A belt is such a clothing accessory to any outfit be it formal or casual, that serves the dual purpose of adding style as well as functional utility to a man’s outdoor affairs. Though it might appear as a seemingly neglected piece of supporting character to the main dress, it can have a surprisingly eminent impact on the overall charm of the particular outfit. So here we are going to discuss the different attributes of a belt in a brief yet compact manner.
Parts of a belt
Generally, a belt is worn with all kinds of pants which come with belt loops, around the waist. The basic configuration of a simple belt goes with two main parts, which are mentioned below.
- Strap- The body of the belt often comes with a metal or leather (in case of cloth made belts) end tip, which aids in the joining of the strap with the buckle properly, and the keeper loop, which restricts the flapping of the end part of the strap after buckling.
- Buckle- Generally the metal part with arrangements that join with a strap. The different members that make up the whole buckle part are frame, bar, and prong.
The part of the buckle that gets attached to the strap is termed chape. Some designs come with an in-built joined buckle-strap arrangement whereas in others these two parts can be taken apart.
Types and utility of a belt
Men’s belts can be roughly categorized into two sections- formal and casual.
Formal: Used mostly with formal business attires, suits, or jackets.
- Buckle- small and sleek
- Strap width- thinner
- Strap material- softer, often with a sheen. Generally leather only.
Casual: Mostly gets paired with jeans, shorts, khakis, or some rugged sports jacket.
- Buckle- large
- Strap width- broader
- Strap material- thicker and stiffer. Leather and also other materials like canvas, rope, webbing, and vinyl.
A belt is like that important supporting character of your dress story, without which or even with a wrong one the whole show might become an unintentional disaster. So, buying the right and suitable belt for you is as essential as choosing that favorite pair of jeans of yours.
