Leather Suspenders for Women

So this post is about making my own leather suspenders.

Which I think is something women will hate or embrace.

There's no in between with suspenders, so if you hate them, that is fine...but...

I have always loved suspenders on anyone, boys, women, and men.  

Unfortunately my husband would and never will wear them...suspenders or sweater vests.

What's the deal Rhett, I thought I married a geek?

But my son had no choice:

Tutorial here for these kids button leather suspenders

I always liked them for women as well...but there's one, I guess two problems with women and suspenders--boobs.

So here's my suspenders back story:

At the same sleepover where Lynette and I decided to team up and blog together, we were also lamenting all the physical side effects of pregnancy and nursing.  Both our babies are about a year old, and things we thought would go back to "normal" haven't.

I was complaining about my chest.  When I got married I was a 34D and wore minimizer and reducer bras.

Each pregnancy deflated my chest a little more, but this third one was more extreme.

Now there is more foam in my bra than me.

So Lynette kind of initiated the idea maybe we should just embrace the new us and find things to be excited about our new mom bodies.

So it inspired me to think of clothes and styles I could never wear with a D cup, 

but now a flat chest could.

My first step in the "love my new flat chest movement"  are these suspenders.

Here's the sweet baby that somehow made my chest disappear!

I had looked for leather belts to try to upcycle for months but gave up and got the good stuff from Leather Hide Store.  I'm glad I got real leather, I think they look better than a chopped up belt would have.

These suspenders aren't adjustable, so they're easy to make.

1. I bought the rounded clips on amazon.

2. I wanted narrower suspenders to feel more feminine, and cut these 3/4" wide.

3. Finished the raw edges as shown here

4. To sew the leather to the suspender clips, my machine had trouble with the height of the clips and the thick leather, so I folded the ends and sewed across twice, basically punching holes in the leather.  I went back and hand sewed the leather around the clips.

5. I was able to machine sew the two ends behind my back to a short length of black 3/4" elastic.

The elastic allows some room for adjusting.  

6. I cut a triangle of leather, finished the raw edges, and top-stitched it on top of the junction at the back.

So now to wear them.

Once again, I think you have to be pretty flat chested for it to work.

There seems to be a narrow area where they work on a woman's chest.

If they are clipped too close to the center, they have to go around the chest, or right on top of the largest part.

I found if I clipped them where the coin pocket starts on my jeans, they stay vertical but are wide enough not to have to curve around the chest.

I also made the junction lower in the back, right  between my waist and shoulder blades so it helps them sit wider from the get go.  Joining the three pieces lower prevents them from pulling closer to my neck on the shoulders.

So not a look for everyone, but I am excited.

Not sure if I can pull it off, but no one sees me except my family and the cashier at the grocery store.

So I'm wearing these suspenders the same way Morrie danced, with my eyes half shut as if no one else is around and loving every minute.

{source}

the camera was on a tripod with a remote and my kids were just pushing the button, I had accidentally left it on and they caught this shot.  I kind of loved it when I saw it among a ton of other crazy pictures of my room.

Being a mom has a lot of sacrifice and I think as a woman it's natural to kind of mourn for the younger physical self that may never be you again.

To recognize this scarred, saggy body as the new you, although it can seem so foreign in the mirror.

But in the end, these kids are worth it!

So on to more flat chested sewing!!!!