When to wear a belt?

The main function of a man’s belt is obviously to hold the trousers in place. However, a belt can also add a lot in terms of style to a man’s suit. Let’s deal with the practical matters. If you need a belt to stop your trousers from falling down, you probably don’t have trousers that sit correctly at your hips; they should provide a fairly stable location for the waistband of your trousers. On the actual waist of the body, the variable amount of fat can provide a less rigid shelf.

If you don’t like the relatively low rise this implies, it might be worth considering braces as an alternative. But a belt that fits you perfectly should do the job as well.

Stylistically, there is an aesthetic reason not to wear a belt – it can add visual clutter in an outfit, spoiling the long lean lines of a men’s suit with a sharp horizontal plane, and suggest that you haven’t been able to find trousers that fit.

Indeed, the no-belt option is the most elegant alternative, providing you with one clean, smart, uniformly colored look from shoes to tie.

On the other hand, a belt can be a focus point for the eye, and perhaps a replacement for other accents such as a pocket square or a watch. It is also a natural accessory for a casual outfit.

Buy a good belt that is the right length for you – cleaning and an occasional polish will do the job. Wearing a tired, frayed belt is akin to wearing unpolished shoes – it just looks scruffy.