Braces are perfectly appropriate in any office, especially a law office. They are more formal than a belt, so I wouldn’t wear them every day (unless you’re in a banking-law firm). The classic sterotype of the high-powered litigator always has braces.
Now that the '50’s retro look of 5-10 years ago has gone back out of style, both the X-configuration and thin black braces of any type are exclusively for the use of white supremacists.
You should feel free to wear buttons on the outside or clip-on suspenders, but only if your resume is up to date.
Any tailor will know how to put in braces buttons. (The fact that without any input from you he’ll put them on the inside of the pants in a Y-configuration should tell you something.) There’s no need to buy the braces before you have the pants altered.
Braces do not have to match your tie exactly in color or pattern anymore than the tie has to match your shirt and suit. But like your tie, your braces have to fit with the rest of your outfit.
If your office allows casual wear, braces are never to be worn without a tie, and it’s gauche to wear them without a jacket as part of your outfit, although it’s perferctly fine to take the jacket off during the day just as you might on the days you wear a belt.
One final point – only rubes call them suspenders.
–Cliffy
True enough, but Lou got a law degree, so he’s already suffering from that particular malaise.