Guide For Buying The Right Belt From Brydon Brothers

A belt is considered to be a minimal expansion to a man's outfit. Most men don't really pay attention to their belts. To them, it's simply an accessory that keeps their trousers from falling down.

It is pretty simple to understand why most men choose to buy a belt which is nominally priced. However, ideally it shouldn’t be like this. In addition to being a great accessory, a belt can be a complementary style statement between your trousers and shirt. It is the centre piece of attraction that can either bring the entire outfit together or possibly undermine it.

So, how to make the right choice? How can a person know which measurements, colour & materials are the right ones to go for? In this article, we pull together a guide to help you buy the right belt so keep reading if you want to know more about how buying a belt that can add value to your outfit and wardrobe.

1. DON’T GO FOR AN ORDINARY BELT:

A belt is like a one time investment that you will make for your wardrobe. Your aim should be to look for a belt with great quality in mind. Make sure that you do not get drawn to a belt just because it is low priced. Bad quality belts can be a complete misuse of money and will not last.

Don’t get mislead by belts claiming to be made with “Genuine leather” because in many cases this isn’t the case and will result in a quick degradation and discolouring. Genuine doesn’t necessarily high quality. Low quality leather will not look good for long so choose a belt that gives the impression that you care about your looks. Always go for high quality leather, i.e premium full grain, rather than the price as this will pay dividends in the future.

Have you considered looking beyond a traditional leather belt, woven belts for example? They have been around for a long time and vary in quality dramatically – here at Brydon Brothers we work with a family run Italian factory that have been producing braided products for over 100 years and have become someone masters in their business. Woven belts are more versatile given there are more holes to put the belt prong through and can be paired with more styles ; from a boardroom to a golf course. Check out one of our bestsellers the Shrewsbury belt.

2. KEEP IT SIMPLE:

A belt that carries out its responsibility appropriately separates the upper half from the lower half of the body, creating a seamless transition between the two. Most commonly it can be seen to match the colour of your shoes, or increasingly in the growing men’s accessory industry , a compliment to the rest of your casual or formal outfit.

Try to choose a belt that acts as a subtle, stylish compliment. Belts can come in endless styles and choices, but our suggestion is to keep it simple. Our belts aim to bridge the gap between casual and formal types; for example the muted classic range belts like Dempster or Maxy or Langley belts, alternatively the leather Flex Range. - these can be worn for most occasions.

3. YOUR PREFERENCE:

As mentioned, you can choose from a wide variety of belts styles. The buckle is the face of the belt so you need to bear in mind the many shapes, materials and colours they come in. Typically, the more simple, smaller buckles are suitable for formal looks, whilst the more statement, colourful buckles are associated with a casual look. We try take both elements into consideration by using a solid brass buckle in a relatively simple design – so you know you’ll have a buckle that will stand the test of time and also be transferable across outfits.

In case you want to buy just one belt then you should choose a colour that will go best with most of your clothes (shoes, trousers, shirts or jacket). Black and brown are naturally two of the most popular preferences for men because they can go with any outfit, however, adding a subtle colour like dark navy (Jacko), green (Henners) , red (Tommy) can make a big difference.

Ultimately however, there are no rules. So for the more adventurous we created the colour collection: a series of belts that will help to a bit of character to your wardrobe.

4. RIGHT FITTING:

Last but by no means the least important, finding a belt that fits just right is key. You must remember that a belt is a practical yet subtle expansion to your outfit however before it accentuates your style, it should do its job correctly.

The size of the belt must be according to your waist/hip measurement. The most accurate way to find your hip size is to thread a measuring tape through your trouser loops and measure the exact length around. You can then correspondent your hip size to the correct belt size (S / M / L / XL) in our chart below.

Another method is to measure the belt length of one of your existing belts that fits well and correspond that measurement to the most suitable length in our chart.

Some customers want a perfect fit of course, however others like to have a bit more room and go for a slightly bigger size. The benefit of most of our belts is the elasticated braid which allows for a favourable amount of stretch (up to 2-3 inches), as well as having no specific holes allowing you to put the belt prong into any position of the belt.

CONCLUSION:

Belts are much more than an accessory that is meant for holding up your trousers. They can be used to make a great style statement. You are the one who controls your style. Follow the points given above to ensure that you buy the best choice that suits your personality and lifestyle. Any questions, please email us at hello@brydonbrothers.com and you can explore our collections here.