thumb|300px|A common black leather belt with a metal buckle

thumb|304x304px|Medieval Islamic belt fittings, Eastern Iran, 900 AD ([[Khalili Collection of Islamic Art|Khalili Collection)]]

A belt is a flexible band or strap, typically made of leather, plastic, or heavy cloth, worn around the natural waist or near it (as far down as the hips). The ends of a belt are free, and a buckle is often used to form the belt into a loop by securing one end to another part of the belt, at or near the other end, though they may also be without a buckle and be simply tied using some form of knot. Often, the resulting loop is smaller than the hips. Belts come in many lengths because of the variety in waist sizes, and when they have a buckle, some belts can be adjusted at it to suit the wearer's waist. It can also be used as a weapon of discipline by parents and sometimes used as a symbol of child abuse in some cases.

thumb|Traditional silver waist belt worn by a [[Bhil community woman, Jhabua, India]]

Description

Belts are used variously to secure or hold up clothing, such as trousers, shorts, and skirts; to carry objects, such as tools and weapons; and to define or accentuate the waist.

thumb|A belt being worn on trousers. Three kinds of belt loops are visible: a loop sewn to the garment itself (middle), a keeper loop affixed to the belt (left), and a freely detachable loop (right)

Some garments have a series of belt loops at the waist, through which a belt can be threaded. Additionally, many belts have a "keeper loop" affixed to one end, near the buckle. The keeper loop stops the free end of the belt from flapping around once the belt is buckled. Some belts also have an end tip (made of metal or leather) covering the free end of the belt to protect it from damage. Today it is common for men to wear belts with their trousers. In the US military belts are worn snugly at dress events or at inspection so as convey impressions of fitness and discipline. From 1989 onward the US military standards regarding belt tightness during normal duty and non-duty activities have been somewhat more relaxed to prevent deleterious effects of prolonged excessive abdominal constriction.

In some countries, a father's belt could be associated with corporal punishment. As belts are constructed out of materials like leather that are both strong and light, a belt can be easily wielded to produce intense pain by using it as a whip to strike the buttocks of a misbehaving child. Moreover, belts were convenient disciplinary tools, as they are generally immediately available for use. The belt can symbolize fatherly authority and paternal responsibility for one's children's behavior and moral development, but corporal punishment is not recommended for use in modern society as it was in the past.

Since the 1980s and more commonly in the mid-1990s, the practice of sagging the pants, in which the waistbands (usually secured by a cinched belt) of trousers or (typically long) shorts are worn at or below the hips, thereby exposing the top part of any underwear not obscured by an upper-body garment, has been seen among young men and boys. This practice is believed to have originated with prison gangs and the prohibition of belts in prison (due to their use as weapons and as devices for suicide) -- historically, including in the latter part of the 20th century, gang-affiliated young men and boys were expected to wear their belts fastened tightly.

Materials

Leather is the most popular belt material because it can withstand being bent, folded, and tightened without being damaged. Genuine leather belts will also adapt to the wearer with time. Belts are also made using a range of other materials, including braided leather, tooled leather, suede, leather-backed ribbon, canvas, webbing, rope and vinyl.

Casual

Casual belts commonly worn with denim are usually between 35 mm and 42 mm wide (a little under 1 inch). These are typically made out of a one-piece leather construction with a textured appearance, with a belt buckle in an antiqued finish, wider, thicker stitching, or bar-tacking, to ensure a strong construction.

Black leather studded belts and wristbands in rock culture

Black leather studded belts and studded black leather wristbands are generally seen as synonymous with punk rock and punk rockers. However, the studded belt and its relative, the studded wristband, stretches further back to the bikers of the fifties. They initially studded their leather belts and leather jackets as a form of intimidation aimed upon the observer. This made the impression that these items were meant to be used as weapons by the wearer. This idea stylistically informed the gangs of Greasers in the (U.S.), the Rocker subculture in the (U.K.), as well as the gangs of Australian rockers that had grown from the earlier Bodgies and Widgies movement. These sub cultural groups had a fairly similar affiliation with 1950s rock and roll music and that gave these groups a comparable style identity.

It was during latter half of the 1970s that punks adopted this fashion for the same reasons as earlier rocker movements. After the style became a part of punk's threatening character, the studs itself went through a metamorphosis and assumed a myriad of new styles and uses. Including the use of dog collars around the neck, extensive studding on black leather belts, wristbands and jackets. The studs had their shapes change in various styles, including the pyramid shape and long elongated studs. These variants were also embraced by the Post punk movement, the Goths and Heavy Metal devotees, as part of their own endorsed repertoire.

In 1973, before punk rock began, female hard rocker and Glam rock musician, Suzi Quatro wore a black leather studded wristband with complimentary black studded choker to go with her black leather outfit for the musical film clip, Can the can. However, she did not wear the black leather studded belt with them.

Black leather studded belts has not had the same stigma or negative effect on society since the mid 1980s, nevertheless, they are still keenly worn today by emo fans and fans of revivalist movements that began in the 1990s decade, emulating past traditions.

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File:Woman's traditional studded belt at TCVs 50th anniversary. 2010.jpg|Tibetan woman's traditional studded belt at TCVs 50th anniversary. 2010

Chape et boucle ceinture Lastours.jpg|Belt buckle

Medieval Belt Loop. (FindID 114251).jpg|Belt buckle loop

Belt plate (front) (FindID 514984).jpg|Belt plate

Stud (FindID 494030).jpg|Belt stud

Post-Medieval Strap Fitting (sword belt fitting) (FindID 639564).jpg|Belt fitting

Belt Mount MET DP30089.jpg|Belt mount

Blitzverschluss-Klickschnalle.JPG|Webbing belt

</gallery>

See also

  • Armband
  • Bandolier
  • Baldric
  • Belt buckle
  • Belting (beating)
  • Black belt (martial arts)
  • Championship belt
  • Cummerbund
  • Drawstring
  • Girdle
  • Haramaki (clothing)
  • Martingale (clothing), a half-belt in the back of the garment
  • Obi
  • Sam Browne belt
  • Sansabelt
  • Sash
  • Stable belt
  • Strap
  • Waistband

References