can adjust the tightness of each strap.^{[4]
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- Some suspenders have belt clips instead of clamps on the slide adjusters. You do not need to unlock these straps. Belt clip suspenders tend to be easier to adjust, but they’re generally considered less formal than standard suspenders.
EXPERT TIP

Shaelynn Haning
Professional Tailor & Business Owner
Shaelynn Haning is a Tailor & Business Owner based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shaelynn is the founder of the highest-rated and most-reviewed alterations and tailoring service in Oklahoma, Tallgrass Tailor, employing a team of skilled craftsmen and women from across the country and the world. Shaelynn is a member of the State of Oklahoma Education Careers and Technologies Board and a member of both the Custom Tailors and Designers Association and the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals. She is the host of The Sew Show with Shae, an entertaining and educational sewing channel posting weekly videos on YouTube. Shaelynn earned her BS in Apparel Design and Product Development from Marist College.

Shaelynn Haning
Professional Tailor & Business Owner

Elastic suspenders get loose over time. Elastic suspenders stretch out eventually, and once that happens, they won't hold up pants. A better option is adding sliders like the ones on bra straps to tighten them. This way you can adjust suspenders as needed when the fabric gets loose. Then they stay functional much longer.
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Adjust the position of the slide adjuster by sliding it up or down. The location of the slide makes it easier to make minor adjustments, so slide it up or down based on what’s comfortable and where you want to make your adjustments from. Pull each slide adjuster up or down on the fabric to change its vertical position on each strap.^{[5]
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- Most people put them 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) below the chest, but this is completely up to you based on what feels and looks good.
- Keep both slide adjusters at the same height.
- You cannot move the slide adjusters around when they’re locked.
3
Raise the fabric under the clamp up to loosen the strap. Hold the slide adjuster in place with one hand and grab the fabric under the slide adjuster with your other hand. Slide the fabric up through the slide adjuster to loosen the strap.^{[6]
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- On suspenders with belt clips, you can move the fabric underneath the slide adjuster freely by forcing it through the belt clip. You cannot move the belt clip freely without changing the tightness of the suspenders.
Tip: You generally want the suspenders to be tight, but comfortable. Remember, the suspenders are replacing your belt. Suspenders should have roughly the same amount of tension as a belt.
4
Bring the fabric under the clamp down to tighten the strap. To tighten the suspender straps, hold the slide adjuster in place with one hand. Grip the fabric under the slide adjuster with your other hand. Pull the fabric up through the slide adjuster to tighten the strap.^{[7]
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- If the strap feels tighter on your back after doing this, lift your suspender straps up and set them back down to reset the tension.
5
Close the clamps on the slide adjusters to keep the straps in place. Once your straps feel comfortable but tight, lock them in place to keep the strap from loosening. Press the clamp down until you hear a click. Once the suspenders are locked, the straps will stay in place.^{[8]
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- If you have belt clips instead of clamps, you do not need to do this. This style of suspender is known to loosen up from time to time.

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Suspenders with thinner straps tend to be trendier than thicker straps, which are usually 1.5 in (3.8 cm) or wider.

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It is considered unstylish to wear suspenders and a belt at the same time.

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If you’re wearing a suit, your suspenders should generally match the color of your suit jacket. You can mix it up and go for complementary color combinations if you’re going for a trendier look.

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