Nice story and thanks for sharing it. It never ceases to amaze me that things like underwear, socks or razors cost at least 50% when they're for women.
As for belts: Last time I was in the States I saw this uber-kewl plain brown belt. It was, of course, for men, i.e. about two meters long. I bought it anyway and my Master merely cut some of it off and made a couple more holes with a hole-cutting ... thingy.

Edit: This is the hole-cutting thingy: Lochzange