Men’s Belt Buyers Guide
Grabbing a Belt? Pick the Right one.
Belts for most people serve 2 purposes: Hold your pants up and look good while doing it. Some guys just find and buy a “nice” looking brown, black, leather or nylon belt they see on the store rack and call it good. While that may work out, it could be something that makes or breaks the outfit, look, and style/situation you are aiming conquer. Belts can be a piece that pulls an outfit together, or becomes a distraction from the look and moment. Don’t let that happen!
Our guide is not going to educate you on the history of belts and how they are made- rather we aim to give you the simple and straightforward information on the types, styles, and “need-to-knows” about belt buying.
Why does a Belt Matter?
Belts are assumed to serve one purpose: hold your pants up. Well, sure they do that- but they are so much more. Belts primary role is to cinch pants/shorts/joggers around the waist to ensure they stay above a waistline and do not slip or sag as you move. In theory, anything can do this-and be considered a belt. A rope, a string, a leather strap even a wire. If it can hold something around your waist in place- it can be a belt. But that is not the only reason it matters. Belts matter because they are the staple of a wardrobe. Belts when worn correctly tie a look together, complement other accessories like watches, necklaces, cufflinks, even glasses. Belts serve so many purposes:
Keep pants/shorts/joggers/jeans in a specific place on your waist
Keep items along your waistline such as phone holder, gun holster, or other EDC items
Tie a wardrobe together with color pops, buckle appearance, and coloring for wardrobe contrast
Add visual breaks to shirt/pant transition
Elevate a style to go from casual to business-casual or even more elevated for formal attire
A belt is more than just a strap and buckle- and once you see the value of a belt, it changes how you look and buy your next one!
Types of Belts
There are essentially 2 types of belts, but for some this list can be up to 3 main types of belts: Formal, Casual, and Work. Formal and Casual are the most common classifications for belts. However, as times and work-roles evolve, we would be remissed to not include Work as it’s own category of belts.
Dress Belts:
More formal and are typically worn with suits and dressier types of attire.
Can be worn with jeans at times, but most often worn with slacks or suits
Full-grain leather is the top-notch standard for a dress belt
Suede can also be a Dress Belt material seen in belt production today
Belt finish is more of a “shiny” look than dull
Belt buckle is polished and minimal in look/size
Color typically black or some dark/light brown
Casual Belts:
Casual belts have a lot less rules and more flexibility depending on the situation
Typically wider than formal dress belts
Leather, Suede, and even some Cotton can be used in casual belts- a new but rapidly popular casual bels material is Nylon!
Belt finish is less of a “shiny” look and can be a tad more dull- think more Matte
Belt buckle is at times rounded, a little more bulky and sort of follows it’s own path
Color typically varies as with casual- anything can work!
Work Belts:
Work belts are more “matched” to they style of work you do! Some work is more outdoor/trade so the material can be a thicker heavy duty while others are in a more business-oriented arena and need to be formal in appearance but comfortable and also a little bit less formal
Typically range based on the function
Leather, Suede, Cotton, and Nylon can be used in work belts
Belt finish can be a mix of where some are a little more matte finish and darker in color or some are a “shiny” look
Belt buckle is at times rounded, a little more bulky and sort of follows it’s own path much like casual
Color typically varies as with the work- anything can work!
Occasionally belts can be both dress and casual, so it is more of what works with the work, outfit, and environment than anything!
Belts to Own
You do not need to run out and buy 12 different belts in order to have enough “styles” to mix and match with. That would be obsessive- and we do not know anyone who who do that (coughs awkwardly). We do though however suggest getting a belt(s) that can go with a few styles with regard to your wardrobe.
Formal Belt
We strongly suggest grabbing both a black and brown (can be dark or lighter color brown) formal belt. This is perfect for pairing with slacks and an elevated look including a suit.
Casual Belt
Since we often wear jeans or elevated joggers, a casual belt is perfect to pair with these. This may be your most worn belt in your lineup since most often we gravitate towards jeans and joggers when we go out, run errands, head to the party, or “do life” in a sense. We look for a belt that fits well but also does not take over the eye with flashy buckles or big bulky belts.
Work Belt
Sure this could be a combination of the other two, but we suggest looking for a unique “work” belt to wear to the office. A belt that can be dressed up or down for a more business casual look. We really like going with a little pop of color, design, or unique buckle to draw some attention to your style. A work belt can be leather, suede, or even nylon depending on the type of work you do.
What to Look For in a Belt
When looking for your next belt, we would encourage you to focus on some key things when evaluating one over the other. Not every belt is created equal-nor will they hold up the same over time.
Material
Material matters. When looking at leather belts, consider “full-grain” leather as the top notch leather used in belts. Anything less can break down more over time, and not hold up with tons of use. Faux leather is an alternative that can last quite some time but of course is not actual leather. Nylon material is some of the toughest and most durable of belt materials and can be great for an active outdoor lifestyle. Consider these things when searching for a new belt:
Leather materials used
Process used to make the belts
Materials used alternative to leather
Craftsmanship
We suggest looking into the belts online description when shopping virtually for a belt. How is the belt made? where is it imported from? Considering that some belts cut corners in the craftsmanship, this is a must looked into aspect when buying a belt. Some websites do a great job describing this process, while others you may need to dig a bit more-such as reading online reviews of “verified” or “trusted buyers". Consider some of these things when looking a craftsmanship:
Where is the belt made?
What overall materials and processes does the belt go through in the manufacturing process?
Check actual online reviews of people using the product over time
Price
We by no means suggest buying the most expensive belt- but we would suggest looking at what you get for your money. We have seen belts range from $25-$40 and be some of the best, and then some belts are upwards of $100+ and it seems like you need a personal assistant to keep that belt looking good over time. When looking at the price, consider matching dollar value to what the belt’s overall materials, craftsmanship, and details include. Consider these aspects when looking at belt price:
Most expensive does not mean better quality
Compare price of the belt you are looking at to one of same materials and craftsmanship for comparison
See if the belt has any warranties or discounts before hitting the checkout cart
Find Something Different!
Sure you can go with the most popular belt name, a tried and true classic, or you can mix it up and try something different. Our crew has reviewed so many belts these past frw years and found belt that are off the traditional path. Belts with Nylon vs. Leather, belt buckles that are recycled from bottle tops, belts with no holes and a ratchet system, to belts that are made from 100% Vegan products. Belts come in a variety of looks, colors, and vibes, so don’t limit your belt to the same one your dad wore!
Our crew recently posted some of the very belts we tried and tested in our Top 30 Men’s Fashion Belt List- we encourage you to take a look and see what 30 belts we found that provide a range of comfort, quality, style, and could be your very next belt belt find!
