Men's Leather Belt The Complete Guide
Once is not custom we will move away from the shoes to talk about the men's leather belt.
I assure you, we have not become a fashion blog.
It's just that the belt has a close connection with the shoes.
Do not we say that it must be of the same color / matter as that of our dear shoes?
So, in the same way that we were interested in the shoe / socks combination, we decided to devote an article to this very important accessory: the belt!
Considering my love for leather you can imagine that I'm not going to talk about belts made of wool, cotton or, worse, polyurethane.
I will tell you everything you need to know about the men's leather belt. For me it is the standard of quality on this accessory.
Subject, of course, that the leather is of good quality.
Origin of the men's belt
So the belt was not invented to hold the pants.
Pants at the right size do not need a belt. It was already the case in antiquity and it is still valid today!
Since its origin it has only a stylistic purpose.
From the Bronze Age, through the Far West or the early Middle Ages, the wearing of the belt was dictated by different modes.
In more recent history (second half of the 19th century until the First World War) the belt served as a decorative element of the military uniform.
Tight range, it allowed to make the waist look thinner and give men a physical, apparently, more muscular.
It was in the 1920s that change took place.
At the time, the British sailors use a simple rope which they pass in carnations cut in their trousers.
Finding that it became very uncomfortable when these ropes were soaked with water they had the idea to replace them with a leather strap hung with a loop.
This made it easier to detach and the wearing of pants was more comfortable.
The belt, as we know it now, was born!
Since then, it has been declined in almost all forms, in all materials and with the most unlikely loops.
Making a leather men's belt
Let's enter the heart of the subject.
As with all manufactured products, you can imagine that manufacturing has a great importance in the final quality of the product.
At first glance one can think that a belt is simple to make.
But, if you want it to be manufactured in the rules of the art, you will see that the stages are numerous.
The subjects
Before starting to manufacture it will have to find the right material. So the good leather in the case that interests us.
This is where most of the durability of your belt is played out.
For sure, the quality of it will have a huge influence on the quality of your belt.
Note: I invite you to read our article on the quality of leather to know everything about this topic.
So choose a vegetable-tanned full-grain leather that will be the most durable and offer a beautiful patina as you age.
For the animal, in general, one uses calf but especially of the cowhide because the size of these skins makes it possible to cut long strips necessary for the realization of a belt.
A high quality belt will be doubled ... or not.
This will depend on the leather used for making.
A leather:
very high quality,
thick (not split),
full flower,
fat
and vegetable tanning
can be used without lining.
This will be the case, for example, for casual belts, large enough (in a belt spirit)
In all other cases (thinner belts and thinner and therefore more dressy) it must be doubled.
There are then 3 possibilities:
for high-end it will be doubled with a full-grain plant neck. It's the cream of the crop for a belt.
Then it is possible that it is doubled with its own crust resulting from the slitting of the leather.
Finally you will find belts that are simply not doubled
Another important element in choosing a belt is the buckle.
Here too you can have very big differences in quality (at some suppliers the loop, alone, can cost up to a hundred euros).
The best of the best is to opt for a solid brass buckle.
Note: this is not essential but if you want to push the requirement to the maximum favor a buckle cut in the mass to avoid welds which, if they are not well done, can be unsightly.
In the less high-end products you will find buckles plated brass or zamac.
The steps of making a leather belt
Simple in appearance, the belt is a complex product to manufacture.
Before detailing the different steps, know that there are two types of products:
saddlebelt
the leather belt
Although close, these two professions are different.
Even if nowadays saddlers offer leather goods, they were originally known for the realization of saddlery for horses for example.
The most common shortcut to differentiate them is:
a saddle belt will be more sporty / relaxed while the leather belt will be more formal.
Some of the following steps can be done by hand or machine.
You can imagine that, as for shoes, it has a big influence on the final price (for a belt, excluding exotic materials, it can go up to several hundred euros).
Once the leather chosen it will be necessary to cut the strips necessary for the making of the belt.
If the belt is doubled one will cut a similar band in the leatherwork used for the lining.
We will take the opportunity to apply a first quick finish on the edges to have more beautiful leather pieces.
I'll talk about it later, but that's when we choose the width of the belt (yes, that's important).
Skin resurfacing
Depending on the strength (= thickness) of the leather used we will split the skin so as not to have too thick a belt that would be too rigid.
This is one of the first steps where you can save money.
The lower part of the slit (= the leather crust) can be used as a lining while the full grain part will be used for the top of the belt.
One skin = top and lining. This is less expensive than cutting a second band in a full-flowered plant neck.
We can even push further: according to the belts, all elements will be doubled so when other cases we will just double the main part.
This step is also a good sign of a quality belt.
We just refine the edges of the leather bands. This makes it possible to give the belt a slight curved aspect (it can be accentuated with a soul, I speak of it later).
Beyond the aesthetic aspect it protects the seams because they will be less exposed to friction of any kind.
gluing
In this step we will come together to fix the top and the lining of the belt.
With the help of a glue we just put the top on the lining.
This step requires precision to avoid the appearance of wrinkles on the leather. The belt must be perfectly smooth.
We now have a doubled leather band.
Using cutters we will come and cut out the different elements (passers, fastening the loop) and also give the desired shape at the end of the belt (warhead, right, etc.)
In order to have clean edges on these different elements we will come to sand them finely (it's already the second sanding but when we like ...)
This step is not done on all belts. In some cases we will be satisfied with a glued belt.
I let you guess what is best (a clue: it's like the soles of your shoes).
We can simply make a seam on the main part of the belt or push to sew all the elements.
Again it is a choice dictated by the desired quality at the end of the chain.
Sewing can be done by hand or machine. In the first case, just for a belt, it may take several hours of work.
Note: One way to know the attention given to finishes and details by the manufacturer is to look at the shape of the seam. If the points are slightly offset from each other it means that we are on a stitch called saddle stitches.
Know that this does not change the quality of the product. It's just more aesthetic.
Those who are concerned about a beautiful finish will come gently hammering the seam with a hammer finish.
We approach the goal: the various elements have been assembled and some will stop there and you will deliver your belt in the state.
But, for quality work, there are several finishes that will come to beautify your belt. Especially at the level of the slices.
While we have already done two fast sanding we come again even and smooth the edges for a more beautiful rendering.
The slice may also be slightly burned (for a rounded effect), greased and, in some cases, tinted.
A less common finish in "all-in" belts is the use of a threading iron.
This device warms the edge of the belt and offers a much better rendering.
As you can see, there are a lot of little subtleties between a belt
The association belt / shoes
Now that you know what constitutes a beautiful leather belt and how to recognize it you must know how to wear it.
No it is not enough to put in the passers of the first pants that comes.
So yes, the rule of thumb is to have a belt the same color as your shoes.
If you can push up to have a belt that is made in the same material it is even better.
But there are many other criteria that can not be overlooked:
The width.
Shape and color of the loop.
The right size
How wide for a leather belt?
If you pay attention you will find that the belts are offered in a very large number of widths.
Just remember that the wider it is, the less formal a belt will be.
Passersby jeans can generally accommodate a belt up to 5 cm.
So, although the purpose of a belt is to create a line of separation between the top and bottom of your outfit, it should not be too flashy.
For me a belt between 3 and 4 cm wide will be ideal because it will be versatile.
You will be able to wear it with jeans / chino but also integrate it into a more formal outfit.
Flat or curved belt?
I told you about it quickly in the manufacturing part.
When making it can give a more or less convex aspect to the belt.
Either betting the edges or squarely by inserting a core (leather, synthetic material or other according to the wishes of the manufacturer) to accentuate this effect.
Beyond the protection of seams to friction this has a true stylistic impact.
The more a belt is bulged, the more it will be considered dressed.
This is a personal opinion but I think this effect is not the most pretty.
Limit yourself to a delicate bulge by trimming the edges (at least to preserve the seam).
The loop: how to fall color and shape?
I told you before, the base is to choose a solid brass buckle with a nice finish.
But, if we limit ourselves to these criteria, you will see that the choice is still very wide.
Let's move quickly on what to avoid:
the rings: your belt will not hold well and it does not give a nice result.
stems: still the outfit is not ideal but especially there is, visually, a big feeling of lack.
decorative buckles (usually with a big logo): NO. Quite simply. It is not possible.
So we restrict our choice to a loop that is said to barb.
It can be single double or triple. As I do not like too much when there are too many frills I have a preference for a simple barb.
