How to Wear a Belt (for Young Men)-----Matching Your Belt to Your Outfit
- Share
- Issue Time
- Dec 6,2018
Matching Your Belt to Your Outfit
Choose your belt’s width by the formality of your pants
If you’re wearing casual pants – light jeans or cargo pants – a wide belt is best. If you’re wearing dressier pants – dress pants, chinos, or dark denim – you should choose a narrower belt.
>Wide here means around 1.5 in (3.8 cm).
>Narrow is around 1.25 in (3.2 cm).
Match your belt and shoe color
If you’re wearing black shoes, you should choose a black belt, regardless of width. The same goes for brown shoes – wear a brown belt.
>If you can only afford 1 belt right now, pick a black one. Black will blend in with your pants and you can therefore wear it with pretty much anything. You can also get reversible belts, with 1 black side and 1 brown side, for more variety.
>Your pants should be in the same color family as your shoes. So black or dark blue pants with black shoes, and khakis or lighter gray pants with brown shoes.
Match your belt and shoe material
Width and color are the most important things to consider when matching your belt and your outfit. But matching the material of your belt and shoes will make you look even more put together! Wear a leather belt if you’re wearing leather shoes, a canvas belt if you’re wearing canvas shoes, and a suede belt if you’re wearing suede shoes.
>If you’re dressed up, leather or suede shoes and belts are bets.
>If you’re going for a more casual look, a canvas belt with canvas shoes is fine.