Fashion for Men: Knowing Your Belt Size & How To Find That Perfect Fitting Belt.

Belts are essential: this is because they help hold the pants up, create a visual divide for the outfit which helps one look neat and streamlined and they keep your shirt tucked in so that it doesn’t pull out easily. Despite these salient reasons, a lot of men don’t use belts and some that do use the wrong size. Using the right size of belt cannot be understated and here’s how to find that perfect fitting belt.

Generally, dress belts should have a few inches of leather to the left of the buckle once it’s fastened — it should be enough to tuck under the first belt loop on your pants or on the loop of the belt if it has one. It’s better to err on the side of shortness of your belt, rather than opting for one you “guesstimate” to fit because it shouldn’t be so long of a tail that it will begin to wrap around your waist for the second time. Although casual belts have a little more give in terms of belt length and style, having one that has an overly long tail end can give an awkward look.

Belt sizes are usually measured against a range of pant sizes. The rule is: Pick your belts two or three sizes larger than your pants to ensure a good fit. For example, if you wear a size 34-inch trouser, a belt labeled 36-38 inches will probably be your ideal fit; you’ll want to try the belt on at the store and heed our sizing recommendation, or at the very least, wrap the belt around your waist and over your pants to see if it fits.

The number on the belt corresponds to the length of the tour strap, which is measured from the buckle to the mid hole. This allows for slightly higher or lower waist trousers, as well as the natural variations of waist sizes that we all go through. Just be sure if belts are sized S, M, L, XL you make sure of the sizing equivalency.

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