Mens Belts
Men in the military in the 1800's wore belts that were used only as a decoration that went with the rest of their uniform. In Europe, belts were worn by military persons tightly around the waste to give the person the appearance of being more trim than they might actually be. Up until the early 1900's belts were worn mostly as a decoration.
As belts became more popular, people found uses other than fashion for belts. Many police officers and construction workers wear utility belts which hold tools such as hammers, flashlights and other such utilities for quick access.
In the early 1900's men began to wear belts to replace the older overall over the shoulders strap to hold their pants up.