Suspender Belts for Men – Why Men Wear Suspender / Garter Belts
Suspender Belt Advice for Men / Male Wearers
I have written this brief guide because from the amount of emails and telephone enquiries we receive from men, that some advice is needed when it comes to styles and sizing.
Suspender / Garter Belts made specifically for male wearers are very rare and certainly not available in the mainstream markets yet. The cutting pattern would be need to be changed with some reduction in the hip measurements, whereas for women additional inches are required to accommodate hips as they are wider than a mans.
So given that a man probably needs to buy from a selection sized specifically for ladies –
What should a male wearer look for to get the best possible fit?
- For men, it is better to go for the less stretchy styles and those with less adjustment that will sit tighter on your waist. Some of our styles for instance have waist sizes with up to 4″ stretch per size which are probably better avoided without hips to help hold them in place.
- Thick straps are better because they’re less likely twist and they provide a better hold.
- Suspender girdles and panty girdles are good because you get more coverage, therefore more support.
- Choose sizing by exact waist size and if between sizes go for the smaller.
- A wider belt or girdle like some of the vintage / retro style lingerie shown below is also more comfortable to wear and more supportive than a skimpy piece of lace that ‘hangs’ around the waist.
- When selecting stockings to go with your garter belt, avoid buying ‘regular’ sized stockings, choose from a range that offer a variety of sizes and make sure you get the correct size for your height. If you wear stockings that are too short, they will pull on the belt.
Below are some of the suggestions we have made to male wearers in the past and received excellent feedback on, all can be found in the Swanky Pins Shop:
Why do men wear suspender belts?
There are a number of reasons why men choose to wear a suspender belt – some are covered in much more detail in our article on Cross-dressers and the relating comments, but the main reasons seem to be as follows:
For men who need to wear compression stockings. A good number of calls we get are from men, or their wives, asking for advice on a good suspender belt to keep compression stockings in place. We would suggest going with all of the above advice, plus you need to make sure you get something with sturdy metal clips as these stockings tend to have a thicker welt than ‘normal’ styles. Flimsy plastic is unlikely to hold them secure.
Men Prefer Women’s Lingerie. Many men like the feel of women’s lingerie next to their skin and in contrast to non-supportive and uncomfortable boxer shorts, a pair of ladies knickers feel silky & soft, sexy and comfortable.
Secrecy. Many men are ‘secret thrill seekers’ and seem to love the thought that they are wearing a suspender belt, stockings and lacy knickers in public under their ‘male clothes’ and nobody knows.
Cross-dressing. Even in this day and age, cross dressers are still seen by some as ‘deviant’, but the reality is it’s more a form of self expression, comfort and just ‘being themselves’. Some are born with, or develop as a youngster, a strong feminine side and dressing as a women seems a part of their ‘natural self’. A surprising number are ‘normal’ men in stable relationships who simply love to wear women’s clothes.
Sexual/Fetish. Surprisingly enough, it seems that this is the least likely reason that men wear stockings, suspender belts or other types of women’s lingerie.
Research, plus many of the comments on our post about cross-dressing, shows that the majority of male wearers are heterosexual, a lot of them being married with kids – some hide the fact from friends and family because they fear being ‘classified’, others have ‘come-out’ publicly and wear lingerie daily or dress fully as a female when and where they choose.
Girdles, corsets and deep suspender belts are worn by men as they help achieve a more feminine shape which will make dresses and outer clothing fit better.
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34 comments on “Suspender Belts for Men – Why Men Wear Suspender / Garter Belts”
Christine Davies
Hi,
My husband has to wear light support stockings due to a medical condition but we cannot get them to stay up,even hoidups.I have been searching everywhere for something not too feminine looking for him to hold them up.This site appears to have ticked all the boxes.
Thank you so much.
angie
They don’t stay up, but they almost do. I get a wide (very important) four SHORT strap belt with wide clasps and the rear straps well to the outside of my thighs (just the opposite of normal). I cut off the front straps. Then I fasten the two clasps to the stockings by bunching up the welt inside the clasp and attaching the clasps to the stockings just below their welts. The stockings feel just wonderful. The garter attachments to my stockings are well above my crotch, and the snug stockings give the most satisfying massage for my lets
Michael
Bet you look amazing in all your sexy underwear would love to see you in all you undies
angie
I wore stockings and garterbelt under my business wear for decades. I used a wide (very important) garterbelt with six straps, with the rear straps well to the back for good support of my stockings. I wore light beige or nude stockings with normal men’s socks over them. I liked to wear my stockings all the way up my legs ans so used a short strap garterbelt. The gentle massage of the stockings on my thighs and motion of the straps as I moved about was just wonderful. I don’t believe I was ever detected, but remember one time when I was giving a presentation when a garter came loose with what seemed to me like a cannon shot. ASAP I went to the mens room for repair.
Michael browning
I love to wear my pink stockings with lace top and pink suspender belt with my pink satin panties with sheath I like to do allmy household chores like this sometimes I put on my pink satin nightie and sit in the back garden it just feels loveley the feel of satin on my skin and being outside is a real delight I also wear them under my normal clothes when shopping
John
I love to match my stockings with a nice pair of sheer panties or a thong always feels and looks so good,I wear high heels also when I have the opportunity looks amazing with my sheer Baby Doll.
I guess it’s the ultimate form of relaxation for a cross-dresser to be able to feel so femme even for a few hours and spend time around the house in fabulous feminine lingerie.
paul(paula)
what a loverly pair of legs beautifull love paula tv xx
Nigella
Michael, i know just how you feel, i too love to do my housework in my lingerie, the feeling of wearing my white girdle with brown seamed stockings and heels is absolutly fabulous, perhaps we could dress together, i would love to see you in your pink lingerie darling.xx
Winston
I know exactly how u feel doing housework in my black open bottom girdle and heels with nude seamed stockings and black lace bra just makes my mornings so very exciting and the am goes by to fast
Michael
Yes I would love too
Dean
Well done i lov to wear them aswell .
Angie
I’m a lifetime wearer of stockings under my business clothes. I wear nude or light beige stockings and normal men’s socks over the stockings. Why do I wear a garterbelt? Quite simply to hold my stockings up nice and snug.
Lucy latex
I love stockings and have owned a couple suspender belts before and have now discovered pantie girdles. I recently bought my first one and love the greening so much I now want more, and now I have found this site I will be shopping here next year.
John
Good to hear Lucy. I’ve never tried a panty girdle sounds so perfect.
John
Thanks to Debbie for posting my pics much appreciated.
Charles
I also love to wear ladies underwear and stockings and suspenders and in my work clothes I love so much sometimes I wear them to bed I feel so comfortable and sexy
John Hartley
I’ve worn stockings and suspenders for years , I used to keep it to myself but now most of my friends know, I’ve even moved to basques too, but most days now I wear panties and a bra , I even wear a transparent top so people can see my bra straps.
Andy
I do the same when I wear a bra especially a Lacy white one under a white shirt so it shows the lace through the front also
Jon
I’d love to try some stockings and a belt but have no idea how my wife would react. She has joked about me wearing her underwear a few times now but I think it’s just that. A joke. I have no idea how to approach this.
Dean
Leave her a suttle hint ,if she asks again say yes on one condition you wear a susenderbelt aswell once you try them you will want them on all the time i prefer lace feels nice next to my skin .
Jeff
I bet she’s actually not kidding. I bet that she wants you to try on a pair of women’s panties. Next time she jokes about it, ask her to pick something out for you to wear. If that goes over well, ask her to take you shopping so she can pick out some things for you to wear. And when you’re doing that, just happen to pass by the section for stockings and garter belts and suggest that maybe those might look good on you and what do she think about that. If she likes the idea of you wearing a pair of panties, she’ll like the idea of you in a garter belt and stockings. Pretty soon you’ll have more panties than your wife does. I only wear women’s panties now and love it.
Andy
Why don’t you bring it up during sex if that’s when she says it
Colin Whitbread
I have been wearing Stockings, suspender belts, girdles, bras and panties for years, often under my work clothes, its such a sensational feeling and although l don’t advertise the fact, if someone notices, then so be it. Most of my male friends know what l wear and don’t have a problem with it, often coming shopping with me and choosing items for me. Some of my friends enjoy see me getting dressed in lingerie and love to feel the items once l’m wearing them, especially my panties. Its a great feeling and l love it. How many other guys like seeing their male friends in sexy lingerie, a lot more than you think and most of them would also like to wear it.
Dustin
I love wearing womans lingerie ive already gone out in public fully dressed in womans clothing with my nails done hair done and makeup i love the feeling of the lace and satin against my skin and womans clothes are just so much softer and sexier
Sandy
I love to wear 6 Strap Garter belt and stockings, and a nice underwire Bra and cute panties when I travel. Getting caught and searched by TSA at the Airport is always so exciting. Especially when they realize I am wearing womens lingerie under my business clothing. Once I was invited into the little room with 2 agents and asked to remove my outer clothing so they could search and inspect me more thoroughly. Of course I followed orders, and was standing in the inspection room in my stockings, garter belt and bra and panties… I was bright Red with embarrassment (so were my Bra and Panties).
geo69k
I have worn 6/8 (even a 10) strap suspender belts since my darling wife asked me to dress for her when we were both 19, the feel of thigh high stockings stapped to the suspender clasps rubbing your legs is simply divine. I was caught out once when I had to appear in court as a witness, and of course the guards asked me to pass through the metal detector door which went off, blush, but I explained that I had to wear a suspender belt to hold up my surgical stockings, she looked at me and smiled but I was allowed through after she used a hand-held device which gave off a couple of quiet beeps in the corner. I was cleared to go to court…..
angie
This is angie again to describe my first time wearing stockings (or rather, a stocking). I was 10 years old. I was responsible for taking out the rubbish. On this day, it contained a laddered stocking. I stuffed it in my pocket and hid it under my mattress. That night, I slowly pulled the stocking up my leg. It came all the way to my crotch and I’ve always loved long long stockings. I was totally hooked, and still am. The nylon felt so so good. I had no garters and had to pull to keep the stocking up. The garters are another story.
Steph
Yes Angie you are so right the actual feel of nylon on the legs and body is divine. My wife caught me many years ago when I took off my top to sunbathe and the bra straps had marked my shoulders. She wasn’t best pleased but after explaining to her why I felt the need to be feminine and sub, free of being the man and decision maker she not only accepted my alter ego but actively encouraged me to dress.
I know I am lucky,she even allows me to go out for walks in country parks full on lingerie under male clothes which for me is just beautiful and so very feminine. It’s also been a great boost to our love life!
Colin
I have been wearing tights for years in winter, for the warmth. I loved the way my legs and bum felt. A few years ago, after my divorce, I bought some holdups to wear. I loved the sensations.I live alone, so every night now, I am sat chilling or doing my house work in panties, nylons etc. I bought a basque, and loved the look and feel with stockings. I started off with a 4 strap suspender, and often ventured shopping whilst wearing. Next came the 6strap, then 8. What a feeling. I also have a 14 strap belt, with a vintage look, and it is divine. My collection is growing, many lace top stockings,ff stockings, lace bodies, and two bras, and lots of bikini and thong lace panties.
Stephen Mckenna
I love to waer sexy underwear and stockings and heals it is a turn on for me and my wife
Sam
I wear knickers every day, and often a bra (which my wife knows about and, while not loving it, more than tolerates it) but I’ve not been able to work out what suspender and stocking combination I should buy.
Sadly, don’t have the athletic shape so many model images have. I’m a size 18 at the waist, but wear a 52AA bra, so my proportions are all over the place!
There’s, er, an overhang above my waist that needs dealing with, so would I be better off buying some suspender panties? Maybe not quite the full effect I was after, but I reckon they should work.
As for the stockings; pick up a selection of sizes and see what works best?
Swanky Pins
We can’t help with bra unfortunately as we just don’t go up to that size, but regarding a suspender belt, something with a high waist – maybe a panty girdle or open bottom girdle, will take care of the ‘overhang’. Check the following link for some ideas:
https://www.swankypins.co.uk/product-category/shapewear/
Stockings should never be worn too short as they pull on the suspender belt which can make it slip. Most stockings are sized by height, but with slimmer legs the stockings will come up higher whereas on ‘stockier’ legs they have to stretch to accommodate width so may come up short in which case you may find a larger size more comfortable. Debbie
Mikie
I have the same overhang problem. I use a high waist belt about 3 to 4 inches smaller than my “actual” waist size. I’m 5′ 8″ and aim for that to 6′ on the height. Stockings normally come up to or almost to my crotch. They stay up well but everything still slide down. Just have to adjust everything once in a while.
Paul
I’m a 49 year old married man who has been secretly wearing stockings & suspenders since I was about 15 I had no idea till reading this that so many other men did the same. I wear mine with a male thong, under jeans or my work trousers and prefer hold-ups even with a suspender as they stay up all day. If I could stockings & suspenders would be my preferred choice of underwear every day, hard to explain the feeling when wearing them but glad to know I’m not alone. Love wearing them.
Jamie
I have a prescription for 20-30 mmHg compression stockings that I wear from when I get out of bed until I go to bed. I had to adjust these stay up stockings several times through the day. It was suggested by the pharmacist that I try women’s 20-30 mmHg pantyhose rather then the stockings. To my surprise the pantyhose actually work great as they stay in place all day long. Just a thought for those that have issues with their stockings sliding down.