Accessories, including belts and suspenders, play a big role in having the perfect outfit. Whereas belts and suspenders were originally for practical purposes, such as keeping one's trousers in place, today people wear them for a number of reasons. Farmers and electricians may wear a leather work belt to keep tools at hand. Women use suspender belts to keep hosiery in place and, many times, people wear suspenders simply to make a fashion statement.

Belts and suspenders pricing and costs may vary according to style, material, and purpose. A simple leather belt can cost about $10, whereas a sturdy leather tool belt can easily run over $100. Likewise, a reversible belt can cost anywhere from about $15 to close to $150. Children's suspenders can cost as little as $6, while name women's designer belts sometimes run over $400. When planning your budget for accessory purchases, include the costs of belts and suspenders. When making your purchases, consider the following:

1. Purchase a variety of wholesale belts to save money.

2. Purchase children and women's suspenders as well as men's suspenders.

3. Look for suspender belts that appeal to a variety of feminine tastes.

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Locate discount and wholesale belts for great savings

Belts come in a variety of styles, but they also vary in cost. While a leather belt may cost you less than $10, a good leather work belt or tool belt may be more expensive. Look to purchasing belts from a wholesale manufacturer to stay within the budget.

I recommend: Visit the Bargain Basement at BeltOutlet.com for tremendous savings on discontinued items and manufactures' rejects. You can purchase a good leather belt for less than $10. At Sunwaystar, you can find a huge selection of fashion belts at wholesale price or outlet prices. These belts range from less than $5 to almost $30. Fashionwholesaler.com carries designer belts, ranging from less than $5 to close to $20.

Locate wholesale suspenders and discount suspenders for additional savings

Modern suspenders, or braces as the British call them, were introduced by Albert Thurston in 1822. Since then, they have been in and out of fashion. Include in your accessory purchases suspenders for women and children, as well as for your male customers. You can purchase children's suspenders wholesale for less than $7.

I recommend: Pricegrabber.com carries suspenders that range from less than $6 to about $40. At Suspender Factory, you can find a number of unique and creative suspenders for less than $20. Aubuchon Hardware carries a good selection of work suspenders ranging from less than $10 to over $100.

Locate manufacturers of women's suspender belts for a diversified stock

A suspender belt is a belt with suspenders hanging from it used for supporting women's stockings. They are the same as garters and women can wear them with a girdle for extra support. Suspender belts come in a wide variety of styles and can run from less than $20 to over $100 for one pair.

I recommend: At BeCheeky.com, you can find fashionable suspender belts sold as separates or as part of a lingerie set. These belts run from under $20 to over $60. Sign up also for the store's newsletter to receive notice of special offers and sales. TheStockingStore carries suspender belts ranging in price from less than $20 to over $100 for one pair.

Owners of clothing stores often forget the little things like belts and suspenders. However, belts, suspenders and other more functional pieces are essential to most customers, and, for many, hard to track down.

Your store will benefit from a large range of suspenders (work suspenders, leather suspenders, women's suspenders, men's suspender belts, fashion suspenders) and good belts (the leather belt, the name-brand belt, the work belt, the leather work belt, the reversible belt, even the tool belt). You probably didn't realize how many options are available and often coveted.

So, ask yourself:

1. Do I have a wide range of accessories that help keep the clothes I sell on the customer I sell them to?

2. Do these belts and suspenders go with the clothing I sell?

3. Do I have a wide range of sizes in each accessory?

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Belts and suspenders: decide on an extreme

Pick out a pair of suspenders or a belt that you would sell, but that you'd want to be the strangest accessory of that type in your store. These can be sparkly, skinny, or extremely functional: This item could be a huge, bulky, but handy work belt. If you can sell this, you can sell anything that is less crazy, so now get some of everything that falls under your store's more accessible styles.

I recommend: Hot Topic has many attention-grabbing styles of suspenders, and Occidental Leather has some extremely handy work belts (and even "belt-free systems"). SuperStoreSupply has a big variety of medical belts at discount prices.

Flesh out the accessories aisle for belts and suspenders

Belts and suspenders come in all shapes and sizes with 'women's suspenders' usually thinner and stretchier, while 'men's suspenders' more often leather, or functioning as work suspenders or suspender belts. Belts and suspenders worn together is supposedly going against a cardinal rule of fashion, like wearing socks with sandals, but I wouldn't push this or any other rule or category when it comes to functional wardrobe choices. Consider selling the button-end suspender, the clip-end suspender, the high-rise reversible belt, the skinny braided leather belt, the children's suspender, and even the suspender that attaches to the belt.

I recommend: Gempler's has a nice range of durable, affordable and attractive wholesale belts and wholesale suspenders. Holdup Suspender Co. takes their business very seriously. Learn about and purchase every type of suspender, from formal silk double ups to the extra-thin Patti-Smith popularized youth hold ups. Bluefly has the latest designer belts, marked down considerably.

Accessorize your accessories with belts and suspenders

Belts and suspenders often complete a look instead of starting one. Make sure you have a few matching items: leather belts and shoes, checkered suspenders and handbags, etc. Keep belt buckles, leather maintenance products, and hole-punching services in mind, too.

I recommend: The Belt Buckle Shop has wholesale prices and custom buckles, and All-Leather Maintenance most likely has all the cleaning and care for leather products you'll need. Yourtack.com even has personalized leather belts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep the belts and suspenders subtle while dressing mannequins or models, unless they are the focus.
• •  Having all the extras says: You care about how your customer looks. Make sure the rest of your store reflects this, too, by keeping staff aware of sizing in all of your products, not just your clothing.
• •  Sometimes belts and suspenders are just used for function, and not meant as a fashion statement. Make sure to keep classic, minimal, and affordable styles available for the guy who just wants to keep his pants up.

Providing accessories such as belts and suspenders is a great way to boost sales in a fashion store. Allow customers to match their clothing with belts and suspenders to produce extra sales for your business. Providing accessories for customers can boost sales 25% to 50% for most retail establishments. Learning belts and suspenders types and styles can help you choose the right belts and suspenders to stock in order to fit your customers' styles.

Understanding what belts and suspenders types and styles are available and where to find them will assist you in coordinating your stock with these accessories. Wholesale womens belts are designed in a variety of styles to be used with any type of womens clothing. Mens belts are generally created for function, however dress belts are available for men with discerning taste. Suspenders are available for both men and women. These are not only for function but also for fashion.

1. Purchase a variety of wholesale belts for women.

2. Provide a full range of mens belts.

3. Find wholesale suspenders to sell in your store.

Action Steps
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Locate wholesale belts designed for women

Fashion belts for women are available in a variety of styles, such as leather, designer and novelty. Wholesale womens belts can be purchased in assorted lots for resale or in groups of the same type for use in uniforms. Some wholesalers allow you to set your assorted lots with certain styles and sizes to fit your clientele.

I recommend: Comeco sells a wide variety of wholesale belts for women that you can view and compare. Find a womens fashion belt at Bluefly. Bucklesite provides many versions of the reversible belt.

Discover different styles of mens wholesale belts

Mens wholesale belts are available in leather, dress, work and western styles. These belts are available in the same ways as womens when it comes to resale or uniform use. Mens work belts are also available as mens suspender belts.

I recommend: Western Express carries mens and womens western belts and suspenders. View a variety of work suspenders and find the work belt you or your staff needs at GEMPLER'S. Visit BeltStars.com to browse their online catalog for mens leather belts.

Locate sellers who stock wholesale suspenders

Wholesale suspenders are available for both women and men in different styles. These styles include work, dress and fashion. Suspenders or braces are available as button-end suspenders, clip-end suspenders and Perry-style suspenders.

I recommend: The Suspender Factory of San Francisco sells mens work and leather suspenders at wholesale prices. Find mens suspender belts by searching through the inventory at Beltoutlet.com. View the available mens and womens suspenders at Cyber Import.

Belts can be made of many materials, each of which gives the belt a different look. Leather belts are stronger and more durable, twill or canvas belts are casual, whereas snake or lizard skin belts are textured. Animal activists prefer synthetic fibers and imitation leathers. As for suspenders, manufacturers traditionally made suspenders from boxcloth, although some used silk. If you are choosing a belt or suspenders, it helps to be aware of the many materials that are available.

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Leather

Leather belts are made of animal hide that has been tanned. Tanning is special process that makes the skin durable. Leather can come from a variety of different animals, including cattle, lamb, deer, elk, and pigs; however, most belts are made of cowskin. Leather is classified as full or top grain, split grain, corrected grain, and patent leather.

I recommend: Lightmysite.it provides information on leather belts, and wiseGEEK explains how leather is made.

Acetate

Acetate is frequently used to line the interior of fashion belts. It is a man-made fabric composed of cellulose fibres. Acetate's smooth, flat weave resists moisture and stains, which makes it durable and long-lasting.

I recommend: GAMA Association tells how acetate is made and gives its important characteristics.

Snakeskin

Snakeskin is leather made from the skin of snakes. The skins have a flaky texture and vary widely in color, texture and pattern. Much of snakeskin's appeal comes from the subtle highs and lows of the scale pattern.

I recommend: Tropical Leather explains how snakeskin is processed.

Alligator

Originally, alligator leather was made from the skin of alligators, but because alligators are now an endangered species and are protected by laws, such belts are made with cowhide or synthetic leather embossed and dyed, to look like alligator skin.

I recommend: American Tanning and Leather Company explains how alligator skin is harvested and tanned.

Twill

Twill is a strong fabric with an interlacing weave of diagonal parallel ridges. The weave makes twill sturdy, so it wears well and withstands repeated washings. When it is used in fashion accessories such as belts, it is durable and generally adds a casual touch.

I recommend: Queensboro describes what twill is and how it's woven.

Boxcloth

Boxcloth is a slightly fuzzy, tightly woven, pure wool fabric commonly used for suspenders. This wool is durable and is preferred for traditional suspender construction.

I recommend: Albert Thurston has a brief explanation of boxcloth and shows a variety of pictures of suspenders made from boxcloth.