Due to the widely misunderstood belief that belts are primarily utilitarian accessories, many customers have the tendency to look for that single belt that fits all. Just as with shoes, socks, and even watches, there are belts for formal wear and belts for casual outfits.
A simple guide to choosing the correct belt style for formal or casual wear may be summarized below:
Belts for Formal Wear
- Slim width : 30 mm to 34 mm (1.18 - 1.38 inches)
- Material: In full leather, with or without a sheen
- Buckle: Frame and prong buckle in silver or gold plating
In view that formal suits, trousers, and pantsuits are often made in wool or cotton blend fabrics, a supple top-grain leather belt is a versatile belt that may complement a wide spectrum of formal wear styles. Formal shoes also determine the texture and sheen of a belt. Once you have these characteristics ticked off your product search, then the next step is to pick the correct belt shade that matches your formal shoes.
Dress belts are largely for wearing with suits and business attire, but sometimes they may be paired with more formal sports jackets/ blazers and trousers. To ensure you have a belt accessory in tip-top condition at hand, we advise customers against using their dress belts for casual occasions.
Belts for Casual Wear
- Wider width : 34 mm to 40 mm (1.38 - 1.57 inches)
- Material: Leather, Braided Leather, Viscose, or Cotton Webbing
- Buckle: Various style in varying plating
Casual belts are largely worn with jeans, khakis, and shorts, but can work with nicer chinos and more rugged sports coats. The material and width of your belt strap will depend on the fabric of your casual wear. A 34 mm braided leather belt or a 40 mm bridle leather belt complement well with denim and heavy cotton twill. Viscose belts in varying widths accent a sporty look when matched with jeans, slim chinos, and sneakers. The rules for choosing a belt for casual wear are a lot more flexible.
Rules aside, when your outfit does not fall into the formal or casual category, we advise that you choose the belt that best matches the style of your outfit: let proportions, colours, and textures of your outfit and the belt guide you in picking the best match.