Leather Lace-Up Side Garter Belt with Adjustable Back 9-105

What it is

The 9-105 is a black leather garter belt from Allure Lingerie with a column of corset-style lacing running down each side. It is the laced take on the classic garter shape: a broad hip-sitting panel of black leather, four narrow straps dropping from the lower edge to hold the tops of stockings, and a drawn-and-tied cord at either side. The lacing is the whole point of the style — it is what the eye lands on, and it is what separates this belt from a plain one.

Everything on the belt is black, including the cord. The leather has a lightly grained face rather than a high shine, so the laced columns read as texture against texture instead of as applied decoration. It belongs with the rest of the leather wear range and is cut to be seen rather than hidden.

The side lacing

Each side of the belt carries a vertical row of eyelets with a black cord threaded through them and tied off at the top. The cord crosses between the two rows in the familiar ladder pattern, and the loose ends are left long enough to hang below the knot. Because a laced panel is held closed by the cord rather than by a fixed seam, drawing the cord in brings the two rows of eyelets closer together and letting it out opens the gap between them — so the lacing both sets how snugly the belt closes around the hip and governs how much of a gap shows at each side.

That gives the style a second character beyond fit. Laced tight, the two rows sit close and the sides read as a defined line down the hip. Let out, the cord shows as a visible ladder with skin behind it, which is the look the style is built around. Neither setting is more correct than the other; it is a preference, and it takes only a moment to untie the bow and re-tie it.

The cut of the panel

The front of the belt is a single wide panel of leather with a straight top edge that sits low — well below the navel, across the top of the hips. The lower edge is the interesting part: rather than running straight around, it is cut away in a deep curve at the centre front and swings down into a point at either side of that curve. The result is a shallow V of leather over each hip with an open scoop between them, which is a markedly different silhouette from a garter belt whose hem runs level all the way round. The back of the belt is adjustable.

Those two points are load-bearing as well as decorative. The inner pair of straps hangs from the tip of each point, which puts them further apart than a level hem would, and the outer pair hangs from the panel where it continues toward the hip. Four straps in total, arranged as a pair on each side, each one narrow, black, and carrying a flat fitting part of the way down its length. Each strap finishes in a garter clip: the two-part fitting with a shaped loop and a button that pinches a fold of fabric and holds it.

Putting it on and setting the lacing

Slacken the lacing before you put the belt on, not after. A laced side that is still drawn in from the last wearing makes the belt a struggle to get over the hips, and tugging a leather panel past the widest part of the body is how seams and eyelets take strain they were never meant to take. Untie the bow, ease the cord out of the top few pairs of eyelets until the sides open, and the belt goes on in one movement.

Settle the panel square across the front with the scooped hem centred, then work the cord back from the bottom pair upward, taking up the slack evenly rather than pulling it all through from the top. Tie off with a bow you can undo one-handed. A knot you have to pick at is a knot you will come to resent.

Stockings go on last. Let the straps hang free, set the drop on each one at the flat fitting, then bring the clip up to the stocking rather than hauling the stocking down to the clip. Fold a small amount of the welt — the reinforced band at the top of the stocking — over the shaped loop and press the button through it. Do the inner pair of straps first, the outer pair second, and keep the four roughly even: a single strap set shorter than its neighbours is what drags one side of the hem out of line.

Looking after leather

Keep it away from water, heat and the washing machine. Leather stiffens when it is soaked and cracks when it is dried fast, and neither is reversible once it has happened. Lift surface marks with a soft cloth barely dampened with water, then let the belt dry flat at room temperature, away from radiators, hairdryers and direct sun.

Store the belt laid flat or loosely rolled with the lacing slack and the clips left open, so nothing sits under tension for months at a time. Keep the cord untangled from the straps — unpicking a cord from four clips is a tedious way to start an evening. Perfume, hairspray and alcohol-based sprays can mark a leather face, so put them on first and let them dry.

This garment comes with its own care instructions from the maker, and those take precedence over any general guidance here. Where the two disagree, follow the garment's own instructions.

Who it suits

This is for an adult buyer who already likes the garter-belt shape and wants a version with something going on at the sides. Compared with a plain leather belt it is louder and more deliberate — the lacing is visible from several feet away and from behind, so it is a piece for being seen in rather than a foundation layer to disappear under a dress.

It also suits anyone who wants a little room to play with in the fit. A belt that closes on a fixed seam is the size it is; a laced one can be drawn in or let out at both sides, which is a genuine advantage on a one-size garment. If you are assembling a set around it, the rest of the garters category holds the surrounding pieces, and a plain black stocking with a flat woven welt is the easiest partner for clips of this kind.

Good to know

• Adult lingerie, intended for adults 18 and over.
• Sold in one size. A one-size garment does not fit every body; the lacing widens the range it covers, but it does not make it universal.
• The belt is sold on its own. Stockings and briefs are not part of this listing.
• Leather is a natural material. Grain, tone and small surface markings vary from piece to piece, and no two are identical.
• Dark leather and dark cord can transfer colour onto pale fabric, especially when new or worn warm. Take care over light clothing.
• Garter clips grip the plain woven welt of a traditional stocking. They have little to bite on against the silicone band of a hold-up.
• Follow the care instructions supplied with the garment.
• This is an item of clothing, not a medical or supportive device.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the lacing on the sides of the 9-105 work?

A black cord runs through a vertical row of eyelets on each side of the belt and ties off at the top. Pulling the cord in draws the two rows of eyelets closer together; letting it out opens the gap between them. That is how the belt closes at the sides, and it is also how you set how much of a gap shows there.

What size is the 9-105?

It is sold in one size. The side lacing means the belt covers a wider span than a fixed-seam belt of the same cut, because both sides can be drawn in or let out, but one size is still one size and it will not suit every body. Measure around the top of your hips, where the belt actually sits, rather than at the natural waist.

Are stockings included with this garter belt?

No. This listing is for the garter belt alone. Stockings are bought separately, and plain woven welts work best with the clips on the straps — a clip needs a flat band of fabric to fold over its loop and bite on.

Can it be worn under clothing?

It can, but it is not designed to vanish. The leather panel is thick enough to show a line under a close-fitting skirt or a thin dress, and the knotted cord and loose ends at each hip add a little more. Under something with structure or a heavier fabric it sits flat enough; under jersey it will read through.

How is this order packaged?

Orders ship in plain, unbranded outer packaging. There is no product imagery on the outside of the parcel, no description of the contents, and nothing on the label identifying the kind of goods inside.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe product specifications directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Adult novelty device for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.