Indochino Classic Navy Blue Suit – $349.00 | Ultimate Grey Suit – $369.00
The case for Wearing a Belt: Why would you not wear a belt? Empty belt loops look plenty odd if they’re not in use. It’ll be assumed that you just forgot to put a belt on before you left the house. Besides, a belt is an accessory. Last things on, first things to get noticed. A belt gives you a quiet opportunity to show some more of your style. Even if it’s minimalist and subtle.
The case for Not Wearing a Belt: Who’s seeing your unused belt loops? Your jacket would cover them up. A belt can just weigh you down. Especially if it’s ill fitting, you’ve lost or gained weight, and you’re between holes. Sure you could punch an extra hole in your belt, but when you’ve got a tailor or even options like slick side tabs (seen here) why bother? Suits are tailored clothing. Your pants should fit well enough that they don’t need to be held up by a belt. A belt that’s too tight will only rumple up your waist band. A belt that’s too loose will droop and look silly. No time like the present to break free of the hip leather.
Time to pick a side. Have you ever tried going beltless with a favorite suit? Or, would you just feel like something is missing? Leave it all below. Belt Shown: Calvin Klein Reversible Gunmetal Dress Belt – $32.99, which can often be found at Macy’s. (Note: These side tabs can be found under the “advanced” options from Indochino.)
A belt breaks your body into two, whereas a suit is supposed to elongate you via its matching/unbroken pattern from neck to ankle. So, belts optional on suits, leaning towards beltless when you want to look especially sleek (i.e, a tuxedo). With sportcoats, that reason for going beltless isn’t there, but the lesser degree of formality means you can go either way — it can be a terrific accent, or a relaxed omission.
Belt with suit. Beltless with tux. Generally, if it has loops, fill ’em. Exception: shorts.
As for the featured CK belt: I’ve never been a fan of reversible leather belts; the natural “bow” shape belts take on with age, when when repeatedly reversed, causes them to get strange wavy wrinkles. Also (or perhaps because) the leather is usually junk. To me, they’re great for kids (who wants to buy two belts every 8 months for a fast-growing youngster?) but not for adults.
If the trousers have belt loops, wear a belt. Any sleekness you gain from going belt-less is lost if you have to take off your jacket: A button up shirt, tie, suit trousers, and nice dress shoes without a belt makes one look like a cad who forgot a belt.
If you would like to go belt-less, have a tailor remove the belt loops. That’s assuming of course that the trousers fit properly without a belt.
I’ve never had any issues with the CK belt, but I also don’t reverse it. The buckle is one of the slimmer, less shined up, inexpensive ones available. That’s why it’s here.
Belt. Agree with if there are loops, they look ridiculous empty. Pretty good chance that at some point you will be taking off that jacket.
belt, because it gives me a target for the point of the tie 🙂
BELT! I believe it was Joe who once said that the last things you put on are the first things that get noticed/separates you from everyone else.
what cufflinks (if you have french cuffs), tie bar, belt, and watch are to man as purse, earrings, necklace/bracelets, etc. are to women
It’s hard to carry a sidearm without a belt. In fact, a heavy belt stabilizes things in this regard.
With a suit a belt is probably not necessary. But if you end up removing your jacket, you look like you didn’t have time to get fully dressed.
I always wear a belt. Always. No matter what I’m wearing. (I guess a one-piece wetsuit might be the exception.) My body type is such that even the best-fitting pants will always ride low unless I’ve got something hoisting them up. This is especially true for cotton pants which, as we all know, fit snugly when you start the day but tend to stretch within a couple hours of wear.
I also agree with other posters that not wearing a belt with a suit seems to defeat the purpose of the belt loops. Plus, belts offer an opportunity for men to accessorize in their everyday wardrobe that they don’t ordinarily have. Beyond a belt, a watch, and maybe something like a scarf in winter, there are precious few interesting accessories available in conventional men’s fashion.
I always wear a belt with my suits–it’s where I keep my utilities.
This may be the most asinine question this blog has ever
had, and that is saying quite a bit.
Back in the late 80’s I had a college professor who almost never wore belts. He had what I like to call
a 2 X 4 shape (straight as a board with no curves). His suits always fit perfect and he looked very professional. I remember some of his pants had no belt loops at all.
I could never pull this off (too heavy built with too many curves) but it always looked sharp.
My shirt collars fit nicely around my neck, but I still wrap a tie around it. Trying to turn the belt into a purely utilitarian accessory is, as said above, asinine.
If there are belt loops, I wear a belt. GQ has been pushing the beltless look for a while but I just can’t get onboard – it feels/looks like I forgot something. I also think as men we are limited to how many accessories we can wear (belt, watch, pocket square etc.) so why not have a good collection of belts? It’s a great way to change up looks and it shows you care about the finer details.
My own rule of thumb: if you’re wearing a tie, wear a belt; If you’re wearing your suit (or sportcoat & slacks) without a tie then the belt is optional. Remember, never wear a belt if your wearing suspenders/braces.
This is fairly cut and dry. Wear a belt.
Child please.
Per the belt loops are there, so why not use them point… playing devil’s advocate here: You’ve got pockets on your suit jacket other than your breast pocket. Do they look silly when you don’t use them?
If you aren’t wearing suspenders, wear a belt. But I prefer suspenders because they look nicer and are much more comfortable.
Sorry Joe, not buying it. Pockets don’t look glaringly empty. belt loops flopping around empty on the other hand…
Oh come now. You don’t see the lack of a belt nearly as much as you’d see an air tie. Asinine is pretty severe. Have you ever tried going commando with your belt loops? It’s pretty freeing.
If your pants fit, you don’t need a belt. Suits look fine with the right belt, but I prefer without frankly.
Feel free to use them, but just don’t stuff them so they spoil the lines of the jacket. It’s not about looking silly when you don’t use them, it’s about using them appropriately. In practice you can’t see if someone is or is not using their jacket pockets, which is the opposite to a belt which is plain for all to see.
I’m seeing more and more clothes models not wearing belts, it looks fairly clean and maybe more fashion-conscious. I’ll have to pay attention to whether there were belt loops or not, I imagine not. If I saw someone who had decent style overall, I wouldnt think they forgot. But then again that depends on everything else they’re wearing.
I’ll be wearing my belt though
I didn’t even know this was a current debate. If the pants/shorts have belt loops, I wear a belt.
I wear belts with my chinos/khakis/jeans/blazer/sportcoat/tie ensemble, every one of my suits have suspender buttons, they are more comfortable. My empty belt loops in some (half) ate covered by my vest. Without a vest suspenders add some color when your coat is on the rack, not a lot of people are doing that so in a sense I guess it is fashion forward (or backward) for now I am fit enough to wear suspenders without looking like they I have on wool overalls, or a plumber or something so I am going to rock those as long as I can. As far as a sidearm I have a bianchi shoulder holster that keeps a 1911 firmly in place, admittedly I cannot wear that with some of the more modern slim fit cuts, but then I still have belts too. One must take care to never go to such extremes as getting rid of all belts, or exclusively wearing them.
That may be the most asinine comment this blog has experienced. Fortunately, that’s not saying too much.
How big are your belt loops?!?!?! 🙂
Heh. I think to some, (Jeff included) this is a question that they’ve never asked themselves. But, it’s being asked more and more. It’s one of those don’t knock it till you’ve tried it questions. In the last year I’ve started to try it, and frankly, I love it. Lemme quote Grant Harris from Image Granted who responded on Twitter this morning: “Both. Beltless is more polished, but nothing wrong with wearing one.” (Follow @ImageGranted if you’re not already. Grant is the man.) I gotta agree with him. Certainly nothing wrong with it, but, I think beltless is more polished. I’m also in the habit of never taking my jacket off when suited up so maybe that clouds my opinion here.
It depends on the type of suit, casual or formal and whether or not loops are provided. With a casual linen or cotton suit the belt is optional. a work or formal suit should have a belt worn with it unless it has a side tab or braces. Although I have been known to go belt-less with a suit when I am having back pains. Keeps the pressure off the bad area.
Sometimes I wear a belt, sometimes I don’t. Like Joe, I tend to keep my jackets on when I wear a suit. Of course any time you wear a 3-piece suit, lose the belt. When I had my grey 3-piece made, I instructed the tailor to leave off the belt loops. For those occasions when I wear those pants without the vest, I had him put suspender buttons, for yet another avenue to sport a stylish accessory. But, whether you’re wearing a 3-piece or not, wear a belt if you feel like it, don’t if you don’t.
Joe I think you should have made this one a poll.
I personally go with the have belt loops wear the belt. Looks like you forgot if you don’t.
Or worse that you lacked the style to know better!
i think wearing a belt with pants with a simple button or hook and loop is pretty standard, the belt-less option being available on dress pants with an extended tab closure. a small detail like that gets covered by the belt; if your pants have such a detail, why hide it?
Beltless is the hot look for Williamsburg hipsters right now.
Either is fine, but if your pants fit, beltless shouldn’t be a problem. Another thing to point out is that a belt can often cause you to look short because of the visual break. If anything, that is much more noticeable (though probably not consciously) than empty belt loops, which is likely only something a few people would notice or comment on.
I would still never go beltless. With the junk in my trunk, it just isn’t an option. But I don’t see how merely posing the question can be construed as “asinine.” That’s a bit of a head-scratcher.
Side tabs FTW. Tried them on my Indochino and now I can never go back.
If trousers have belt loops I have no idea how not wearing a belt makes a “polished” look. I equate not wearing a belt with pants that has loops to not buttoning a collar on a shirt that has a buttondown collar… it just looks like you forgot something. Scott Caan has been sporting the beltless look a lot lately on Entourage and it looks kind of silly, especially since he never wears a jacket.
If suspenders are being worn…then no belt. If not – then go with a belt.
My answer is both/either. Whichever is the better fit.
Can a belt really weigh someone down to a point they don’t want to wear them? Unless your buckle is made out of lead or perhaps mercury (you’ll need more than a parka to withstand that temperature) it should be a non-issue. Dress belts come in all different sizes and it isn’t difficult to find a subtle buckle without much weight. Belt 100% of the time unless you’re wearing suspenders. The lack of a belt is almost like wearing white gym socks with the same suit in my opinion; sloppy / careless.
Wait, you never wear a belt with shorts? I got a blue and white striped summery-style belt with a scout buckle that I love.
I agree with this. For example, before you sit down, you’ll unbutton your jacket (of course) and then it just looks, like you said, pretty ridiculous.
I wear a belt pretty much every day, all day.
I have to say I think the pocket on a dress shirt discussion is probably that, for me.
Although I agree that this is a bit of a no-brainer. You got belt loops? Put a friggin’ belt in ’em.
Agree about Scott Caan on Entourage!
When I see someone wearing suspenders AND a belt, it’s just like, come on. Shakin’ my head.
That’s good advice for short guys! (Not a problem for me.)
Speaking of Entourage, does anyone else feel like Jeremy Piven’s suits are a little TOO tailored? I think they all look, always pulling even when standing perfectly still. Cf. this graphic: http://www.esquire.com/style/how-to-shop/how-to-fit-0909
He looks like the bottom right pic.
All look too tight, that should read.
A belt that fits well is an excellent accessory and not wearing it looks incomplete.
Dappered should have an Entourage post sometime. I see a lot of do’s and don’t’s (mostly don’t’s) while I’m watching the show. I mean, do you see what Lloyd wears!? I know he’s gay, but c’mon. How has Turtle become the best dressed person on the show?
If it was never meant to be worn with a suit then why would they make the loops? debate over. haha
Belts, always.
Silk scarf in lieu of a belt, a la Fred Astaire. 🙂
Even on the dance floor?
Even on the dance floor?
My rule is for a formal or business suit there is no need for a belt; I make sure my pants fit, and I have my tailor take the loops off of my pants, adding side tabs. This eliminates the need to add a belt, the look of empty loops, and having to match shoes to belts and watch bands. I am a Occam’s Razor type of dresser, and it makes things a lot easier.
For casual suits like seersucker, cotton, and nearly all my odd trousers I keep the loops and wear a belt because it is more casual. It can give a break to the visually distracting patterns of seersucker or the duller look of cotton jackets and matching pants.
If you have loops, I say fill them but there is nothing wrong with removing them. I have found that clueless dressers that think they have some ethos because they work in the men’s section of Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, or shops like Boss seem to think it is “wrong”, but they also are in the business of selling belts and black suits, so…………
Belt. Next question.
I’m going to take the liberty of selecting this as “best answer.”
Agreed wholeheartedly.
If given the option between two tailored wool suits, one with pull tabs and no loops, and the other with belt loops—usually you should go for the pull-tabs. As stated, belts break up the lines of a well tailored suit.
i go with the belt. i feel like some men can pull it off but not too many. i’m tall but i don’t quite have the skinny physique to pull off the beltless look (too many beers and not enough sleep, but that’s college). for those who can though, i say more power to you.
Interesting discussion and debate. I never wear any belts with blue jeans and will occasionally omit threading them around chinos/khakis as well, when pairing them in an ensemble with a blazer/sportcoat.
So answer to question, “Have you ever tried going beltless with a favorite suit?” Nor really, since the drapiness and thin fabric of men’s suit trousers necessitates wearing, ideally, braces (provided they will be hidden under a vest) or alternatively a belt, as a “counterpart” to necktie. Butch_Z earlier correctly stated, “[R]ule of thumb: if you’re wearing a tie, wear a belt; If you’re wearing your suit (or sportcoat & slacks) without a tie then the belt is optional.” I don’t really have any occasion to wear a suit without a tie, so it would be hard to pull off sans belt look.
I do frequently pair blazers and sportcoats up with blue jeans and chinos/khakis. Crafted from thick denim and heavy cotton twill, such cloth gives the form and shape to these pants, but puckers-up underneath a belt. Consequently, I’ll opt for the iconoclast look of empty loops and comfortable feel of no cincture.
Whenever I’ve forgotten to wear a belt I’ve never felt very slick. That said I might now try it. I like my accessories but dress belts are all pretty dull and similar. Not much to get excited about.
Judging by the responses here though, I doubt many other people will judge it as fashion. More likely forgetful.
so the argument against the belt assumes your belt doesn’t fit. solution: get a belt that fits… where’s your argument now?
It also unnecessarily breaks up your lines and makes you look more business casual. There’s a reason why black tie doesn’t = belt. It’s also a little less weight, not a ton, but a little less. Same reason why many trade in your wallet for a card case and money clip when you’re suited up. I already quoted Grant Harris from ImageGranted.com here, but it’s worth another mention: “beltless is more polished.” Indeed.
Also, lots of guys wear belts because their pants don’t fit quite right. So, maybe they should get some pants that fit.
If you are playing dress-up a few times a year, or week even, for a night out or a wedding, then who cares if you wear a belt, or shirt for that matter, with a suit. Apparently it’s socially acceptable to wear pajamas out of the house too.
But if your professional life dictates that you wear a suit on a daily basis, you had better have a belt in those belt loops. If you don’t have belt loops then you better be wearing suspenders. Not wearing a belt when you have belt loops shows a lack of attention to detail. No professional person in such an environment is going to be impressed by your lack of attention to detail or your “fashion forward” mindset.
It’s reassuring that, despite Joe’s delusions about wearing a belt, most people seem to have the proper sense to wear a belt when the situation dictates. Sorry Joe, this whole not wearing a belt thing goes in the fail category.
Okay. http://www.gq.com/style/style-guy/suiting/200606/not-wearing-belts
Okay.
http://www.gq.com/style/style-guy/suiting/200606/not-wearing-belts
http://stylistry.tumblr.com/post/4018711080/classic-grey-suit-ensemble-i-love-the-simplicity
http://blog.suitupp.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/tom_cruise.jpg
http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jj1/2009/06/daniel-defiance/daniel-craig-defiance-dvd-04.jpg
http://dontdrinkfromthecarton.tumblr.com/post/1115570954/suit-bike-no-belt-necessary-personally-i
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1Pj3h2U_hdk/Snyv60UdO-I/AAAAAAAAAuk/JggKW6jEgl4/s400/74205163.jpg
http://www.baronboutique.com/movie_replica/quantum_of_solace/quantum_of_solace_suit.jpg
Still delusional? Again, nothing wrong with wearing one. I do it often.
So there’s like 6 guys in the entire world that go beltless, and a handful of copycats trying to look fashion forward by imitating them. The rest of the suited world just looks and shakes our heads.
Like showing up to work with no laces in your lace-up oxfords, showing up to to work with empty belt loops just makes you look like the guy who forgot something. Why risk it on the off chance that someone there–or at the wedding or wherever you’re showing off the suit–has been made aware by the fashion police that what you’re doing is actually really cool?
If you have to explain to people that what you’re doing is acceptable, you’re wrong, they’re not.
Throughout history, plenty of people have had to explain why what they’re doing is acceptable when they weren’t in fact wrong. Think about that last sentence for a second. It’s really flawed, and I say that respectfully.
We can agree to disagree. But do a quick google search. I (and Dappered) aren’t they only ones who are just fine with going without a belt. Again, totally surprised that this is any kind of deal at all. And again x2, there’s nothing wrong with wearing one.
Throughout history, plenty of people have had to explain why what they’re doing is acceptable when they weren’t in fact wrong. Think about that last sentence for a second. It’s really flawed, and I say that respectfully.
We can agree to disagree. But do a quick google search. I (and Dappered) aren’t they only ones who are just fine with going without a belt. Again, totally surprised that this is any kind of deal at all. And again x2, there’s nothing wrong with wearing one.
What Joelh said: ^ now that is completely dilusional!
Eric got owned..and beltless has been done for years. Its not a fad. I started taking the belt loops from my pants recently and I don’t wear suspenders every time though I do wear them often. I never wear a belt now because I simply don’t need it. That’s not to say that if there’s guys out there that do need them to enhance their body shape then go ahead. But to say only a handful of guys do it and the rest of us are followers or efven worse that you look sloppy without one is entirely dilusional.
Thanks for the backup on this Chris. JoelH, Eric, and everyone else… let’s all agree that there are two camps on this, and then there are those of us who sometimes wear a belt and sometimes don’t wear a belt. We can all agree that there’s nothing wrong with wearing a belt. And let’s leave it at that. Have a great weekend guys…
Thanks for the backup on this Chris. JoelH, Eric, and everyone else… let’s all agree that there are two camps on this, and then there are those of us who sometimes wear a belt and sometimes don’t wear a belt. We can all agree that there’s nothing wrong with wearing a belt. And let’s leave it at that. Have a great weekend guys…
Every time I put on my suit for work I wear a belt, and a hand gun, and 2 extra magazines, and a pair of handcuffs, and a taser, and an asp, and a pouch for gloves, and a radio, and a can of pepper spray, and a flashlight. Throw that all on for 10-16 hours a day and tell me your dress belt is clunky and restricting. That being said I pretty much live in a belt with every type of pants you can imagine and going belt-less is like heresy to me. However if i had the physique of Tom Cruz or Daniel Craig I might reconsider!
A middle age attorney I regularly see around local courthouse appears quite professional with dress shirt, tie, suit jacket, and trousers with no belt threaded in the loops. He sticks with very traditional suits: navy blue, both dark and medium gray, deep brown, and occasionally in summertime tan.
Guess not having worn any belt with blue jeans for past thirty years, I would like to copy him and try the same with a suit. However, suspect I’d get a negative reaction though from wife and co-workers for being “mismatched” under fashion rules (i.e., tie on shirt necessitates belt for trousers).
It is an item people will notice. In high school after a classmate poked fun at a thin “effeminate looking” dress belt I had worn, promptly pealed it off, only to get asked in subsequent weeks, “Hey, how come you never wear a belt?” Offered alibi, “Oh, these are just blue jeans,” and learned trick to getting by without one is to avoid looking sloppy. Interested in seeing if I could pull look off with a suit, since I generally wearing combinations of neat casual items, like: polo shirts, sweaters, oxford cloth button down shirts, knit ties, sport coats, etc., which suggest I only accidently forgot a belt.
Maybe if he learned to tuck in his shirt…
When it comes to business wear, E is probably the best-dressed. Casual wear, Turtle, I guess.
I’m in the Beltless camp. If you’re wearing a suit, it’s a smooth look to go without the belt. I was always taught to wear suspenders, but if your pants fit, you don’t even need those.
I, too, much prefer suspenders. I wear them with everything, including jeans, for the reasons described above (rumpled waist, belt loops are silly looking, it is just flat out traditional, more comfortable.) I will always side with the ‘penders, not a belt.
Almost always wear a belt. I’m a skinny with a small frame and no hips. Jeans and slacks don’t stay up without one. Wearing a belt makes me look more finished. Women don’t need to wear belts because they have hips, their close are more loosely fitting, and they carry stuff (keys, wallets, change) in their packets, I’d much rather see a guy wearing a belt than having his pants sag half way down to his shoes.
A belt can be a subtle and classy accessory. It’s not only needed because it’s “needed”. All my pants are well fitted and slim in fact, but I don’t buy at all the notion that a belt “breaks the flow” of a suit. How does it do so? You may be over-estimating the need for whatever flow it is that you think a belt breaks. A good suit is a good suit; a belt merely accentuates the look. Without a belt, one looks incomplete — but I suppose young hipsters think it’s cool to skip it, because, well, they can, and so be it.