A girdle or a strap that is an essential part of both formal and casual wear is referred to as belts. Initially the leather belts were used by men to hold their pants properly. Later women started using them to make a fashion statement and then came a lot more varieties with numerous attires. More than anything the leather belts make a fashion statement.

Today, belts are made of many different materials. However, the leather ones are considered necessary for formal wear. Different changes are made in them to give a different look and more reasons to wear. Other materials like suede, straw, reptile skins, fabric and plastic are a few of the ones that are being used today for making belts. Fancy belts are rather given a unique touch by using jewels, sequins or beans for both men and women.

The leather belts are mostly available in the market in standard size. The wholes to rest the buckle are punched according to the size of the waist. For men’s collection the size varies from a minimum of 30 inches and goes up to a maximum of 44 inches. The sizes are referred to as small, medium or large. The minimum size for women’s collection is 22 and goes up to 32 inches. Usually women’s belts have tie strings instead of punched holes. This gives the belt a much fancier look and fits everyone.

It’s not just the belts that are available in different varieties. The buckles can be found in different styles and sizes as well. These buckles are made of wood, plastic or metal. Usually the buckles are covered in such a way that it looks a part of the belt.

Mostly the belts are a one size fits everyone and can be adjusted. But there are some belts made for particular sizes like corsets, contours or cinches. Belts are usually worn around the waist however; there are some that are worn over the shoulder. These are called the bandolier.