BEST BELTS FOR MEN

BEST BELTS FOR MEN

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT KEEPING YOUR PANTS UP.

Belts for men have almost become an integral part of their outfits, especially the western ones. They can look simple, grand, or just inexplicably unique. These feelings have been shared by past generations since ancient times. The earliest evidence of belts being used comes from the Bronze Age. Since then, they have been used by both genders on and off through time for different reasons. Apart from aesthetic reasons, belts were often commonly worn with military uniforms to enhance the male physique and to secure weaponry. Cut to the 1920s, belts were beginning to be seen in a different light. Thanks to the rising popularity of pants, belts for men overtook suspenders as the perfect accessory to keep pants up. One of the first to put this idea into action was Levi Strauss & Co., who introduced belt loops to jeans in 1922. Since then, men’s belts have gone through a phenomenal journey through fashion eras, remaining ever prevalent in each one of them.

A COLLECTION OF MEN’S BELTS THAT LEAVES YOU SPOILT FOR CHOICE.

Today, there are numerous options you can choose from when looking for men’s belts. Almost every outfit possibly has a belt that matches it perfectly. When it comes to width, there are both wide and slim width belts. For those who like to switch between colour shades, there are reversible belts. Unlike the initial days, brands offer you belts made from a wide range of materials such as Canvas, Leather, Synthetic Leather etc. As for patterns, feel free to choose from braided, checked, embellished, printed, striped, textured and many more eye-catching patterns.

TIPS TO BUY MEN’S BELTS.

Belts can add some serious zing to your outfits. But what should you keep in mind when looking for such belts? Here are some tips that can help you in your search:

• When dressing for a formal environment, ensure that the colour and finish of the belt should match your shoes. Also, look for ones with belt buckles that look simple. Simplicity is key in formal outfits.
• The logic can be opposite when it comes to casual outfits. Matching colours with shoes won’t look cool here. Rather opt for men’s belts that complement your overall outfit’s look.
• Just like shoes, men’s belts especially leather belts for men need some resting time. So, switch belts every other day to let them air-dry and regain its shape.  Buckled belts made from metals that tarnish need to be polished often.
• Ideally, your belt size should be two sizes larger than your pants’ waist size. With most belts having five buckle hole options, your buckle should be secured in the third or middle hole. If the buckle secures itself in the first or last hole, it’s time for some new men’s belts.

The aim of this guide is to not only give you some great recommendations on the best belts for men, but to also arm you with the knowledge on when to wear those belts, the difference between casual and formal belts, and some general things to avoid when wearing a belt.

Types of Belts

Belts can be categorized in a hundred different ways, but for all of our sake, we will split belts up into two categories casual and formal.

• Men’s Casual Belts

Casual belts are your day to day belt wear. This is the belt you’re going to wear mainly as a form of function (holding your pants up) and to of course add a bit of flair to your wardrobe.

A general rule when looking for a casual belt is to keep the shade slightly different than the shoes. This is a way to keep the entire outfit succinct but without looking overly-matchy. The one exception is that black will always look good with black.

Sizing

Most belts have a width of one to two inches, but the best belt for a casual look is usually going to fall between 1 1⁄4 and 1 3⁄4 inches.
The thickness can vary as well, from about 1⁄8 to 3⁄4 inches. The best fitting belt will be long enough so that it can fit through the first loop after the buckle.
Although it is also important to veer away from a belt that is too long. A good rule is to keep the belt under three inches out from that first loop.

Buckles

A casual belt can have whatever sort of buckle you prefer, small, large, shiny, single or double pronged are all good options. Although usually a D-ring buckle is the most common. The basic rule for buckles is to keep it aligned with the formality of your outfit.

Styles

There are plenty of other styles of a casual belt including canvas, webbed, needle point, and the critter belt. The latter two are associated with a preppy style. Braided belts are another option and can offer a nice texture. Belts follow the same style tips as any other article of clothing, less is more so be careful not to over do it with other accessories if you opt for an interesting belt.

What Belt To Wear With?



Jeans: When it comes to jeans you can pretty much wear any kind of casual belt without it looking out of place. Leather belts, canvas belts, etc… no belt will look out of place with a nice pair of jeans. Though I do recommend sticking to black.

Shorts: My favorite kind of belt to wear with shorts really depends on the shorts. I only recommend wearing a belt with a pair of chino shorts, and I recommend matching the color of the belt with the color of the shorts, eg: (brown shorts / brown belt). I also recommend sticking to leather belts, but you can opt for different styles of leather belts – braided leather belts for example look really good if you’re going for a preppy look.

Chinos: When wearing a belt with chinos, you can start to have a little bit more fun mixing and matching colors. Light colored chinos (khaki, white, stone) work great with dark color belts like black. Chinos more in the realm of the blues like Navy work absolutely amazing with a brown belt.

Best Brands For Casual Belts

Bonobos Leather Jean Belt
J.Crew Classic Leather Belt
Levi’s Casual Leather Belt
Uniqlo Mesh Belt
H&M Leather Belt
Cole Han Dresas Belt
Allen Edmonds Dress Belt

• Men’s Formal Belts

In a formal occasion, the belt and the shoes should match in both color, hue, and tone. If you can, it is best to even have them made from the same leather. It is also nice to have a slight shine to the leather finish, especially in comparison to a casual belt.

Sizing

A formal belt should be slightly less wide, rounding out around 1 1⁄4 to 1 3⁄8 inch width and a 1⁄8 inch thickness. 
Much like the casual belts, they should follow the same rule of length. A lot of formal belts have stitching on either edge to give a tapered look.

Style

Dress belts should be as minimal as possible. Be sure to avoid any belts that have unnecessary stylings as it deters from the polished formal look. The buckle should be single pronged, polished, and slightly narrow. This will give a nice refined formal look. Although there are a lot of reversible belts that have one side black and the other brown, it is often noticeable from activity of wearing it so we would advise against it. It is better to commit to one good belt that can work for multiple outfits, than two that look sloppy.

Material

Exotic leathers such as crocodile, snake, or even ostrich can be a good option for a dressy but not overly formal event.

Matching Dress Shoes & Dress Belts.

The biggest rule to keep in mind when wearing a leather belt is the “shoe and belt mismatch” rule. If you’re wearing dress shoes and a leather belt, always keep the following in mind:

• If you wear brown shoes, never wear a black belt.
• If you wear black shoes, never wear a brown belt.
• Matching brown shoes with a brown belt or black shoes with a black belt is completely fine.
• Bold colors and white leather belts look tacky, steer away.

Best Brands For Formal Belts

Meermin
Epaulet
Crockett & Jones

A Word about “Designer” Belts.

As much as we love seeing celebrities in designer Gucci and Hermes belts, their are very few situations I would actually recommend wearing them as a non-famous guy. They either come off as super try hard, like you’re trying to look rich, or they look like you’re wearing a fake designer belt, which makes you look like an even bigger dork.