Thanks to H.N. White, I have a pair of the Albert Thurston dove grey braces as seen on Daniel Craig with his pinwale corduroy suit in No Time to Die. These braces are an unusual item for James Bond, who usually prefers to wear his braces with his dinner jacket rather than with his suits. So pairing braces with the most casual suit of the Bond series in No Time to Die is a surprising departure for the character, and there may be a reason for this choice in the story. Or it may just be for the look. Like the white braces that Daniel Craig notably wore as James Bond in previous films, these braces have equally made an impression. And this impression was made before No Time to Die‘s released.
The braces are in a ‘dove grey’ ribbon, which is a cool medium-light grey with a hint of blue. Bond wears the braces in a tone close to that of his blue shirt, for a subtle look. There are no rules as to what colour to wear and how to match your braces to the rest of your outfit, but they should compliment the outfit in one way or another. James Bond is not usually one to wear flashy clothes or bold colour combinations, so he matches his braces to his shirt as to not draw additional attention to the braces. Braces, when visible, draw enough attention without being in bright colours and flashy patterns.
The ribbon is 35 mm wide, which is narrower than Thurston’s standard 40-mm width. The narrower ribbon lends a more modern look. The ribbons have crosswise ribs and are made of a rigid material; they are not elastic. The only elastic is in the back.
The ends are dark brown leather, but they are pressed with a crocodile texture. The back elastic is brown to match the ends. The levers are brass.
There is a tag with a union flag hidden behind the back elastic, which is the only marking on the braces that denote these are from Albert Thurston. It’s a mark that all braces from Thurston carry, so it’s something to look for on any pair of braces you come across. The reverse of the tag states ‘Made in England’, and the levers say the same on back side.
Though Bond wears the braces with a rather casual suit in No Time to Die, these braces can be dressed up or down fairly easily. Because the ends are brown, the only requirement is that you wear brown shoes with them. These braces are perfect for Bond because they’re classic without looking old-fashioned. They’re not Wall Street, but they’re not too trendy either. They fit in with what Daniel Craig often wears as Bond, much of which comprises of new twists on classic garments.
I have been wearing Albert Thurston braces for about 15 years, starting roughly around the time that James Bond wore them in white moiré in Casino Royale. I didn’t yet have them in white moiré, and I don’t even recall being influenced by James Bond to wear Thurston braces. I got them because I was told by numerous more experienced dressers they were the best in braces. I have many pairs of Thurston braces, and I would have happily worn these dove grey braces without the James Bond connection.
These braces are made to Albert Thurston’s usual high standards, with clean finishing and quality materials. The materials are hardy, as they need to be for what is ultimately a utilitarian garment.
These braces are available from H.N. White with a 20% discount if you use code bondsuits. Though the braces were gifted to me, I receive no compensation from the sales of these braces, with or without the code, and I received nothing other than the braces in exchange for this post.
The trousers pictured here are light fawn cavalry twill from Mason & Sons. I was tempted to sew a set of buttons into a pair of tan corduroy trousers with belt loops I have to more closely replicate the look from No Time to Die, but my cavalry twill trousers are the correct colour and already had buttons for braces. The Thurston braces come with a set of buttons that can be sewn into trousers. While I don’t think it is a faux pas to wear braces on trousers that have belt loops, I prefer to wear my braces on trousers without belt loops for a cleaner look.
My shirt is from Kamakura, and it is my only shirt with a button-down collar. It is a light blue cotton knit with a diagonal rib that resembles twill, so it is a decent stand-in for Daniel Craig’s screen-worn shirt, albeit a shade or two lighter.
I would ordinarily wear a jacket over my braces, but for the purposes of this article I’m showing them off.
Photos by Janna Levin Spaiser
Great. Your version improves over the source of inspiration imho. I don’t like corduroy. Those trousers by Mason and Sons are very very nice. Regards
Thanks you! I love these trousers, though they’re winter weight, so I’ll have to find something else to wear with these braces for the summer.
I have two pairs of Thurston braces, navy and burgundy, both with white goatskin ends which I feel allows me to wear both black and brown shoes with them. I don’t wear them often, as I prefer side adjusters only. However I have lost a couple inches in the waist recently, and one of my pair of pants is too loose with the DAKS style adjusters that I may start wearing them with braces to get use out of them, plus I like looser fitting pants when I wear braces. I feel the braces themselves are more comfortable with looser fitting pants. I really like the rise of your pants there, its about perfect. Not too high as to look old fashioned.
I love white ends on braces too.
I feel that my trousers here are just a bit lower than ideal for braces, but they still work well.
May I ask what shoes you are wearing with your trousers? Love the braces
The shoes are the Crockett & Jones Tetbury chukka boots in brown. So it’s the Skyfall boot, but in brown instead of black.
thank you
I have no issue with suspenders on belt-looped pants. I prefer suspenders to belts, and all of my pants have belt loops (most have suspender buttons inside the waistband). When I do wear suspenders, I have a waistcoat, sweater, and/or jacket that covers them (and the belt loops) anyway. Traditionally, they were viewed as underwear that is not to be seen, and I mostly stick to that tradition. When I’m going to skip all those coverings, I put a belt on instead.
These look very nice. I may have to track some down.
Since coming to live in Japan I’ve come to prefer clip-on Thurston braces (though I completely understand why there are those who detest the look). But I’ll buy up any braces I find with braided / woven paddles, rather than leather, as I prefer the ‘softer’ look.
I may one day graduate to leather ends, but since I came around to that way of thinking, I notice that Thurston now produce leather ends tipped with clips, a combination which in my mind looks outlandish and awful. At least clip-on braces don’t attempt that ‘best of both worlds’ experiment – they’ll never be ‘formal’, so to try to imbue them with prestige by places them onto the ends of the paddles is just ridiculous in my eyes.
I noticed that H.N. White has a selection of braces with braided ends. I don’t see them often outside of evening braces, so they stood out to me.
Matt – this may be a stupid question given your pictures up above. But, is it appropriate to wear braces with frogmouth pocket slacks? I am well aware that I may be wrong about this, but something about the formality levels between the two seems to clash.
It is completely appropriate. Braces are not inherently formal. They’re a functional means of supporting your trousers and come in different levels of formality. There are braces for white tie and there are braces for workwear. These are in-between. The white moire braces that Bond wears in a few films are more formal braces that would be inappropriate with anything less formal than black tie. These braces, on the other hand, cannot be worn any more formally than with suits, and I wouldn’t wear them with the dressiest of suits. The textured ends make this a little less formal than smooth leather ends, but I think they’re fine with any suit that you can wear brown shoes with. I think the textured ends make them ideal with sportier suits (like the Bond wears them with) or with sports coats. My trousers, paired with a tweed jacket like in Goldfinger, are more formal than the corduroy suit in No Time to Die. It’s fabric that determines formality more than pocket styles. Frogmouth pockets were originally intended for horseback riding, and people wear braces for that.
This look reminds me of Jaws in Moonraker, wearing braces with cavalry twills sans jacket.
Nice review Matt! I was always a fan of Mallory’s fleur-de-lis motif braces. I have no problem with belt loop trousers with braces, but I much prefer the plain front look. These braces look nice, and works perfect with your ensemble.
Over the course of this pandemic, I had pick a new hobby (amongst other hobbies), and that hobby is sewing. I made it my effort to sew buttons for braces in a Charcoal double breasted suit’s trousers I had purchased recently. I hope NTTD will bring the usage of braces in fashion. If Craig can bring back the cardigan, then there can be hope for braces.
Great review Matt, and keep up with the great work!
Ps. I was thinking about buying a pair of Church’s Chetwynd shoes. I was wonderong if you think that this shoe would be a great choice, and what do you think would suit pair well with these shoes?
I forgot to mention the shoes would be black. Sorry for the typo above as well.
The Chetwynd is a great shoe. It’s good with blue and grey suits, but I’d say it’s better with a jacket and grey trousers.
These are nice. Like the NTTD blue Wooly Pully, I’d also love the Matera outfit.
In all the years speaking with you I never saw you in a button-down collar shirt. I like the material and will check out Kamakura. I think the braces would look nicer with an unfused collar shirt.
Bob
Thanks, Bob. Kamakura used to have a store on Madison Ave near J. Press, but it closed last years.