Garter straps were once necessary to keep women’s stockings in place, but with the invention of elastic and pantyhose, they are now mostly worn as a fashion statement or for special occasions. They are also used in weddings, and men used to wear garter straps for socks and shirt sleeves.
A garter strap is a term now generally used to refer to several different items of women’s clothing. The term garter belt can mean a small piece of fabric that is usually attached to an article of clothing such as a garter belt, girdle, merry widow, corset, or bustier. These types of garter straps are designed to be fastened onto the top band of women’s stockings to prevent the stockings from falling down or slipping down the leg while being worn.
Before the invention of materials like elastic or rubber, stockings couldn’t stand on their own. Garters on top of the stockings and straps attached to the bands provided the necessary support to keep the stockings in place. With the invention of stockings that could be held on without additional support and the increasing popularity of pantyhose, the garter and garter belt fell out of favor among many women for everyday wear. Today, suspender clothing is most often worn as a fashion statement or for romantic or intimate occasions.
The term garter belt is also used by many to refer to a leg garter, which is essentially a small piece of fabric or elastic that functions similar to a belt and fits over the top of a single stocking to keep it in place. media instead. While leg garters once served a functional purpose, they are now generally worn only as novelty or cosmetic items. Many believe that the most common type of garter belts worn today are the ones worn by brides on their wedding day.
In many cultures, it is considered traditional for the bride to wear a garter belt. When the wedding ceremony is over, the groom removes the garter belt from the new bride’s leg and throws it to the unmarried men who are present. Just as tradition says that the woman who catches the bride’s bouquet will be the next woman to marry, tradition also says that the single man who catches the bride’s garter will be the next man to marry.
The term garter belt can also be used to refer to an article of clothing that was worn by men to help prevent socks or shirt sleeves from falling down during wear. The sock garter strap was used before the widespread use of elastic in men’s socks. Unlike garter straps for women, most men’s garter straps were not attached to any clothing other than the sock. Most men’s garter straps were attached to small belts worn around the calf, just above the top of the sock.
Men’s shirt sleeve garters were worn through much of the mid to late 19th century. During that era, men’s ready-to-wear shirts were commonly made in a single sleeve. Shirt garters were generally worn between the elbow and shoulder and allowed the ability to customize the length of a shirt sleeve.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
