Garters are articles of
clothing: narrow bands of fabric fastened about the leg, used to keep up
stockings, and sometimes
socks. In the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, they were tied just below the knee, where the leg is most slender, to keep the stocking from slipping. The advent of
elastic has made them less necessary from this functional standpoint, although they are still often worn for
fashion. Garters have been widely worn by men and women, depending on fashion trends.