The 15 Best Belts to Wear with Jeans
Belts are an underrated accessory in that they’re often chosen purely for function, rather than style. While finding a belt that holds up your pants should certainly be your first concern, you don’t have to let fashion fall by the wayside in the process.
It’s always a good idea to choose quality pieces that provide both durability and timeless style that happen to look great with your favorite pair of jeans. Here are a bevy of the best belts sure to fit the bill on every score.
Shinola Bedrock Belt
Crafted from premium leather in black, dark brown, or red-tinged bourbon, Shinola’s simple Bedrock belt with detail stitching and silver-toned hardware offers a sleek appearance that makes it perfect for everyday wear. A simple, squarish tongue buckle with rounded edges lends itself to comfort and class.
Groove Life Groove Belt – Magnetic Buckle
If you’ve ever experienced the unfortunate combination of a full bladder and double ring buckles that are impossible to pull apart in a hurry, you might be excited to find Groove Life’s magnetic buckle belt that offers easy access to your waistband.
The Snap-Tech neodymium magnets are housed in a durable A380 aluminum alloy buckle, and the webbing material is adjustable, with excess brilliantly tucking beneath the belt. A 94-year unlimited warranty pretty much assures satisfaction.
Faherty Men’s Leather Belt
For all its simplicity, Faherty’s leather strap belt with a rustic patina offers a certain roguish charm. Made from 100 percent Italian leather and complemented by a brass buckle featuring a matte black powder coat finish, this made-in-the-USA belt comes with the weathering other belts might take months or years to develop. It’s the perfect partner for worn-in jeans from the very first wear.
L.L.Bean Men’s 1912 Jean Belt
Making supple leather look upscale isn’t always as easy as it sounds, but L.L.Bean accomplishes the task with aplomb. Full grain leather in black or brown displays a satiny finish that’s neither too flashy nor casual. The brass finish buckle (black with antiqued silver tone) offers the same balance of everyday style and upscale finesse.
Backcountry x Arcade Goat Belt
I know what you’re thinking. Is this belt made of goat or does it have a goat on it? Thankfully, it’s the latter. Lightweight, low-profile, and comfort enhanced with stretch construction, this nylon belt goes great with jeans, khakis, and cargos alike. The band features a leather goat logo patch stitched on. The tri-glide clip buckle offers easy snap closure and a pinch release.
Filson Double-Prong Belt
Whether you’re the type that needs a lot of closure (actual or metaphorical, we won’t judge), or you simply like the look of extra hardware, this double-prong belt in heavy-duty, veg tanned bridle leather gets the job done admirably with two prongs, a double row of notches, and the prestige of Filson, a brand known for premium leather goods.
Patagonia Friction Belt
If you’ve always wanted a belt that can double as a lash strap for camping gear (or whatever you need to tie down), you’re in luck. Patagonia has you covered with this resilient pants-holder in low-profile, recycled nylon webbing with an anti-corrosive, aluminum slide buckle.
5.11 Mission Ready 1.5” Belt
This tactical belt from 5.11 won’t go with slacks, but it will look great with distressed jeans, thanks to durable nylon webbing reinforced by 1.5-inch genuine leather facing.
Why is it reinforced? To support holster carry, natch. A custom, heavy-duty, single-prong roller buckle completes the design—no, wait, there’s also a hidden key pocket on the inside face of the belt. Boom.
Wallace & Barnes Jeans Belt in Italian Leather
Soft, textured leather with crackle appeal comes in caramelly Rustic Brown, or rich, chocolatey Buffalo Brown to add laid-back, yet luxurious appeal to any pair of jeans. The simple, square, single prong buckle in silver adds a bit of look-at-me shine.
Orvis Ultimate Shotshell Belt
Looking for a classic leather belt with a little something extra, like, say…a bullet casing? Orvis goes the extra mile with exquisite bridle leather in natural (tan) or brown, a solid-brass roller buckle, and the bottom of an Orvis shotgun shell casing affixed to the belt loop. The 100 percent customer satisfaction guarantee is nothing to sniff at, either.
Shinola Lightning Bolt Keeper Belt
At first glance, Shinola’s Lightning Bold belt is a shoo-in for the minimalist awards, with a simple, streamlined design in rich, premium leather and polished, silver-tone hardware. If not for the camouflaged detail work consisting of a lightning bolt cleverly debossed on the loop, this belt would offer little more than simple luxury.
Whiskey Leatherworks Double Tongue Copper Buckle Belt
The high-end, Horween leather of Whiskey Leatherworks’ rustic belt is treated with chrome salts to achieve soft, supple tanning, hence the Chromexcel designation of the finish.
Add to that a double-prong buckle and rivets in copper and you’ve got yourself one showstopping belt that looks positively tailormade for jeans.
Bison Designs Box Canyon Leather Belt
If you want the patina of age without having to work for it, Bison Designs provides what you need with this rugged, matte-finish belt in 100 percent genuine distressed leather. It acts as the perfect accessory to casual jeans, soft tees, a five o’clock shadow, and a bit of a smolder.
KUHL Raid Belt
You might not understand the appeal of curved webbing until you realize how much better it fits the natural curve of the body than a straight belt. KUHL’s quick-release metal buckle with one-handed action adds incredible convenience to wear.
Levi’s Oval Web Belt
Levi’s 100 percent cotton, non-stretch webbing belt in faded dark green or raspberry offers a pleasantly casual, lived-in vibe, pairing perfectly with a tonal, boxy slide buckle and finished with a retro Levi’s logo.
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