13. [The following laws apply to wearing] two belts, one on top of the other, [in a public domain on Shabbos]. If it is local custom to wear a simple belt below with an attractive belt on top of it, one may wear two belts in this manner on Shabbos, even though one needs only one, and the second is being worn to [give to] a friend. If, however, it is not common practice to wear two belts, it is forbidden to do so, even when one is wearing the second for one's own purposes; since a single belt is sufficient, the second belt is viewed like a "masui" (lit: "burden," that is, an object being carried rather than worn) (1).

It is, nevertheless, permissible to wear two belts when one wears a garment between them, for example, wearing the bottom belt on one's pants and the upper one on one's coat, since in this manner one derives benefit from both of them.

FOOTNOTES:

(1) According to the Mishna Berura (301:133), even wearing two belts in a place where that is not the common practice, is still only a violation of a rabbinical decree. In other words, once one is wearing an item, rather than carrying it, it is no longer a biblical violation, however the Rabbis prohibited wearing something in a way that it is not usually worn, because then it is obvious to others that one is trying to transport the object to a friend, rather than wear it for one's own benefit.

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