A band or strap worn around the leg below the knee to hold up a stocking or sock.
From Old French 'gartier', possibly from 'garet' (the leg). The term refers to an accessory that dates back to medieval times when stockings needed fastening with bands.
The garter became a symbol of high status in medieval times—King Edward III created the 'Order of the Garter,' one of Europe's highest honors, which still exists today and uses a garter as its emblem.
Garter historically coded as intimate female garment; garter belts were highly gendered fashion markers. The word carries residual associations with female sexuality and undergarment culture.
Use neutrally when referring to the elastic band itself. Acknowledge that garters were particularly important to historical women's fashion without reducing the word's meaning to gendered connotation.
["elastic band","suspender"]
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