A suspender belt sits around your waist or hips and holds up your stockings with clips on adjustable straps. Put the belt on first, then the stockings, clip the front straps before the back, and wear your knickers over the straps so you never have to unclip. Below is the full method, what to buy and how to get the fit right.
What you need
- A suspender belt with clips that suit your stockings.
- Stockings with a welt: the thicker band at the top that the clips grip. Hold-ups have a silicone band and stay up on their own, so they do not need a belt.
- Knickers to wear over the top.
How to put on a suspender belt and stockings
- Put the belt on. Fasten it where you can see the hooks, then turn it into place if the design needs it, and settle it at your waist or high hip.
- Put on the stockings. Sit down, gather each stocking to the toe and roll it up the leg, with any back seam running straight up the back of the leg.
- Clip the front straps. Pull a strap down, place the welt over the small rubber button and slide the metal loop over it to close the clip.
- Clip the back straps. Reach behind or use a mirror, and clip them roughly level with the front ones.
- Adjust the straps. Tighten them until the stockings are smooth with no sag, but not so tight that the welt pulls into points or the clips dig in when you sit.
- Put your knickers on last, over the straps.
Knickers over or under?
Over. With your knickers over the straps, you can take them off without unclipping anything. Wearing them underneath looks neat in a photograph, but it is impractical for an evening out.
Choosing your stockings
Sheer 15 to 20 denier is the classic look. A back seam adds a vintage line, and a decorative lace top shows beneath a short hem. The Black Secret BS183 pairs a sculptured back seam with a lace top touched with lurex, while the BS171 is a plain 20 denier pair with a delicate lace top. Ballerina's 572 adds an emerald detail at the top of the leg. Find more in stockings and suspenders, and see our denier guide for the weights.
Choosing a suspender belt
- Embroidered: Roza Mehendi, embroidered with henna-inspired flowers, with removable straps, in black or claret.
- Satin-finish elastic: Roza Amorre, three strands of satin-finish elastic with a front hook-and-eye fastening, in black or white.
- Lace in colour: Shirley of Hollywood, embroidered lace in black and purple, with a hook back closure and adjustable straps.
- A ready-made set: Gabriella's Shadow pairs a belt with 15 denier stockings that have a 10 cm lace top.
The no-belt alternative
If you like the look but not the fiddling, faux suspender hold-ups build the suspender line into the design and stay up on their own. Try the Black Secret BS124, or Ballerina's 595 in plus sizes.
Getting the size right
Choose a suspender belt by your waist or hip measurement, depending on where the belt is designed to sit, and check the size details on each product page. Stockings are sized by leg length and thigh: Black Secret's S/M fits a leg length of 70–74 cm and a thigh of 50–55 cm, and its L/XL a leg length of 74–78 cm and a thigh of 55–60 cm. Hosiery can only be returned unopened in its original packaging, for hygiene reasons.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a suspender belt with stockings?
With true stockings, yes: they have a plain welt and nothing else to hold them up. Hold-ups have a silicone band and do not need one.
Can you wear a suspender belt with hold-ups?
Yes, for the look or for extra security, as long as the clips can grip the top of the hold-up.
Can you wear a suspender belt with tights?
No. Tights are one garment from waist to toe, so there is nothing for the clips to hold.
How tight should the straps be?
Firm enough to keep the stockings smooth, loose enough that nothing pulls when you sit down. Readjust after you first sit.
Browse our stockings and suspenders to build your set.