What belt under gray trousers. Men's belt: how to choose, how to wear fabric and leather men's belts. Casual men's belt

Men have far fewer accessories in their wardrobe than women, which can emphasize individuality. Here everything is subject to classical canons and traditions. These attributes must include wrist watch, tie, purse or men's belts. The latter have many varieties and their individual characteristics which are worth considering in more detail.

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Peculiarities

Initially, the men's belt appeared as a detail of the uniform of warriors and performed exclusively practical functions, and then they did not think about the individuality of the image. Later, aristocrats began to use it, emphasizing their high status. It was made of durable genuine leather, inaccessible to commoners - they girded themselves with a simple braid or rag rope.

Today, almost everyone uses men's belts - from a primary school student to a respectable old man. The variety of brands, models, materials and colors is simply limitless. Moreover, every season there are new novelties. This detail of the wardrobe does not lose its popularity all over the world.

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As for the practical functions of the belt, it supports pants or trousers, and also makes the figure more slender and helps to shape the posture. Much more interesting is its purpose as a decorating accessory: a belt can emphasize the status of a man, testify to his strength and confidence, reflect character, attitude to fashion and style, belonging to a certain subculture.

It is these completely non-practical functions that have led to a huge variety of models of these wonderful products.

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The belt in its most general form has the form of a dense belt of different thicknesses with a solid buckle and punched holes for fastening and adjusting in size. This definition, of course, is completely incomplete, since there are many varieties with their own design features, details and decor. For example, a belt with an automatic clasp or buckle does not have holes.

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Varieties

Of the variety of belts - branded or purchased at the nearest market, casual or classic, factory or handmade There are 3 main types that cannot be confused:

• Classic men's belts - those that are designed to belt classic trousers. They have a smooth surface - even or slightly convex, standard width, usually 3-4 cm. The classic version has an unpretentious and not too massive metal buckle in silver or gold color, high-quality options are made of smooth genuine leather.

• Casual style or "Casual", as it is called in the West, has a greater variety of models than the previous ones. These belts are worn on jeans, casual trousers, shorts, chinos. Their width is greater than that of the classical ones, the buckle can also be much more massive and more diverse in forms and mechanisms. Materials are not only leather, but also dense fabrics or weaving. Casual belts are most suitable for young people, but mature men can also use discreet options with a minimum width.

• Sports branded men's belts used with sweatpants, usually made of rubber or fabric. They can also be worn over jeans, but in this case they should be hidden under a T-shirt or jacket. Due to the nature of sportswear, this type is not common.

Models

Models of men's belts, as a rule, differ in the design of their buckles. Its traditional type is in the form of a plaque with a fixed anchor, which is threaded into the hole. Such varieties are found in all classic models and in most casual style belts, they are also called wrapped. Anchor is most often one, but there may be two. Another version of the badge is with a fastener and with an adjustable length, which does not have holes, such as, for example, traditional soldier's belts.

Without holes, there are belts with an automatic buckle, which are the most practical. They fasten with one easy movement, which is very convenient for business men with a fast pace of life. For the reliability of the mechanism from such a model, it is best to buy products from trusted brands. Belts with automatic buckle are represented by many design solutions.

Buckles with anchors are most often placed on leather models, and automatic fasteners with loops or clips can be installed on rag and wicker models. To apart from this, in modern fashion There are straps with detachable buckles. This option is good for double-sided straps. In such accessories, the two sides have a different color or pattern. They are convenient in that one belt can be used for various costume options, because according to color scheme it must be combined with shoes, a tie and other wardrobe items.

Dimensions

The most suitable length of a men's belt should be such that it fastens with 2-3 holes, while the free end is threaded only through the first harness on the trousers. And if it is without holes with a buckle-clasp, then it should be adjusted so that the extra part inside is no more than 10-12 cm. The free end of the belt is too long, although it is tucked in, it does not look very aesthetically pleasing.

In order to determine the size of the belt, you should measure your waist in centimeters and then use one of the two tables on the European or American scale. The European marking has values ​​​​from 70 to 125 with a waist circumference of 66 to 129 cm, the American one - from XXS to XXXXL with a waist circumference of 61 to 127 cm. When buying, please note that the waist changes slightly in girth during the day, so it is worth purchasing belts with a margin of several large sizes.

In terms of width, men's belts do not have a specific classification: in the classic version it is a maximum of 4 cm, and wider everyday ones can reach 7-8 cm.

Popular brands

french brand Lacoste known all over the world, the company began to manufacture fashion clothes and accessories back in the 1930s. Their belts for men made of genuine leather are incredibly durable and strict, but very stylish design. They are easily recognizable by the brand's alligator logo, which can be embossed on leather or engraved on a metal plate.

Stylish men's belts from the brand Hermes recognizable from afar by the unchanged metal buckle in the shape of the letter H. The manufacturer does not produce accessories in large quantities, often it is a very small number of products or an individual order. Their prices are very high, but they are justified by the impeccable quality. Another characteristic feature of Hermes classic collections is a perfectly even seam along the edges.

Sevaro Elit is a well-known Italian manufacturer leather goods. For men, there are collections of wrapped belts and with a badge automatic in casual style. Leather products can be of various colors: black, brown, beige, blue. There are also woven accessories that can be stretched - one-color or with interlacing of threads. different color. All products look very stylish.

American design house Tommy Hilfiger has been producing original accessories and footwear for more than 30 years, among them there are many models of narrow men's belts made of leather, suede, fabric or nubuck. In the Tommy Hilfiger and Hilfiger Denim collections, you can find classic leather, youthful fabric and canvas or elegant wicker products for every taste.

Belts from the brand Calvin Klein are produced from completely natural leather without synthetics. They can always be recognized by the company logo from the abbreviation of the name, which will be present on the label and the product itself. There are classic wrapped options with a metal buckle frame especially for jeans. This look has remained unchanged and popular for several decades. There are also fashionable casual models with original design badges.

Brand Diesel in the 2017 season, it presents more than 40 models for men that will successfully emphasize a slender torso and masculinity. This feature has always distinguished the products of the company. The most popular are the "Only the brave", "B-round", "B-washy" and "B-fuel" collections, which are harmoniously combined with any trousers or jeans in a sporty and youthful style.

Italian leather belts Gucci always have a completely original design that goes beyond the classical canons. They are unlikely to look harmoniously on respectable gentlemen in formal suits, but also for young people in stylish clothes fit perfectly. There are options from leather or dense fabric, monotonous or with several colors, with elegant or brutal massive plaques.

Products Levi's widely known in many countries, incredibly stylish belts for men with smooth or embossed leather, with thin or massive buckles are no exception. These accessories are successfully combined with classic jeans, especially the brand of the same name. And today almost all fans of fashionable clothes know about their neat cut and durability.

worldwide famous brand Louis Vuitton this season presents the collections of men's belts "Dynamo", "Metropole", "Pont Neuf", "Stamp", which have a very bold and not strict design, suitable for young guys. A pleasant novelty for fashionistas can be accessories from the collections " Boston", "Damier Print", "Slender", which are double-sided.

Italian manufacturer Piquadro offers classic models of leather straps with a non-strict design. You can choose different colors: black, gray, beige and blue.

Clothes and accessories from Hugo Boss always distinguished by sufficient severity, which can emphasize strength and courage. Therefore, belts from this brand are suitable for confident men of any age. This season, models from dark skin with a classic but massive frame-shaped buckle.

Belts Wrangler- This is a quality product from an American manufacturer, known since 1986. Today you can choose products of various styles from black, beige or brown leather in the classic version. They are perfect for both jeans and trousers from a men's suit.

Fashion trends

Of the styles popular for this season, one can distinguish classic narrow leather belts, but there are slight differences from the fashion of previous years. Plastic buckles and a textured, slightly convex surface are in trend. Also, under jeans, options in the style of the Wild West with a golden buckle remain in demand.

For reliability, it is best to choose genuine leather - smooth or textured. This material will always remain in fashion, in addition, it is visually noticeably different from leatherette.

very popular in recent times steel elastic men's belts, which, although made from textile materials, stretch well like an elastic band. They have one advantage - they belt trousers well, but at the same time they do not compress or rub the body.

Fabric belts of various colors with various forms of buckles are produced from dense material. They practically do not wear out, so you don’t have to worry about a short service life. A braided belt can also be an excellent and relevant option, but due to the thinness of its threads, it is better to choose genuine leather.

Of course, for a classic suit, it is always necessary to choose a black or brown belt of the appropriate style, combining it with shoes. But the "Casual" or sporty style can be combined with many colors. Thin leather straps in blue, white, beige or light blue are popular. Fabric models should be chosen with several colors, for example, red, green and white or any other palette to your taste.

How to choose

Many people know that you need to choose a belt to match the color of the boots, but it is even better if the shades match. For example, there is not only Brown color, but also dozens of its varieties. Each has its own name, and fashion experts and many experienced clothing salesmen know them, so there is someone to consult with. Not only colors and shades should be combined, but also texture: for a smooth belt - smooth shoes, for a wicker - the same shoes. Then the image will become really spectacular and as harmonious as possible.

For office work, business meetings or other serious events, of course, you should choose classic style made of smooth monotonous leather with a small buckle. But on vacation or while walking with light loose clothing, it will look out of place. In this case, you can wear a woven strap, and best of all textile. If it has bright colors, then you should also not forget about their combination with other accessories, but here this is not so significant.

Any accessories are varied. So, there are several types of belts. The main one is leather. Leather Not only does it look expensive, it is of excellent quality. This belt will last more than one year. They usually come with a three year warranty.

Casual style has long been prevalent in big cities. Belts in this style are chosen mainly by young people who are tired of formality and classic frames. When choosing a belt for jeans in this vein, do not forget about the variety of modern materials. They can be rubber, plastic, fabric. The main thing in such a belt will be a buckle. It can be small or massive. Sometimes it's just a matte square, but more often it's a fashion brand logo. It is important here that you choose either a real branded belt, or a buckle with no obvious signs of fashion houses. After all, if this is a clear fake, the belt looks ridiculous and cheap.

For lovers of sneakers and unusual T-shirts, there are sports belts. They are usually made from fabric and may feature sports branding. It is a non-staining and practical accessory.

A color scheme

The shade of the belt should be in harmony with other items of clothing. For example, it looks stylish when it matches the color of boots or shoes. The combination of a belt with a bag is also advantageous.

Leather straps can match the color of the watch strap. This nuance is rarely observed, but attentive people immediately notice such a desire for excellence. The plaque on the belt is sometimes matched to the metal of the dial.

To choose a belt for jeans, you need to remember the main colors used. Black and brown shades remain classics. Recently, the red color has gained popularity. It looks vintage and makes the image brighter. This shade looks especially good on blue and blue jeans. White belts, fashionable in the last decade, are no longer relevant.

Light and dark jeans cannot be worn with the same belt. Versatility is not always good. Remember that dark belts should not be worn with light-colored jeans, such as beige, cream, white. This is bad manners.

The choice of a belt for jeans implies compliance with the size. Too long a belt will not work, as its end will hang awkwardly on the belt. The grid of belt sizes starts from 36 and ends with number 52. They correspond to the volume of the hips from 90 to 155 cm.

Any belt consists of two parts: a buckle and a belt made of leather or other material. Additional elements - a loop and a tip. The loop fixes the free edge of the belt, and the tip protects it from wear. On a leather belt it is usually metal, on a fabric belt it is leather.

What are belts?

Strict

They differ little from each other. Consider their general characteristics.

Buckle

Shiny and smooth, gold or silver color. Usually framed. It differs from everyday ones in a smaller size.

Width

Strict belts are always thin. The width should not exceed 2.5–3.8 centimeters.

Material

Exceptional leather. Natural or very good artificial if you don't like using animal skin.

The most common material is cowhide. She is beautiful and strong. Calf leather is softer and more elastic. Belts made of it are considered especially high quality.

Rare and expensive options are crocodile or snake skin. AT dark color quite suitable for strict.

Colour

A strict belt should not draw attention to itself. traditional colors- black and brown. For a less formal dress code, deep red, beige, navy blue, gray, and white for the summer are also suitable. The surface of the belt should be smooth and slightly glossy, preferably without a pattern.

Suit and belt combination

The leather of the belt should match the color and luster of the shoes. And the buckle - with the rest of the metal accessories, with the exception of the wedding ring.

Casual

When choosing a belt for every day, you can show imagination. It will reflect your personality and sense of style.

Width

Casual belts are wider than formal belts, usually 3.8–4.5 centimeters. 3.8 cm wide belt goes well with , chinos and dense tissues. Wider ones can be worn with jeans and casual trousers, combined with a classic or bold buckle.

Colour

Brown is a universal color for everyday wear. Black belts will not work with jeans and khaki trousers. If you want to add personality to the image, pay attention to bright colors.

And what are the buckles on everyday belts?

Frame

On everyday belts, it is larger and more massive than on strict ones.

Buckle

Usually detaches. Most often with an inscription or a pattern. Makes the belt longer.

Automatic buckle

There are no holes in the belt with this buckle. The tape is fixed inside the buckle itself.

Buckles in the shape of the letter D or O

They consist of one or two rings through which the belt is threaded. Such buckles are most often found on woven and canvas belts.

Buckle-lock

Opposite ends snap into place like a seat belt. Very practical buckle. Popular with those who lead an active lifestyle.

What material are the belts made from?

• Leather. Casual leather belts are wider and stiffer. They are usually made from the outer layer of cowhide. On some, traces of scars or marks that were on the skin of the animal during life are specially left.
• Braided leather. A good option when you want to unobtrusively freshen up the image. Braided belts don't go well with suits, but go well with sports jackets. A colorful belt can be worn in summer with khaki shorts and a polo shirt.
• embossed leather. Such belts will fit well into a simple look, for example, go with jeans with a basic shirt. Do not wear them with bright things. Together they will look too flashy.
• Leather combined with tape. A bright and bold option that will help you stand out. Pairs well with boat shoes and golf shoes.
• Suede leather. Less wearable than leather. For strength, the inside of such belts is made of leather.
• Woven fabric. A practical material suitable for those who spend a lot of time outdoors. There are colors and patterns for every taste.
• Rope. More common in women's wardrobe, but it is also suitable for men's clothing. Such belts, for example, are worn by sailors. Usually they are fixed not with a buckle, but with a knot. Such a belt will last a long time and will not suffer, even if it gets wet.
• canvas fabric. This belt with a metal buckle is a simple yet practical option. It is usually plain or with a horizontal stripe in a contrasting color.
• Vinyl. Bright, bold and cheap. Suitable only for young people, and even then only at a concert. Most of the time it looks tasteless.

When should you wear a belt?

Ideally with any pants that have belt loops. That's why they are sewn on. Without a belt, the image will look casual.

With business suits, a belt is required. In a more casual look with a loose shirt, you can do without it.

If desired, the belt can be replaced with suspenders. They will perform the same function - they will support the pants in place. Suspenders are especially good for, they will visually reduce the volume at the waist. Plus, they make you look taller. Most importantly, do not wear a belt and suspenders at the same time.

What do you pair the belt with?

The belt can complement your look or contrast with the rest of the details. In the first case, it should be combined in color with other parts of the costume, such as shoes. This is a must for strict belts. For everyday, it is enough to combine the color of the buckle with metal accessories. And the color of the shoes does not have to match. For example, it is quite possible to wear brown with beige or beige with white. The main thing is that the belt fits into the image. When in doubt, choose brown.

Another option is a bright or unusual belt. In this case, build an image around it. Choose solid colors and accessories without patterns. One or two bright spots in the image are enough. Do not forget that such a belt will draw attention to the waist. Do not wear it if you are not sure of yourself.

Strict and casual belts can sometimes replace each other. The former are suitable not only for business, but also for more strict sports jackets. Casual is combined not only with jeans and shorts, but also with chinos.

When clothing is clearly in a certain style, the belt must match. A strict belt will look out of place with casual trousers. It will seem disproportionately thin. A casual belt with business suit ruin the serious impression you want to make.

How to determine your size?

Measure the waistband of your trousers. The belt should be 3-5 centimeters longer. Or just measure your old belt.

If you like a belt of the wrong size or the old one is too small for you, do not make new holes yourself. They will stand out noticeably, and the belt itself may break at the puncture site. Take it to the shoe shop.

A strict belt should have a short free end. Only a few centimeters of the belt should peek out from under the fastened buckle - enough to pass through the first belt loop.

So how do you choose a quality belt?

Casual belts can be changed every couple of years depending on fashion or desire. A strict belt is better to buy for a long time. If you choose a quality one, it will serve you for decades. The ideal option is a calfskin leather belt. It should be soft and flexible.

• Bend the strap to check if the leather is cracking. Press lightly on the underside of the belt with your fingernail. If a small mark remains, the skin is still soft. There will be no traces left on the old hard skin.
• Notice the stitches. They should be small, closely adjacent to each other, without protruding threads.
• See if the buckle comes off. A belt with a detachable buckle is more advantageous. You can change it depending on the situation.
• The brand is not that important. It is unlikely that anyone will notice that you have a designer belt. Quality leather and accuracy is more important.

But without a belt, there is immediately a feeling of incompleteness. A belt is considered a complementary element of any men's bow, as it is worn with trousers, jeans, and even shorts. Therefore, it is important to know the basic rules on how to choose an accessory, as well as how to wear a men's belt under different variants clothing and etiquette.

Today, a man needs to wear a belt not so much to maintain his pants, but to demonstrate a sense of taste, style and status. After a man has decided on the choice of a belt, it is important to decide in which direction it should go, how many holes the anchor of the buckle should be fixed on, what width and length it should be, and much more. In fact, any modern man should know how to properly wear a men's belt.

To date, stylists and designers offer 3 types of men's belts, each type suggests a certain style in choosing clothes. Most often, men prefer classic look belt, with a discreet appearance. Accordingly, they wear it with a business classic look - a suit, shirt and tie.

If we consider the second version of the belt - informal, here the man is given complete freedom of choice. It could be accessories. different lengths and width, any colors and shapes. But still, for a man, stylists advise to adhere to minimalism and restraint, experimenting only with shapes and types of buckles. The third type is a sports belt worn with T-shirts and sportswear, but it must be covered with clothing.

Expert opinion

Helen Goldman

Male stylist-image maker

When choosing a belt and combining it with garments, a man should know the basic rule. The color and texture of the strap should match the shoes or watch strap.

How to dress correctly?

To look fashionable and modern, you will need to pay attention to how to wear a belt for a man according to the rules of etiquette. The width of the belt should be in the range of 3-3.5 cm, if for trousers, but for jeans, the width is more than the specified norm. When wearing a belt, you should pay attention to which way it is directed, which hole it is fastened to, which side the belt buckle is for men, etc.

How is it fastened?

The first thing you need to know about the question of how to properly wear a belt for men, how the accessory should be fastened. Most often, the belt is equipped with a buckle and an anchor, as well as holes on the second edge. In this case, you need to fasten the belt on the third hole of the tail, which should be medium. After the anchor has been threaded through this hole, the remaining tail of the belt is threaded through the loop.

Advice! If a man's belt turned out to be larger than it should be, you should not fasten it to the fourth hole, as this is bad form. It is better to move the buckle, controlling the optimal length of the accessory.

When fastening a belt, a man should pay attention to the fact that its end should not gradually delaminate with further wear. To do this, a man needs to give preference to high-quality accessories that are stitched with a thread, and not just glued. In extreme cases, you can contact the master to repair the damaged strap.

Which side should the buckle be on?

The next important question concerns which side the men's belt is fastened on while wearing. According to the norms of etiquette, men wear an accessory with a buckle on the left side, and with a free tail on the right side. In the case of women, the reverse principle works - the free end is located on the left, and the buckle is directed to the right.

In the classic version, the belt buckle should be rectangular in shape, the anchor of which has a rounded shape so as not to damage the clothes. If we are talking about an informal style, there is no fundamental difference on which side the belt buckle for men. The belt can be of different colors with all kinds of buckle shapes on the left or right side. It is only important that the belt "echoes" with the man's shoes.

How to cut a men's belt?

Most often, men wear a belt under a strict classic suit or trousers, although other clothing options require the wearing of such an accessory, since, according to etiquette, a belt is the final link in a harmonious bow. The subtleties and tips on how to properly wear a belt on jeans do not differ from the previously mentioned points. But with such a piece of clothing, you can deviate from the classic norms and break the rules.

And what should a man do if his belt is too long and, when fastened, leaves an elongated tail, which is considered bad form. The cardinal way to solve the problem is cropping, which is performed by a very specific method. To begin with, the belt is tried on to make marks where the central hole and buckle will be. Next, near the located buckle, the clip is unscrewed. The new desired length of the belt is measured from the top, where the buckle was previously attached.

Now, from the location of the buckle, subtract that segment of the belt, which will be the distance to the tail of the belt. By this method, the second mark is obtained. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut off the excess length, then assembling the belt in reverse order. Where the screw will be attached, a hot awl is threaded, after which the screw is screwed in. Now the belt is ready to be worn, and its length corresponds to the size of the male waist.

Do you have to shorten the straps to fit your size?

YesNot

Conclusion

In order not to lean towards drastic measures to modify the belt, it is important for men to carefully and responsibly approach the choice of such an accessory. If we consider the rules of etiquette, how to wear a belt, which way to point and which hole to fasten, all norms must be observed in the case of a strict classic look. For an informal casual or sporty style, errors are acceptable, as such styles accept freedom of choice and self-expression.

And you are fully equipped. But in some cases, you can spend a lot of time in the store choosing between similar options. Also, sometimes you run the risk of getting into an absurd situation by combining classic and casual by accident or negligence. To prevent this from happening to you, you need to have a simple algorithm in your head on how to choose the right men's belt, depending on 4 main characteristics.

Ideally, you should always have at least two belts available. One, of course, under your classic suit. The second is a looser casual option. Sometimes you can go without a belt at all, especially if you have a custom-made suit, and the absence of this accessory is part of the style.

So, in order, according to what parameters to choose a belt?

The size

This is the very first parameter that many often forget about. Belt length is measured from the buckle to the middle hole. Sometimes it is enough to know your waist size if you buy a belt through an online store, or if you have it created to order. But find out this parameter first of all, so as not to waste time when choosing a style and finish.

Style

An important rule - always wear a thin classic belt only with or classic trousers. What does the perfect belt for a suit look like? Naturally, the material is leather (preferably calf, without a pattern and grain texture), narrow in width (about 3 cm) with a thin buckle. That is, according to the aesthetic type, such a belt is ideal for oxfords. The elementary rules of functional minimalism work here.

If you need a belt for blue or with sneakers, you can already experiment here. And the best tools for your improvisations will be fabric belts, or braided belts from both leather and fabric as well.

Additionally, you can use a belt with a wider width. It's just all the characteristics of casual. Most importantly, never wear a classic thin leather belt with blue jeans.

Color and finish

When choosing the color and finish of the belt, pay attention, first of all, to the one you wear. If it's about classic options: oxfords, derbies, loafers - it is best that the color scheme of the belt closely matches the color of the shoes. If the texture of the skin is similar - this is aerobatics.

I think you understand that a braided leather belt and classic sleek oxfords won't look very good. When it comes to moccasins, with chinos or jeans, there is more room for experimentation. Can add bright colors and fabric elements in the belt itself. In fact, it is the belt that can be made an eye-catching accessory against a light background.

Clasp

Most the best way when the metal and color of the belt buckle matches the same parameters of all your accessories (for example, tie clip, ring, cufflinks). This is especially true for the formal case. In other cases, again, the field for improvisation is large.