Gone are the days when belts were worn only to hold the pants in place or to carry weapons. Today, belts are considered a fashion statement and are worn in coordination with the suit or formal clothing and the shoes the person is wearing to create a nice coordinated style. In case of formal wear, the most common option available to tie it all together is a nice leather dress belt. While choosing a dress belt, it is important to understand how belts and fashion are related, the different types of belt buckles, the appropriate length of belt and the different belt styles available. At The Belt Shoppe, you can pick just the right dress belt to complete your look so that you are in style when you step out onto the scene.

Formal dress belts are those that are worn with suits or dress attire for the office. It is important to know the appropriate belt size, which is mostly indicated in centimeters or inches. One can choose as per their waist measurement and avoid belts which are too long, as the excess portion will flap around, and belts which are shorter will make the person uncomfortable. Hence, experts of The Belt Shoppe advise choosing belts that are a size larger than the size of the slacks that is worn by the buyer. For example, if the buyer wears a size 36 slacks, they recommend buying a size 38 belt. Try to fit the belt you buy in the center size fitting hole for the best look. That will keep the belt looking proper when worn; not too short or not too long. Mostly, the colors black or a shade of brown color is considered ideal for formal or dress attire. Also, the width of the belt should not be more than 1 ¼” or 2.5 to 3 cm.

Belts are said to play a supporting role and should be worn in coordination with the shoes, which should preferably be of the same color as the dress belt. Subtle patterns like that of a leather grain, fine weave or a patent finish are acceptable with formal wear. You can get all these and more at The Belt Shoppe. Not only should you match your belt’s color to your shoes, it is ideal to also match the pattern or texture of the belt to the shoes as well.

Not only the belt size, color, and texture be consider, but also the belt buckle should be chosen wisely or the whole look can go wrong. With formal dress, the belt buckles should preferably be less unobtrusive, narrow and simple. Loud buckles should be avoided at any cost as it is considered more casual than formal. Choose a nice simple silver finish buckle if you are wearing black. Keep the gold buckles for your brown colored pants.

Once the various aspects of dress belt i.e. correct size, appropriate color and the right buckle are considered, buying a belt for formal wear should be a pleasant and simple experience. It becomes a cakewalk when you shop at a reputed store like The Belt Shoppe that offers a wide variety of dress belts for you to choose from.