The art of choosing the right belt
The belt is an accessory that discreetly sets the tone for the clothes you wear. How you choose and match your belt matters more than many people think. Here are some tips on how to best choose a belt and what you should try to avoid.
First Published On: 05-02-2017 By: Evelina Svantesson
The choice of belt can subtly but effectively set the tone for the style of the clothes you are wearing. The belt should, as far as possible, harmonize with the clothes you are wearing, but first and foremost with your shoes. A basic rule is to never wear a black belt with brown shoes or vice versa, as this sends a signal that the belt is primarily used to hold up the pants and that the person wearing it has no greater thought behind what he is wearing.
”An accessory, not a necessity”
If your pants don’t stay up without a belt, they are probably too big and should be sewn in. The belt can help to hold the pants up at the waist, but should not be needed to prevent you from losing your pants. First and foremost, the belt should be an accessory that creates a stylish impression combined with other garments.
- Gieves & Hawkes Light Flannel Trousers Charcoal
- Crockett & JonesBelt 3,5 cm Dark Brown Grained Calf
- Gieves & HawkesLight Flannel Trousers Charcoal
Farger og materialer
Valg av belte blir enklest dersom du tar utgangspunkt i skoene du har på deg. Brune sko, brunt belte og så videre. Menn med stor interesse for klær eier etterhvert et belte i alle farger de har sko i, og ikke sjelden også flere nyanser av brunt som tan, lysebrunt, chestnut, mørkebrunt osv.
I takt med at man matcher på nyansenivå pleier man ofte etterhvert også ville matche med materialer. Mørkebrunt mokkabelte til mørkebrune mokkasko er en av mine egne favorittkombinasjoner.
Belter i stoff blir de minst formelle alternativene når det gjelder modeller og valg av materialer. Disse kan være fine alternativ og passer fint til chinos og shorts om sommeren. Beltet i stoff bør velges slik at det harmoniserer så mye som mulig med fargene i de øvrige plaggene du har på deg. Belter i stoff med innslag av hvitt er veldig fine alternativ kombinert til hvite sneakers.
I tillegg finnes det flettede varianter i skinn i forskjellige farger og materialer, samt belter i flere fargetoner som nyanser av brunt, burgundy og tan.
- Oscar JacobsonDenzel Stretch Cotton Trousers Olive Green
- Anderson’sBraided Leather Belt 3,5 cm Black
- Oscar JacobsonDenzel Stretch Cotton Trousers Olive Green
Bredde og modell
Once we have the basics of color and material combinations down, we move on to the different belt models and their degrees of formality. A good starting point is to think that the narrower a belt is, the more formal it is perceived. Belts for suit trousers are generally about 30 mm wide. Belts that are narrower than 30 mm can be visually perceived as very narrow. Informal belts for suits in a somewhat coarser model can be 35 mm wide. Belts for jeans are often 35 mm wide. A nice belt that you can use to get some variety in your outfits is braided belts. Both in regular leather and in suede, but also fabric belts can be nice in braided versions. These fit both suits and less formal trousers. The braided belt gives a more casual impression and with its braided structure becomes an interesting and nice accessory in your outfit.
- Nudie JeansLean Dean Organic Slim Fit Stretch Jeans Mellow O
- Tommy HilfigerNew Denton Belt 4 cm Dark Tan
- Nudie JeansLean Dean Organic Slim Fit Stretch Jeans Mellow O
• A good starting point when it comes to belts you should have in your wardrobe is:- A black belt, the width is determined by the type of pants you most often wear.- A dark brown belt, same as above in terms of width.- A fabric belt, preferably in navy blue or white.How careful you are or how serious you take it that the belt should match shoes and other garments varies of course first and foremost according to your own wishes and taste. There are many wills and opinions about what is “overmatched” or not. As usual, the most important thing is that you always choose based on your own will and desires. Get inspiration and new ideas via texts like this and then follow your own gut feeling and desires when it comes to how and how much you want to match the belt in your outfits.
- Denim & Supply Ralph LaurenField Cargo Pants Tan
- Polo Ralph LaurenBulldog Print Belt Navy
- Denim & Supply Ralph LaurenField Cargo Pants Tan