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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

emily hartl

by emily hartl

Styled Out: Bringing back suspenders

Tried and true, suspenders have been a lesbian's best friend for decades. Back in the 1920s, it was all the rage for the gentlemen of the day to be hiking up their shorts with these stretchy shoulder straps and they sure were a helping hand to a gal pal disguising herself as a man in order to "pass."

The look has never really gone away, it sort of ebbs and flows with the trends but since this autumn is all about the '90s it's back faster than you can spit out Jessie Spano.

More recently, they've been considered more of a "dress up" thing with lady-lovin'-ladies but I think that they could easily be incorporated into every day and dressed down when done right. Kristen Stewart recently got bashed for sporting them kinda questionably, but you cant blame her for trying.

She had everything else right: Torn knees on her jeans, pointy lace up shoes. Maybe the downfall was the tank, but I think that it's totally dashing to rock them with the right T-shirt and skinny jeans. Suspenders add an interesting element to an otherwise run-of-the-mill outfit, so don't' be afraid to try them on with a tight thermal and skinny jeans, the look might surprise you and your friends.

For dressing up, the combinations when using this accessory are kind of endless. You could add a pop of color to an otherwise drab three piece suit, using gold ones and pairing them with a gray wool suit and a white button down. Can you say perfection?

I love suspenders because they can be as bold or as subtle as you want them to be, dependent on whether you are relying on the suspenders themselves to take center stage on your ensemble or if you choose to let the hint of cool peek out from beneath a jacket — it's entirely your call.

I think that a lot of lesbians can recall when our beloved Ellen Degeneres set the tone for dykes everywhere on how to dress to impress by sort of cinching all the elements together a way that is both classic, classy and trendy all in the same wardrobe stint and for that we have to thank her.

Speaking of Ellen, she showed the world that dress pants and a T-shirt paired with some suspenders and a pair of Converse were a-OK and I know it's not the most common of practices these days, but get on it.

Do I smell a full-on comeback?

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  • BillieSioux's picture

    I forgot...

    how sexy suspenders are.  The pics of Rachel Maddow and Drew definitely reminded me.  The only thing is... how practical are suspenders?  I mean in real life, can women with some extra curves wear them?  They seem like they'd snap if I stood up too quickly or dig into my boobs.
    GrrrlRomeo's picture

    I used to wear them...

    I had to wear them in high school during jazz band concerts. And with my rack, the suspenders never seemed to lay right. They would just end up slipping way off to either side, practically under my armpits, as if to draw an outline around my boobs. 

    _____________

    Tweet: @GrrrlRomeo

    riots's picture

    i have exactly the same

    i have exactly the same problem.  garrr. i'd gladly donate some rack and i'd still have more than enough to go by.
    strict machine's picture

    rack donation

    can i stand first in that queue?  i have not much rack.  more an ack
    sweetiedarlinmia's picture

    LOVE Suspenders!

    I have several pairs. And, as a petite yet curvy woman, I can tell you they work no problem. It's just a matter of making sure you adjust them properly and don't get really cheap & flimsy ones. They kinda have to lay on the outside of the boobs.

    riots's picture

    i'm 5'1" and not of a large

    i'm 5'1" and not of a large build but i have c-cups! not cool. i love suspenders but they  never fit well over my boobs. maybe i just need better quality ones?
    Celina's picture

    I certainly think nobody

    I certainly think nobody wears suspenders like Olivia Wilde as 13. Even with a lab coat on I'm like "That is so sexy". I also think suspenders are more of a gay chick thing.
    Kortney's picture

    Something's missing...

    Much better.

    Celina's picture

    Thank You!

    Thank You!
    Charged Fan's picture

    Good Call!!

    How could an article on lesbians and suspenders not include Thirteen among the highlights (although granted, she's only deemed bisexual and not lesbian)?  Disappointed that she wasn't mentioned in the article itself--but so glad someone else pointed this out!  Cheers to Olivia Wilde making suspenders look awesome!   

    "Sometimes you can just have, like, a moment with someone--you know, when you're doing something totally random, and...it's just, like, charged or something!  -Mischa Barton as Marissa Cooper on The O

    groovitational.pull's picture

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

     

    that picture. In a ridiculously religous-y way.

     

    When I play doctor, I play to win.

    Jenn507's picture

    sexy suspenders!!!

    ohh God, there´s nothing better and hot than a girl with suspenders...im so in love with them(both:suspenders and girls :P)..here other examples: Fergie on big girls dont cry...also how to forget kt tunstall!!!!

    fergiefergiebgdc

    kt tunstallkt tunstall

    and here´s mine :P 

    meme

    Casper's picture

    loved that pic. gorgeous

    loved that pic. gorgeous

    Hank's picture

    SPENDERS!

    I almost wore some to a concert the other night, but then i figured i'd be spazzing out too much and they'd snap off. I was right. suspenders are funsies.

    _______________________________________

    Because the Wind is High...it Blows my Mind. 

     

    Ashley's picture

    Ooh la la.

    Suspenders ftwwww!  Thanks Em.

     

    If you never did, you should.  These things are fun, and fun is good.

    dragonlady07's picture

    ugh

    with the right sort of look- with a jacket, etc., fine. with a tank/t? not so much- kstew perfectly illustrates the fail that often results.

    we need to stop 'bringin it back' - american apparel and the scrunchie, anyone?

    FlyingOrcas's picture

    Bought some suspenders a

    Bought some suspenders a while ago. I forgot how much I truely loved them. :)
    keiko's picture

    when i was a freshman in

    when i was a freshman in high school me and a few were the only ones who wore them in my school , but nowadays everyone has a pair ...i love them !!!
    strict machine's picture

    they are bloody sexy

    though im bloody sick of seeing kirsten stewart.  
    Sara's picture

    oh suspenders...

    I love the ladies that can rock suspenders...though I could never pull them off. 
    Kim's picture

    Oh yea!  I started to wear

    Oh yea!  I started to wear them in my Freshman year with my saxophone class when we had concert for homecoming and year end concert.  They were so sexy.. I loved them and later that year, me and my friends wore them, in different colors, with stylish pants, jeans and very cute ensembles.  Suspender are very sexy and I still wear them sometimes. 

    http://www.flixster.com/user/kimmyedwards

    carinjo's picture

    the wife's been talking

    the wife's been talking about getting some and i think the wider ones will look good on her. i however have been thinking about getting dungarees. had two pairs years ago and i think it's time again.
    Sdqueen's picture

    I love suspenders!!

    Suspenders on girsl so smoking hot! I own a pair rainbow ones that I wore to a gay club once, I love em!

     My partner and I was just talkin bout getting some two days ago so she can wear to work or something lol funny how this story came out right after hehe

    SdQ Out!

    Elsa 's picture

    Yup

    I remember wanting to wear suspenders in grade school. Thankfully my subsoncious mind never allowed me to go that far. They look great on Kristen in a custy sort of way. It's nice too see the suspenders coming back. XD
    dollparts's picture

    coming back?!?

    suspenders never left i own 9 pair of suspenders and 3 pair of sewn in suspenders for my shorts  

     

     

    "Hands upon my back again.
    Survival is my only friend.
    Terrified of what may come.
    Remember I will always love you,
    Even as I claw your fucking throat away.
    But it will end no other way"

    love_type_thing's picture

    Tegan Quin

    In this video Tegan is totally rocking out in white suspenders, and looking damn hot.
    (was just re-watching it and thought of this article.)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2War5EVV0A&feature=PlayList&p=7B7E3EEF331257EF&index=0&playnext=1