Belt Advice - How to Select the Best Belt?

by Cody Ortiz “Find a purpose to serve, not a lifestyle to live.

Whether you need to pick a belt for the office or one that can help you sport the right style on a golf course, a lot of thought and planning goes into choosing the right one. With many stores offering a wide variety of contemporary apparel from around the world, selecting belts ideal for casual wear or office attire, as well as designer golf belts that blend style and performance with equal élan, can often seem like a daunting task. Whether you need webbing, leather, brushed or ring leather belts in assorted colors or want belts with stylish buckles and specific designs, you can get them all at leading stores that stock branded and other high-end apparel. However, it can be overwhelming with all the varieties if you don’t know how to make the right selection. This is where the following tips can help:

· Get your waist size right: Measure your waist size, and then select a belt that’s a size bigger. All belts, including designer golf belts, will have tags on them indicating their size. Therefore, it should be easy to get hold of the desired size. Generally it is a good idea to go “one size up” above your slacks size. For example, if you wear 36 slacks, you should purchase a 38 belt.

· Match it to your apparel: Wearing a belt that does nothing to accentuate your apparel, or worse, is completely out of tune with it, is not good. Therefore, make sure to pick belts that complement your apparel choices and match your shoes’ finish and color. For instance, if you plan to wear shiny black boots, invest in a black belt with a matching sheen. Remember to consider your belt’s buckle size too. If you need designer golf belts to sport a pro look, your belt should have small, sleek clasps. If you want a casual look, you can opt for buckles of a bigger size with a wider belt strap, such as 1 3/8” or 1 ½”.

· Decide on your style: Starting from casual belts with perforated straps that come with a silver finish buckle, and leather reversible belts from Levi’s, to authentic PGA TOUR belts and Nike’s belts (from Ultra Tech, G-Flex, Carbon Fiber, Signature Swoosh Cut Out II, the Tiger Woods and Classic Reversible belt line), you will have a lot of choices to take your pick from. Therefore, decide what style suits your persona and requirements the best and then select accordingly. If you’re a golfer, you might want to look at Nike or PGA Tour. If you’re a more laid back casual type of dresser maybe you should consider Levi’s. If you are looking for something to wear to the office, maybe you should consider Tommy Hilfiger or Kenneth Cole.

· Set your budget: Belts are available to suit various budgets. From cost-effective casual ones to trendy, expensive designer golf belts, you will have tons of choices. Therefore, it’s better to set a budget before you go shopping or you may end up with a steep priced belt and regret overshooting your budget later. Belts are available in such wide ranges, from $15 to $150, so it’s good to have an idea of your budget before you start shopping.

Belts are often overlooked when people go shopping. That’s why it’s common to find many men wearing their belts improperly or making the wrong choice. But with the tips given above, you can rest assured that you won’t go wrong with your selection, regardless of whether they are casual or designer golf belts.