Take Your Dressing Up a Notch: 10 Luxury Brand Belts for Men and Women that Go with Both Formal and Casual Outfits (2020)

When you are asked to think about fashion accessories, a belt will be one of the last things that would come in your mind. Thoughts and conversations surrounding fashion accessories are dominated by handbags, cases, sunglasses, jewellery, and the likes. This is because we are conditioned into thinking of belts more as a utility product rather than a fashion item.

Belts have been considered as a part of the male attire since the Bronze Age. Even though women have worn (and still do wear) belts yet somehow, it got mostly associated with the male sex. Gender roles have always put men in the shoes of the provider, and the go-getters and everything associated with him is to aid this gender role. Naturally, belts too got associated with it and have been seen as a narrow strap of cloth used to fasten a man’s attire so that it does not pose as a hindrance while he is working. That a man’s clothing can be fashionable was out of the question.

Until recently, gender roles had held sway in much of the spheres of life, but one of the positive developments of modern times is that it is gradually breaking the idea of gender roles. The world of fashion is becoming more and more flexible towards men with each passing day, and this is also changing the dynamics of men’s clothing - not just utility but fashionable too. Thus belts, which were earlier strictly utilitarian, became a fashion accessory. Nowadays, belts can be said a utility item that scores high on the fashion scale. We cannot think of office formals without a fashionable belt to complement it, and the advent of trendy belts have made it suitable for casual clothing as well.

After we started seeing belts as a fashion accessory, it increased in variety, and thus categories and types of belts emerged. There are many unsaid rules regarding which belt to wear when and with what. These rules are embedded in fashion aesthetics and depend on the colour, buckle type, and material of the belt. Some belts can be worn only in a formal or business setup, while some belts are exclusively for casual wear. Let us look at four common types of belts:

The most simple and common type of belt is the buckle belt. It is a strap-on belt that has a metal buckle on one side, which is used to fasten it around the waist. The material with which the belt is made varies between leather, fabric, or even plastic. The buckle is usually an alloy of zinc and aluminium which is plated with another metal to give it a shine. Sometimes this buckle is made of brass. The reason that alloys are preferred to make the buckle is that it doesn’t render the belt bulky and uncomfortable to wear.

The horseshoe buckle belt is a variation of the above. In this, there is a buckle at the end of the belt, but it is in the shape of a horseshoe. Not only does this make the buckle look fashionable, but it also allows a better and more comfortable fastening because of the shape. Like the above belt, it comes in a variety of materials, and the buckle is usually made with alloys and sometimes with brass.

The slim belt is a thinner version of the traditional belt. Popularly known as a skinny belt, this sort of belt scores high both on fashion statement and utility. It is a versatile piece of accessory that can be worn with dresses, trousers and even shorts. The slim shape of the belt elevates its style statement and makes it more of an embellishment rather than just an accessory that fastens your clothing around your waist. Hence slim belts come in many colours so that it can be used to suit the various colours of your clothes. Most of them also come with fashionable buckles to contribute to its fashion definition.

As we have casual and formal attires in our wardrobe, so do we have casual and dress belts among our accessories. Dress belts are formal and should be worn with business suits while casual belts can be paired with any attire whatsoever, be it jeans or even shorts. One of the most common ways to distinguish between a formal and a casual belt is by looking at the leather- formal ones usually have a sleek and shiny leather while the leather on casual belts can vary from matte to rugged.

Also, formal leathers come in brown or black solid colours while casual belts can be of any colour or accents or texture. The reason is that those dark colours of formal belts gives your sharp business attire an austere and authoritative edge, something you do need in a board meeting. Casual belts are meant to be worn on occasions involving family and friends and hence they can be funky and trendy.

Some occasions demand that you be dressed in smart and classic formal wear while others require you be in your funkiest clothing. This fashionable belt from the house of Versace is up to the mark with that requirement and is the perfect accessory to go with your attire when you are out clubbing. Loud, yellow baroque prints over a black base give off a lively vibe that can instantly elevate your casual dress. The auto grip buckle is designed for ease of the wearer and to add extra sass to the ensemble. Pair this belt up with a suit of your choice, and you are guaranteed to rock any social gathering. This belt comes for Rs. 15,000, and is available on thecollective.in.

Belts are usually associated with trousers. There are hardly any belts available that can complement a frock or the likes. Hence this feminine bow belt from the house of Mali Fionna is beautiful as it is unique. It is a solid black belt that is secured with a tang. The elegant bow shape gives a feminine touch, and hence there is no fear of it not suiting a dress or a gown. The belt is made of synthetic material and will go best with frocks, especially those with floral print on them. It comes for Rs. 1,499 on Myntra.

This black leather belt from the house of United Colors of Benetton is a handsome accessory to go with your attire. It is embellished with the brand logo and can be secured with a push pin. On the occasion of an outing with your friends, pair this belt with slick jeans and a top and give your attire a class definition. The colour black also makes it a versatile accessory as it can be worn irrespective of the colour of your clothing. It can be bought from Myntra for Rs. 2,299.

If this Tommy Hilfiger buckle belt hasn’t yet found a place in your wardrobe, then it is high time you get it. It is made from premium quality leather that guarantees durability and easy maintenance. The buckle closure ensures that the belt feels comfortable on you and features the Tommy Hilfiger logo on it. The belt is dark blue and is a perfect complement for formal wear. It has been crafted with such precision that it is bound to attract compliments from your colleagues at your workplace. It comes with a price tag of Rs. 3,199, and is available on shoppersstop.com.

This classic leather belt is the jack of all trades in the fashion world. It is black, has a buckle closure, and is produced by the premiere fashion brand Allen Solly. It sports a chain-link pattern that adds extra class to the product. Being a flag bearer of the classic belt, it can be worn with any attire, be it casual, formal, or semi-formal. Pairing it with your workplace formals will look as good as pairing it with your clubbing dress. It can be bought for Rs. 1,299 on Amazon.

There wouldn’t be a better belt than the one with Michael Kors’ signature logo on it! It comes with four interchangeable buckles with the Michael Kors logo on all of them. On each of these buckles, the Michael Kors logo comes in different designs but expresses the same opulence of the brand. This black-hued belt has a versatile style and hence can complement both your formal wear and laid back style. This logo belt set costs Rs. 15,500 on michaelkors.global.

This is a plain brown leather belt from the house of Calvin Klein. It has a gold-toned buckle belt with the logo embedded. The style is inspired by the American West and hence will go great with jeans. This is the perfect accessory if you intend to make a statement at a social gathering or as a part of your biking trip clothing ensemble. Leather jackets, leather boots paired with this leather brown belt will make you look the part with aplomb. You can get this belt for Rs. 8,790 on elitify.com.

This slim Gucci belt is a stylish accessory that will elevate your casual attire. It is made from horse-bit leather and is light blue. It has a silver buckle that has a unique design and the fact that the belt is a slim one makes it an out and out fashion accessory. The warm blue colour of the belt is another attractive characteristic of it. Pair this belt with a summer cotton trouser of a colour that complements the blue of the belt and you are ready to steal the show. It is available for purchase on luxepolis.com for Rs. 24,000.

This is a brown leather belt from the house of Christian Dior. It has a faded texture and an embroidered geometric design, which gives the belt a hip look. You will find the buckle in the shape of the Christian Dior logo proudly proclaiming the brand of the belt. Being of a faded texture, the belt is most appropriate as an accessory to the casual outfit. Pairing it with classic blue denim, leather boots, and jacket will make give you the quintessential ruggedly handsome boy. Bikers who happen to have a taste in fashion could do well with a belt like this. It costs Rs. 9,200 on luxepolis.com.

There can be no conversation about brands without the word “Armani” in it and so it is needless to say that you cannot speak about luxury brand belts without a belt from Armani Exchange. This is a simple yet classy logo belt which comes is black. The belt has a dotted texture and the logo is engraved on the buckle. The black and simple design of the belt gives it an austere and serious air thus it is most appropriate if the belt is paired with your office formals. It would go best with formal black or brown trousers and a formal shirt in soft pastel colours. The 100% leather coating, the inlay design on the buckle together make a quiet proclamation of status. The belt comes at a cost of Rs. 11,767, available on elitify.com.