One of the most important accessories every man should have in his wardrobe. Something that contributes to the style quotient of a gentleman. Yes, we are talking about the belt. Be it pants or shorts—you can make yourself look even more stylish by wearing a belt with the right color, patterns, and buckle style.
Read our buying guide to know about the numerous belt styles available in the market. You can also shop from our Top 10 list featuring the best products in the market from top brands like Levi's, Woodland, Pavers England, Van Heusen, and more.
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Table of Contents
Do you know that every belt style demands a fitting clothing style? The buckle type, patterns, colors, and size play a major role in making your outfit look complete. Find out more in the sections below.
Every material has its own characteristics that make them stand out when worn with the right attire. Choose the material depending on factors like durability, patterns, breathability, and cost.
Thinking about belts, the first material that comes to our mind is leather. It suits formal and casual wear alike. Different types of leathers used are genuine, bonded, full-grain, and synthetic (faux leather). Full-grain or grained leather uses the top layer of an animal's skin, which is the strongest and most durable. It also has the natural patterns and texture of the skin.
Genuine leather may contain scraps of leftover leather sewn together and/or inferior quality leather. It still is 100% leather but not as superior as grained leather. Bonded leather is made by gluing together waste or leftover leather from the manufacturing of other products.
Synthetic or faux leather is the most inferior. It is made using polymers and fibers to create the "feel" of leather. But it doesn't last long as the layers get damaged easily, especially the top layer. Depending on your fashion sense, you can go for expensive grained leather belts with natural patterns or genuine leather with artificial patterns. Both go well with any attire.
Fabric straps can be canvas, polyester, or nylon. Canvas is a durable, heavy-duty fabric made of cotton. The strap can hold single and double tongue (pin) frame style buckles without suffering any damage. Polyester straps can get damaged quickly if frame style buckles are used, so a box frame is the best option. It is not as strong as canvas.
Nylon is commonly used for making tactical-style belts, which are worn for outdoor activities like mountain climbing, cycling, hiking, trekking, and fishing. All three materials are lightweight, durable, resistant to wrinkles and abrasion, and dries quickly.
They are breathable, so your waist doesn't get sweaty easily. You can even wash it if it's dirty or stained, something that's not possible with leather belts. They suit casual wear and are available in many colors. Compared to leather, fabric straps can be manufactured easily, making them affordable.
This buckle type is comparatively larger, comes in various shapes, and may have fancy designs embossed on it. You can flaunt this style with dark-colored denim pants and light-colored shirts. O-ring and D-ring are casual buckle styles that go well with various trouser styles like chinos, drawstring, denim, semi-formal, slim-fit, and casual pleated.
Snap buckle is usually worn with sportswear. It is tougher and more resistant to corrosion than other types. You can quickly lock the belt by pushing in both ends or release it by pushing a lever.
Nowadays, trousers have big belt loops for straps of all sizes. You can wear belts of any width without any difficulty. But measure the size of your belt loop if you are planning to buy online. But if your formal pants have large belt loops, it doesn't mean that belts of all widths are suitable. A formal belt should be 1 to 1.5 inches wide.
In the case of casual belts, you can choose any width depending on your fashion sense. Your creativity is your limit. As with the length of a belt, it should be 1 to 2 inches longer than your pant's waist size. For example, if your pants' waist size is 36, buy a belt that is 38 inches, so the belt's tail can be tucked into the first belt loop.
Should the belt color match the clothing or just the footwear? There is a common misconception that the latter is correct. In fact, the color of your shirt, pants, and footwear should go well together.
You can match a brown belt with your brown shoes, but if you want to wear a woven navy blue belt, white shirt, blue jeans, and brown shoes, don't hesitate. It will look fantastic. But this applies only to semi-formal or casual wear.
When you are wearing a formal dress, try to match the color of your shoes and belt. You don't have to worry about matching the colors exactly; try to get as close as possible. Remember that it is always best to match the materials too—leather belts for leather shoes.
Chaoren Leather Ratchet Belt has a box frame type buckle. You just have to slide the strap in, and the buckle locks it automatically. The unique design of the belt requires you to lift the buckle to release the strap. Since the belt is free size, anyone with waist sizes from 28 to 42 inches can use this.
The build material is leather with a carbon fiber pattern on one side, making it a trendy accessory that goes well with formal and casual attire. Make sure your pants' belt loops are more than 1.38 inches wide for the strap to slide in easily.
A trendy casual wear belt with a woven style fabric strap. The buckle is frame style, so you have to insert the pin into a hole for fastening the belt. There is a leather closure at the end of the strap that adds to the style and protecting the fabric from getting damaged quickly.
The woven pattern and the navy blue color go well with denim pants and a casual shirt. You can choose from various waist sizes of 30 to 38 inches from the website. Since the strap is stretchable, it puts less pressure on your abdomen, hence comfortable to wear.
Woodland is a brand popular for making tough and durable products. The build material is grained leather, known for its strength, durability, and natural patterns. You can wear this belt with casual wear like denim pants and leather jackets.
The patterns and colors don't match well with formal attire but can look stylish in business casuals. Choose from size options range from 28 to 40 inches, and punch extra holes if necessary. The belt has a polished metal buckle and a tapered strap end.
Levi's webbed belts pack has three belts of red, brown, and blue colors to suit any of your casual attire. The woven/webbed strap suits casual wear like shorts, denim pants, and business casuals. It has a box frame with the Levi Strauss logo on it.
The box frame buckle makes it easier to wear and take off the belt. You just have to slide in the strap and lock the buckle in place. It is available in one size, meaning people with waist sizes up to 42 inches can go for this product. You can also consider this as a gift option for your loved ones.
Do you want a brown belt and a black one for your formal attire? This reversible belt from Van Heusen is brown on one side and black on the other. Now you can match the shoe color with that of your belt's easily. The frame-style buckle is shiny and gold-colored, giving the belt a premium look.
Since the strap doesn't have any pattern or stitching on its edges, it gives the belt a clean look. The Van Heusen logo is embedded on the buckle and at the end of the strap. There are multiple sizes available on the Van Heusen India website. Head over and choose the right size for your waist.
Braided belts are usually made with fabric, but this product from GAS is made of genuine leather. The braiding also makes the belt stretchable, ensuring a comfortable fit without exerting pressure on your abdomen. Towards the end, the braided section is fitted to a solid leather one with four holes on it.
Lock the pin of the frame-style buckle to any of the holes, and you are good to go. You can match the belt with casual styles like chinos, cargos, and shorts and make a fashion statement on the streets. There are three sizes: 32, 34, and 36 inches for you to choose from on the website.
Looking for a patterned leather belt to match with your formal and semi-formal dress? Pavers England got the right product for your need. This genuine leather belt is stitched along the edges that add to its classy fashion and increases its durability. The box frame design makes it easy to wear, and the strap has a square end tip that suits formal wear.
The buckle is black and textured with the brand name embossed on it. You can easily push the strap through the belt loops on your pants as the width is just 1.3 inches. Visit the website to choose from the various sizes available.
This type of buckle is intended only for casual wear. The plate buckle is shaped like the Flying Machine logo, and the strap has five holes on it. There is a hook under the plate that you can push into a hole and lock in place.
The material is leather with white threaded stitching along the edges towards the end of the belt. If you sweat, the strap will absorb the moisture through your pants as the backside is porous with no protective lamination. This can cause the leather to get damaged quickly.
Fastening a D-ring buckle is a different technique but a simple one. First, you have to put the strap through both rings. Now open the rings in opposite ways and put the strap through the one on the left. This is just one way of fastening a D ring belt. There are other ways too.
The strap is made of fabric with navy blue and green stripes on it. There is a leather loop with the D rings and a leather square end tip to protect the fabric and add style to the belt. You can flaunt this belt with casual wear like denim pants and folded-up full sleeve shirts.
This belt type serves as more than just an accessory for style. The strap is made of nylon which is strong, durable, and breathable. It can support the gear you wear for outdoor activities like adventure sports, cycling, and fishing. Just push in both ends of the buckle to fasten it or push the lever to release it. It's simple as that.
The belt width is 1.5 inches, so make sure the belt loops on your sportswear are big enough for it. The buckle is military grade with strengthened Zinc alloy forging, and the overall length is 120 cm. So, people with waist sizes up to 46 inches can use this belt without any difficulty. But if you wear thick clothing for your activity, make sure to measure the waist along with it before buying.
We got some products for the adventurer in you. To avoid the inconvenience of picking up your cellphone for every call and notification, to make you look more stylish and protect your eyes, and to help you carry more on your hiking trips and long rides—here are the buying guides and recommendations for the best smartwatches, sunglasses for men and backpacks in India.
Choosing a belt is easy if you know which clothing you are planning to wear with it. Leather belts can suit your formal and casual wear, while fabric belts are exclusively for casual wear. A box frame buckle is easier to wear and remove, while frame style is a classic option.
For casual wear, make sure to match your entire outfit with your belt rather than just your shoes. But for formal wear, you can go with the match-your-shoes-with-the-belt tradition. A clever choice would be a double-sided belt with brown and black colors to choose and match any attire you wear.
Author - Arun F Xaviour
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