How to Choose a Men's Belt: Size Guide

To choose a men's belt, match the length to your waist, the width to your belt loops and the colour to your shoes, then pick the material and buckle to suit how dressed-up the outfit is. A belt is the smallest thing in most outfits and one of the easiest to get wrong: too long and the tail flaps past the first loop, too wide and it will not go through suit trousers. This guide covers size, width, material and buckle type, in the order you should decide them.

How to find your belt size

Belt sizing is less standard than it ought to be, so start with the most reliable method: measure a belt you already wear. Lay it flat and measure from where the buckle's prong sits (the fold of the strap at the buckle) to the hole you use most. That is the length you need, and on a well-fitted belt it lands on the middle hole, leaving room to go up or down.

If you have no belt to measure, the common rule of thumb is your trouser waist size plus about two inches (5cm), so a 34in waist usually suits a size 36 belt. Two caveats:

Brands measure differently. Some quote the length from the buckle to the middle hole, others the total length of the strap. A belt sized by total length needs to run longer, often 10–15cm over your waist. Always read the size guide on the product itself.
Your trouser label is not always your waist. Jeans in particular can measure bigger than the number on the label, and a belt sits over the fabric, so a heavier trouser needs a little more length.

In our range, every belt lists its sizes the way that belt is measured. The Hatton Leather Belt (£35) is measured from the buckle to the middle hole, and each size shows the waist it fits, from 110cm (waist 31–33in) to 130cm (waist 39–41in). The Brora Extended-Length Leather Pin Buckle Belt (£49) is cut in lengths from 105cm up to 170cm for bigger and taller frames, with a guide of 10–15cm over your waist measurement.

Belt width: suits vs jeans

Around 3–3.5cm is the dressier width, slim enough for the loops on suit and tailored trousers. The Farringdon, at 3.5cm, is cut to be smart enough for suits.
Around 3.8–4cm is the classic casual width for jeans and chinos, which have wider loops. The Hatton and the Brora are both 3.8cm.

If you only want one belt, a 3.5cm black or dark brown leather belt is the safest compromise. Check your loops if in doubt: a belt that has to be forced through them always looks it.

Leather, suede, braided or canvas?

Smooth leather is the all-rounder for the office, the weekend and most weddings. Read the label for what it is made of: the Hatton is genuine cowhide, and the Brora is genuine leather with a smooth, lightly waxed finish.
Suede has a softer, more relaxed look that suits knitwear, chinos, cords and weekend tailoring. The Mortimer Suede Belt (£39) is cow suede, 3.4cm wide, with a brushed silver pin buckle, in Chocolate, Tan and Slate Grey. Suede marks more easily in the wet, so treat it as a weekend belt rather than a rainy-commute one.
Braided leather adds texture and works from summer linen to winter denim. The Cornhill Braided Leather Belt (£45) is hand-braided genuine leather with an antique brass pin buckle, and the pin fastens through the braid itself.
Canvas webbing is the casual option for jeans, cords and holidays. The Nayland Canvas Webbing Belt (£49) is woven cotton canvas with a matte black flip-clamp buckle, one size at 3.8cm wide and 120cm long. It fits most waists up to around 42in and can be cut shorter at the buckle end.
Vegan leather gives a leather look without animal hide. The Helston Pin Buckle Belt (£49) is smooth vegan leather (PU) with a fine grain, 3cm wide, with a matte black rectangular pin buckle. It is labelled as PU so you know exactly what you are buying.

Pin buckle or ratchet (automatic) belt?

A pin buckle, with a prong through a punched hole, is the classic and the simplest. Ratchet and automatic belts have no holes: a track on the back of the strap lets the buckle lock in small steps, so the fit sits between the sizes a holed belt would allow. Most are also trimmed to length at the buckle end, which suits anyone who falls between standard sizes.

The Ullapool Leather Ratchet Belt (£49) has a 3.5cm cowhide strap and a hole-free ratchet buckle that adjusts in fine increments, in Black, Brown, Black Textured and Navy. Choose the length about 10cm over your waist; the strap can be trimmed at the buckle end.
The Farringdon Automatic Leather Belt (£39) is genuine cowskin, 3.5cm wide, with an automatic slider buckle on a plain matte black plate. Sizes run from 110cm (waist 30–36in) to 140cm (waist 42–48in), and the strap trims to length.

The trade-off is looks: a ratchet buckle is larger and more modern than a plain pin buckle, so traditionalists often keep a pin buckle for suits.

Matching your belt to your shoes

Black shoes, black belt; brown shoes, brown belt. The shades do not need to be identical, but keep them in the same family and at a similar depth.
Suede shoes sit naturally with a suede belt or a leather one in a close tone. Our guide to wearing suede loafers covers the pairing from the shoe side.
Trainers and casual boots give you more freedom: canvas, braided or a contrasting tan all work with jeans.
Buckle metal matters most with tailoring. Keeping it close to your watch, silver with silver or brass with gold, is a small detail that reads as considered.

Looking after a leather belt

Wipe it with a dry cloth, condition the leather now and then, and keep it away from prolonged moisture and direct heat. Rotating between two belts gives each a rest, and hanging or loosely rolling a belt keeps the strap from creasing.

The short version

Size by measuring a belt you already wear, or go about two inches over your trouser waist and check the product's own size guide. Choose 3–3.5cm for suits and 3.8cm for jeans, match the colour to your shoes, and pick a ratchet belt if you want a fit without holes. Every style above is in our men's accessories collection, and a belt is an easy pick from our gifts for him edit. UK delivery is free on every order: dispatched in 1–2 working days, delivered in 3–5 working days, with 30-day returns.

Frequently asked questions

What size belt should I get for a 34 inch waist?

Usually a size 36, about two inches over your waist. Where a belt is sized in centimetres with a waist range, pick the size whose range includes 34in: the Farringdon's 110cm size, for example, covers waists of 30–36in.

How wide should a belt be for a suit?

Around 3–3.5cm. Wider casual belts of 3.8–4cm may not fit suit trouser loops and look heavy with tailoring.

Are ratchet belts any good?

For fit, yes: with no holes, the buckle locks in small steps, so you can adjust it through the day. The trade-off is a larger, more modern buckle, which some men prefer to keep for smart-casual rather than formal suits.

Should my belt match my shoes?

With smart outfits, yes: black with black and brown with brown, in a similar shade. With jeans and trainers the rule relaxes, and canvas or braided belts are fair game.