A belt is a strap or girdle that is a part of casual or formal attire. Although leather belts were initially used with mens pants, women are using a wide variety of belts presently with different attires. Belts are no longer a formal wear but rather make a fashion statement in todays market.

Belts available in present market are made of a wide range of materials. Although leather belts are still considered the most formal, a few changes are being made in the design to make it more interesting to wear. Plastic, jute, fabric, wood, reptile skins, suede, straw are a few examples of varieties of materials being used to make belts in todays market. Fancier belts designed using beads, sequins, or other jewels can also be used with womens evening wear.

Suede and leather belts are available in standard sizes and the holes punched according to the waist size. However, even these are available in three standard sizes for people of all ages. The minimum would be a 30 inches belt and a maximum of 44 inches. They are categorized under small, medium and large sizes. Womens belts come as small as 22 inches in length and go till 32 inches. Womens belts sometimes have the option of tie strings rather than punched belts. This makes the belt look fancier as well as being a one size fits all.

Belts that come along with the garment such as a dress are the exact size for that apparel. Such belts usually do not go well with other garments. Sashes are another form of belts that are made of thin materials such as lace or cloth. They look similar to a wide ribbon and suit almost every kind of dress.

Many belts come with a wide variety of buckles ranging in all sizes as per the customers interest. All though belt buckles are made of metal, wood or plastic, buckles having clasps made of Velcro and buttons are also available presently. Some belts have buckles that are covered so that it looks like part of the belt instead of being distinguishable.

Most of the belts are adjustable and are a one size fits all. However, there are also belts that are specifically made for a particular sized waist such as cinches, corsets or contours. These define the shape of the wearer so they are available in particular sizes to suit the body of a customer. Although belts are worn around the waist, a specific kind of belt called the bandolier is worn over the torso and shoulder.

Some belts such as the suspenders and cartridges have loops, braces and suspenders, usually used to carry ammunition. Many informal belts these days provide the option for a cell phone and other small items. A wide range of other kinds of belts is also available in the market to go with practically every kind of attire.