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Wedding Garders

If used as wedding garters they are adorned with small bells and/or ribbons. In the 18th to 20th centuries, Stocking garters were tied just below the knee, where the leg was skinniest, to keep the stocking from slipping. The advent of elastic has made them unnecessary from this functional standpoint, although they are still often worn as wedding garters as well as fashion accessories, reenactmens and cowboy action shooting events.

Sleeve Garders 

A sleeve garter is a garter worn on the sleeve of a shirt. It came into wide use in the latter half of the 19th century when men's ready made shirts came in a single (extra long) sleeve length. Sleeve garters allowed men to customize sleeve lengths and keep their cuffs from becoming soiled while working. Today, the sleeve garter sometiemes accessorizes the costumes of brides as wedding garters, rodeo and Cowboy action shooting participants, old west reenactors and poker dealers.  

Characters that would wear sleeve garters in  the old West:

 The sleeve garter is often seen in modern depictions of the Old West, and it was in fact very popular in those days among:

• The well-dressed gunslinger: the sleeve garter facilitates freedom of movement and aids in gunslingers' ability to quick draw.
• Musicians: Even today many bands use sleeve gartners as part of their costumes. Old west Musicians and bands can be seen in old pictures wearing them untill the late 1920's.
• Gamblers and Poker  Dealers: still today a sleeve garter, along with vest bow tie and sometimes a visor are used by poker dealers. This is widely understood to make it more difficult for the dealer to cheat by concealing a card in his or her sleeve.  This usage dates back to late 19th century and early 20th century fashion in this field.
  
• Bookeepers, thelegraph workers and clerks: those who worked with papers and ink sometimes wore sleeve garters up until the second quarter of the 20th century to protect their sleeves and keep them clean. Norman Rockwell's 1924 classic illustration "Day Dreaming Bookeeper",  shows an accountant wearing a vest, a visor, a bowtie and very narrow sleeve garters. Office workers in early 20th century settings are sometimes depicted with this same costume (visor, vest, bow tie, sleeve garters) that is basically the same as the stereotypical card dealer costume.

• Women: Sleeve garters were also sometimes worn by women.

A small ornamental plate called a "concho", typically depicting an Old West motif, may be attached to the garter.

 You can find great Historically faithfull sleeve gartners at our Cowboy action shooting  accessories section.