Figure 1.--Here we note two boys from an unidentified European country. We might guess Poland, but we are not at all sure. The boys are dressed identically except for their belts. The portrait is undated, but we would guess was take in the early-1920s. The belts do not seem to haVe any belt loops and they are needed if the belt is to hold up trousers. As the belts are light colored snake belts or have light-cilored bands, it can clearly be seen that there are no belt loops. The belt looked to be colorful snake belts.

Wearing belts could be a fashion statement. We notice two types of belts worn for decorative purposes rather than the practical purpose of holding up the boy's pants. The first is obvious, belts worn over garments (tunics, jackets, and sweaters). These are generally plain belts. We notice both leather belts and fabric belts. They were often leather as one might expect from a belt with was basically a military style. We also see fabric belts. The fabric belts were commonly used with tunic suits. Here we notice both leather and fabric belts. A good example of a leather belt worn with a tunic suit is the one worn by Theodore Roosevelt Johnson in 1912. There were also belts made of the same fabric as the tunic. Fabric belts were also used in self-belted short psnts, here they could be used for trouser support but were still more of a decorative item. Often they covered up the buttons of button on shirts. We also notice belts that at first glace appear to be holding up the boys' trousers. But on closer examination the pants do not have any belt loops. So the belts do not seem to be a decorative item rather than a trouser support item as we first assumed. There seems to have been some other way of holding up the trousers. Some of these belts are very wide and highly decorative. They are made of various materials, including cloth. This seems to be primary a central or eastern European styles.