A garter is a narrow band of fabric worn around the leg to keep up stockings. They were tied just below the knee in the eighteenth to twentieth centuries to keep stockings from slipping, but the advent of elastic has made them less necessary from a functional standpoint. Garters have been widely worn by both men and women, depending on fashion trends. In Elizabethan fashions, men wore garters with their hose, and colorful garters were an object of display. In male fashion for much of the 20th century, a type of garter for holding up socks was used as a part of male dress, but it is considered somewhat archaic now.

There is a Western wedding tradition for a bride to wear a garter to her wedding, to be removed towards the end of the reception by the groom. This garter is not normally used to support stockings. This practice is often interpreted as symbolic of deflowering, though some sources attribute its origin to a superstition that taking an article of the brides clothing will bring good luck. In the Middle Ages, the groomsmen would rush at the new bride to take her garters as a prize.

It is important to note that there is a subtle but distinct difference between a garter and a garter belt. A garter is a narrow band of fabric worn around the leg to keep up stockings, while a garter belt is a piece of lingerie that goes around someones waist and uses clips or snaps to hold up pantyhose or stockings. Garter belts are often associated with the boudoir, but they do have practical benefits, too, and can be worn by anyone at any time. If you like the look of stockings but aren’t a fan of garter belts, some brands offer hold-ups, which are worn by themselves and stay up using a band of silicone that sticks to your skin around the thigh.