In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," the term girdle here
is like a belt: it is something worn at the waist. It is not what has been used by women
over the years to pull in one's stomach or "girth."
In
realistic terms, I assume your question is less about socks or gloves, and more about
why the magical item is a "girdle" specifically, rather than something
else.
My guess here follows two paths of reasoning. (And I
believe we must guess as we do not know the actual author of the tale or his intent.)
First, the girdle was worn at the waist, a place where a weapon such as a sword or knife
would be placed, perhaps symbolizing the girdle's significance as a weapon of sorts for
protection. The second reason would be, I assume, that it could easily be concealed from
view.
Because Gawain does not know that Berilak is the
Green Knight, he would keep the girdle secret from his host only
because he had agreed to share with Berilak anything he had received during the day.
This he had honorably done, until it came to the girdle. (He hides this from Berilak
simply because he does not want to die when he faces the giant in battle, and hopes the
girdle will save his life.)
The Green Knight is, Gawain
assumes, a creature of great strength and magic (remember he puts his head back on), not
the same "person" as his host. For the sake of battling the Green Knight, perhaps Gawain
does not want his foe to realize that he has had his own help in the form of the magical
girdle from Berilak's wife.
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