Choosing The Perfect Men's Belt: The Ultimate Guide

Are you wondering where and how to find the best belt for yourself? There are so many types of belts on the market. They all vary in size, design, material, usability, and a lot more. If you have never purchased a belt for an occasion or to match your fashion taste, you may find it hard to identify the perfect belt for yourself.

For most people, a belt is a simple piece of wearable item to complement their outfit. All they have to do is walk into an open market or hypermarket and pick a 28mm belt that fits their waist. While this can be a simple method to get a belt to hold your trouser onto your waist, it is not the exact way to find a desirable one that meets your taste and offers value.

In this post, you will learn how to buy a belt that suits your needs. But before that, it is essential to understand why you would need to go through all these steps to achieve your goal. At the end of this article, you will have all the information you need to get a gem for your belt needs.

History of Belts

Belts look simple and a modern-day accessory. However, the wearing of belts started long ago. In ancient times, people used ropes and animal skins to make belts. Even long before modern clothing came into existence, people used to wear belts.

In the modern age, men started wearing belts with their trousers in the 1920s. But not everybody could wear a belt. It began with the military, then to people in high profile positions. Before 1920, belts were a decoration to many and a sign of power to the rulers. People in power used specially-made belts to stand out.

 

Why Do Men Need Belts?

You might already have your reasons to decide on buying a new belt. But must you wear a belt? Belts are essential for various functions. Your choice of the best belt for men can follow a specific trend according to the purpose it will serve you.

These are some of the reasons why you need a belt.

1. A belt compliments your outfit for official functions and expresses your professionalism. You can use a matching belt for your suit to quietly tell people how organised you are.
2. You can use a belt for your casual wear to bring out the best in you with your style and taste.
3. Yes, you would also need a belt if you have grown a little slim for your pair of trousers. However, this must not be the main reason.
4. Would You Always Need a Belt?

Belts are accessories, and you need them as part of your fashion or office wear. However, it is not always that you will wear a belt. Various conditions would dictate if you need to wear a belt or avoid it.

What Type of Belt Should You Buy?

You are aware that there are numerous types of belts for men. They all differ in style, material, size, manufacturer, and intention of use. As a man, you should make sure that the belt you buy meets your immediate requirements. So, which one are you going to pick?

Here are some of the most common types of belts.

1. Reversible Belts

A reversible belt has two sides that can both face outwards when wearing it. The two sides have distinct colours, like black and brown. Any two dominant colours can form a great combination.

Reversible belts are a must-have for people who do not want to buy many belts. One can work like two, and you would need only a few to make your wardrobe complete.

Most reversible belts are made of leather, making them durable. Some other materials can also work well for reversible belts to give you the touch you need for the occasion. The buckles on these belts can also reverse; hence you can use any side of the belt without hassles.

2. Military Belts

These belts might not be the best choice for formal dressing, but they offer a great experience with little adjustment needs. The belts are made of nylon, and they can stretch to fit your trousers according to your needs.

Military belts are strong, and they can securely hold your trousers even if you carry heavy items in your pockets. Any person who usually travels with tools or items in their pockets would need a military belt.

3. Athletic Belts

Athletes or physical trainers may need belts to match their exercises. Athletic belts are not meant for decoration or holding your clothes. They are more of essential protection when exercising. Weightlifting enthusiasts need athletic belts to help them correct their position when working out.

4. Formal Belts

Formal belts are fit for official functions. They are a mandatory accessory for people working in offices or attending official functions. The belts need to match your official outfit to help you shine without adding detail and complications to your appearance.

 

5. Casual Belts

Probably, the most belts that you should own belong to this category. Casual belts can fit any function or social gathering. You can wear them with any casual outfit to match the event you are attending.

Casual belts are products of various materials. Your choice depends on what you want to wear. With casual belts, you can choose a design with the type of cloth you are wearing. Note that you may not need a waist belt if you are wearing suspenders.

Other Belt Classifications

Types of belts is an ambiguous statement. It may mean features, style, design, or the application of belts. We cannot exhaust describing belts based on their types. You may even start repeating the same type of belt you have already described.

Therefore, you need to know where you want to use the belt before looking at other features. More details about various types of belts are available below. Use the guide to understand how each belt attribute determines its use. 
 

How to Find the Perfect Belt for Yourself:

Once you have decided on the ideal type of belt, it is time to pick one to fulfil your needs. You can look at various belts to determine if they will fit into your occasion and clothes. They should also match your style and taste.

Use these pointers to find an elegant belt.

1. Belt Material

Before you decide if you are buying a belt, you must know if it will last long. The durability of a belt lies in the material used in making it. Other elements also come in, but the material is paramount. There are various materials that companies use to manufacture belts for men.

Leather is the most durable material for making waist belts. There are types of skin used in making leather for belts. The processing and stitching of the leather also determine the quality you get.

The most common type of leather comes from cow and calf hides. Calfskin provides the most desirable material for leather belts because they are soft and supple. Hard leather can crack or become hard to use and fail to keep it neat around your waist.

Also, consider a full-grain leather belt over the corrected grain. The outermost part of the skin is the strongest leather. It can last long and withstand extreme use and handling conditions. Weather changes and conditions of use do not affect the quality of the leather.

Other materials used to make belts include canvas, recycled rubber, vinyl, rope, and webbing. Both webbing and canvas are fabric, but their designs differ. The various materials give you different levels of belt quality.

2. Belt Sizing

Like other attires, belts do not have a one size fits all. Although some belts can buckle to fit more waist sizes, you should find an ideal size. No man wants to ruin his image with a non-fitting belt that goes around the waist twice or is too wide to fit in the trouser loops.

For appropriate belt sizing, you need to know your waist size and the size of the belt loop on your trousers. The belt length for 32 inch waist should be different from that of a 30 inch one. Using a long belt will force you to loop it around your waistline more than once. The end may go as far as your back or beyond.

A short belt will not work for you in any way - it is not enough to go round your waist and buckle up. Ideally, you need a belt tail length of one or two inches, which is an addition to your waist length. That length will ensure that you can buckle up the belt and fit in the nearest loop without causing distraction. Remember that the buckle on your belt adds up to its length.

Still, you need to know the best belt width for jeans that will fit your needs. This information will help you buy a belt that fits well in the loops. Depending on the loop size, you may purchase belts in various sizes to fit more than one pair of trousers. Make sure that it fits well in your trouser’s loops before purchasing. If the loops are bigger, get a wider belt.

3. Belt Design

Not all belts are the same. Some elements of a belt vary from one belt to another. These variations define the belt usability for various events and dressing combinations. Apart from the sizing, the design elements also define the belt you need for official dressing and casual wear.

The first thing you would notice on the belts is the size and shape of the buckle. Do you want a fancy look or a formal style buckle? Belts that match official dressing have a minimalist type of buckle. They do not attract the attention of your audience to the groin area. A minimalist design helps to make the central part of your dressing stand out.

Also, look at the finish on your belt. Does your belt have decorations on it, or is it a plain and smooth finish? The feature will help you quickly determine if the belt you want to buy will fit your needs for official wear or your luxury casual events. The smooth belts fit well with suits and any office attires. Use a decorated belt if you intend to make it stand out when hanging out with your friends.

4. Colour of the Belt

Although colour goes into the finish of belts, it is a unique feature to consider when buying your belt. Most belts are brown or black. But there are other colours which are rare because of taste and customer needs. Be sure that you find a belt in the colour of your choice.

Colour as a feature is essential when buying dress belts for men. To complement your office wear, you should consider purchasing a belt that matches your shoe colour. You would need a tan colour belt for tan shoes and black for black. However, when speaking about colour, we mean the strap. The buckle may not matter much.

For casual wear, most people go for colours that stand out - contrasting with their dominant attire colours. However, there is no problem wearing a casual belt that camouflages with the trousers. Their resemblance will not affect your comfort and style.

5. Buckle Style

Belt buckles have more than the appearance. Buckles also affect the usability of the belt and their efficiency. Various buckle styles are fit for official dressing, while others best match with your casual jeans. Also, the buckle style depends on the type of belt or material you are buying.

These are a few buckle styles to check out. Learn how they work and their best fit for your needs.

1. Plate-Style Buckles: These buckles are detachable from the belt strap. They have hooks in front of the strap for holding the belt tail. Usually, you will find the buckle decorated, and they are suitable for casual occasions.
   
   
2. Box-Frame Buckles: These buckles are hollow metal boxes with an open end. The post holds the strap firmly from the inside of the box, making it needless to have holes on the strap.
   
   
3. Frame-Style Buckles: This buckle style is most common on official belts. The strap goes through the frame. This buckle uses prongs that go through holes on the strap to hold the belt in place. You can also find this design on casual belts.
   
   
4. Micro-Adjustable Buckle: This buckle style uses a track system that works like a ratchet. It has a folding metal that presses the track teeth into the strap. There is no need for holes in the belt strap. However, this buckle style is typical on processed rubber belts.
   
   
5. Snap Buckle: This style has a buckle with a male and a female part. You press the two ends of the belt together, and they snap and lock. Press a button on one side to release the belt. If you intend to buy a belt with this type of buckle, make sure that the length matches your waist when buckled up. You will not need the extra inch as it will be too large for your waist.
   
   
6. O-Ring Buckle: This buckle system uses two rings on the end of the belt. The strap threads through the rings to lock on your waist. This style is popular with casual belts made from canvas and webbing.
   
   

Other Things to Do:

Identifying the belt size and style is not enough when you want the best. There are other things you must do to find the perfect belt. Here are a few things to remember.

1. Ask Questions

Sometimes, it is not easy to determine what belt you should pick from a shop offering almost all forms of belt variations. You need to understand every detail about the belts to avoid investing in what you may ultimately not like. You are right to ask any questions.

If it is your first time buying a belt, you will need assistance choosing what fits you. There are finer details that the seller will answer you personally. If you want to buy a belt from a local store, you can try to fit the belt on the pair of trousers you will be using with it most of the time. When buying online, check every detail the merchant has provided about the item.

If the information you need is not on the website, you can contact the support or sales department to inquire. Most merchants are happy to reply to your request so that they do not lose a customer.

2. Observe the Belt

Seeing is believing. That statement is a direct translation from another language. But you will agree that it is true. After reading and hearing about belts, you must see them and determine if they fit into your style. But that is not all.

We mentioned quality and durability as essential elements of a perfect belt. You need to see the belt you intend to buy to ascertain if you love it or if it meets the specs. What you see is what you get. When shopping for bets online, demand to see high-resolution photographs to see every element of the belt.

Apart from determining the design, observing the belt will also help you understand the finish. Belts need to be well cut and stitched. Hand-stitched belts are more durable and desirable. You can use your observation to find the correct sizes from 20 mm belt to 38mm stitched belt that will match your formal outfit.

3. Price the Belts

As a customer, you deserve the best quality and service when buying your accessories. However, the value should not make the price of an item too high for your affordability. You have the freedom and right to find the best-priced belts on the market.

As you check from one store to another, you should note the prices of matching belts. In some stores, you can negotiate the price of belts. If shopping online, you might find offers or coupons that give you a discount on your desired belt.

Where Can You Find the Best Belt?

There are so many belt sellers in the market. However, as a person who understands your needs, you want to make sure that you get the most fitting and matching leather belt for your office suits. Therefore, finding a reputed seller to place the order and receive the belt that completes your outfit is necessary.

At Euh leather, you will find a complete belt collection made with the highest quality traditionally tanned leather. We offer a lifetime guarantee on every item because we are so confident about our product’s quality. We have various belt types and designs to fit your unique needs. Unlike hypermarkets, our shop is easy to access with a click. You can select the belt you want and place your order, and we will deliver it right to your doorstep. 

With an online shop, you save a lot of time. Instead of driving to the department store to find a suitable product, use your smartphone to identify your perfect belt. Placing an order is as simple as clicking a button. While waiting for your 38mm wide belt, continue with your activities around the house or office.

Online stores like ours also provide comprehensive information about the belt you want to buy. You can check through the catalogue to find the belt you desire. The details will help you make the right choice of belt you need.

Summary

We know that belts are mandatory accessories for men. However, for most people, finding the perfect men belt may not be that simple. You need to understand belts in detail before identifying the belt that will fully meet your dressing needs. You can use the information you have learnt in this piece to find a belt for yourself or your loved ones.