An item of clothing used to hold up stockings is called garters
They help to hold the string which comes from the hip regioned clothing to the stocking. It is just like a connector for both of it. The stocking gets attached with it. Garters are mainly used in bridal dresses. The bridal dress is of long length. So the garter connects the sockings and hip regioned cloth. The garters come from british ladies. They were the ones who first used these. Now it is used when the women wear skirts. They come in different colours and different designs, accordings to each needs. Nowadays they are prepared according to the wedding theme. So they are always in great demand and always used often by the ladies who wear skirts and who does not want to show their legs. Garters helps them for stockings connecting. British ladies likes to wear them and so they were famous before and they are also famous now due to the usage in weddings.