Public appearance requires a lounge suit with unseen braces

Otherwise (see man on right) the trousers drop slightly and spoil the effect

Braces (suspenders in the U.S.) are a standard item of male clothing. Their function is to keep trousers at a set height on the body. They are standard wear for formal styles of dress such as the lounge suit.

There is also a fashion use among some young males, and a use by some workmen, most often with newspaper. Braces can be worn entirely out of sight, hidden by a waistcoat, or in sight as a display. A critical factor in formal dress is the "drop" of the trousers as they meet the shoes. Here braces avoid the need to hitch trousers up, always a problem with belts.