Belts can bring a drastic change in your look and personality if chosen properly. Besides keeping your pants up, Belts with perfect color, perfect size and style can add an elegant finishing touch to your outfit. In this article you will learn what kind of belts to wear with different types of outfits like formals, jeans, shorts and chinos and about some tips and belt buying guide for men. We will discuss some important points given below that can help you in buying a suitable belt from top best belt brands for a perfect look-
Types of belts :
Men’s Casual belt and Men’s Dress belt
Formal belt for men
Belt buckle types
Perfect strap size and color
Styling guide & How to wear belts, outfits & shoes in coordination
How to choose a perfect belt size for men
1. Men’s Dress belts– If you want to buy a belt for a formal occasion, Marriage parties, Business meetings and for a formal look then go for this type of belts. Some tips and specifications for buying a great formal belt or Dress belt are given below-
a. Buckle– Buckle of a formal belt should be undecorated and simple. It should be metallic and shiny. Buckle size should coordinate with strap width. It means there should be minimum difference in the widths of buckle and strap of a men’s belt.
b. Strap– Strap of a dress belt should be narrow. It can be of 1 to 1.5 inches wide. You can also apply thumb rule while buying a belt. Strap width should not be more than first knuckle of your thumb. You should prefer Black or dark brown belts with shiny texture on it. This type of belts can bring a sophisticated look in your style.
2. Men’s Causal belts– Casual belts can go against the rules. Many people ask what kind of belt to wear with jeans or shorts .These belts can be wore with jeans, shorts and stylish pants. They look great with casual or sports shoes as well. Some of the key tips are given below.
a. Buckle– For casual look you can go for a stylish buckle, buckle come in different varieties like tongue buckle, double ring buckle, auto lock & snap buckle. The more heavy or big the more you will look cool.
b. Strap- Strap for a casual belt can be made of leather or fabric. These are bright and give you a playful look. Strap can be wider than 1.5 inches and thicker. If you want to go for a leather belt with casual look than buy a tan or natural brown color that can be matte, rugged & decorated.
Some important key tips and belt buying guide that can be beneficial –
- If you want to look professional always select a belt according to the color of your outfit & shoes
- If color of shoes and belt matches, it would be a great combination
- Go for a narrow strap with formal outfit and wide strap for a casual outfit
- Simple buckle looks great.
- Don’t wear a fabric belt with formals.
- Buy proper size (buy one size larger) if 32” buy 34”.
- Prefer a belt with five punch holes align with your waist in fifth punch hole.
- Wear leather because synthetic belt can ruin your entire outfit.
Conclusion– We have discussed some key tips and styling guide to buy a perfect belt. The simple rule is “go for simple and shiny with formals” and “go for fabric and decorated with casuals”. One more key factor while buying a belt should be kept in mind that color of a belt decides your impression and style. Don’t forget to buy a belt similar color to your shoes.
Now let’s talk about a master tip. If you can only afford one belt then go for a formal belt with simple buckle with normal size and narrow strap. You can buy it in these colors – Black, Brown and Tan. You should prefer glossy finish over matte finish. Try to avoid synthetic belt because it looks cheap and it can ruin your style. Simple leather belt with a simple buckle is evergreen.