It keeps pants from falling down, it is a fashion statement, but most importantly its a belt. The belt has been around since the Bronze Age and has switched on and off depending on the fashion demands. Before the 1920's the belt was mainly for decoration on one's apparel. As of the mid 1990's, "sagging" has become more popular.
Variants of the belt. The belt has ties in the workplace, martial art studios, and on the streets. In the workplace the belt is simple and holds the trousers up, keeping them in place. Martial art studios use cloth belts as a sign of ranking and respect. If you can find a belt on the streets, you have a fifty fifty chance of it being used correctly.
Belts can have different styles as I've just shown, but they can also differentiate with the buckle itself. Normally, belt buckles are made of metal and are simple clasps. Some can be made to represent something specific, and other times the buckle can just be a symbol or a word. The most common cowboy or American design is the eagle and American flag, another popular one is a cowboy riding a bronco or bull.
(could not find adequate sources)
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