The Right and Wrong Way to Wear a Belt (and Not Ruin Your Outfit)

Dan Forbes

When it comes to looking great, sometimes it's the simplest things that can get in your way. For our latest edition of Ask a Stylist we probed the experts for their tips and advice on how to wear a belt without ruining your outfit in the process. Because we've seen it too many times to ignore it any longer. Here's what they had to say:

Observe the Basic Ground Rules

“I tend to go with convention on this one. The belt should coordinate with your shoes, if not by color than by style. A casual or novelty belt goes best with sneakers or a casual style shoe. A leather belt should be worn with a dress shoe. And don’t mix black and brown accessories!” —Michael Fisher

Match Color and Finishes

“Keep the hardware to a minimum and always match color with color, matte with matte, and patent with patent. Avoid faux-distressed leathers; there is nothing quite like the real, lived-in wear and tear you get from genuine, high-quality leather.” —Avo Yermagyan

Skip the Belt When You Wear a Suit

“You should ALWAYS skip the belt when you are wearing a suit, whether the trousers have belt loops or not [you can always remove them]. A suit, whether it be custom made or off the rack, should be properly fitted to your body. Plus, a belt only adds bulk to your mid-section.” —Jeff K Kim

Pick One Statement: Belt OR Shoes

“For more casual looks your belt can be the statement as long as your shoes blend with your pants. Or make sure your belt blends in with your pants if your shoe is your statement piece.” —Wendi and Nicole Ferreira

For a Modern Look, Camouflage the Belt

“If I have a nice mid-blue suit I’ll try to find the belt and shoes in very much the same shade. I’ve been known to style a fully monochromatic look. I’m a fan of that. I never like the buckle to be too much of a “feature”. I like everything to be subtle.” —Samantha McMillen

Know How to Identify Belt Types

“You want to match the vibe of what you’re wearing. The simpler the buckle, slimmer the width, and less rugged the leather, the dresser the belt is going to look.” —Jeanne Yang

Find Brands That Speak to Your Style

“I tend to prefer skinny belts with small buckles and know who makes them so I don’t have to search high and low to find a good one. My favorites are from Barneys’ in-house label and Rag & Bone.” —Ilaria Urbinati

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