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Do You Wear A Belt With A Suit? What Side Are You On

Discussion off wsj.com

As fashion sours on the cinched look, some suit wearers reject belts as unnecessary and visually distracting, while others strongly disagree. Where do you stand?

If you haven’t noticed, belts have been disappearing from suits shown on runways and in your better class of fashion photo. And some tailoring traditionalists welcome their decline. “A belt is for a pair of trousers that don’t fit properly,” said Alex Wilcox, owner of New York menswear shop Lord Willy’s. “It really symbolizes that the waist is too big.” That’s especially true, he added, when it comes to classic English tailoring, where custom-made trousers sit exactly where they’re supposed to, rendering belts superfluous.

Need more convincing? Look no further than Cary Grant, that paragon of timeless men’s style. He only ever wore a belt with blue jeans and believed that men should dispense with any accessory that doesn’t perform a function. Ralph Auriemma, creative director of Paul Stuart, holds up Grant as a role model for the cinch-resistant, pointing to the actor’s suit in “North by Northwest,” which, without a belt, looks perfectly modern today.

Those who buck the buckle argue that beltless suits look cleaner and dressier. “There’s no cutoff at the waist,” said Mr. Auriemma, “which elongates the silhouette.” That’s why all of Paul Stuart’s tailored clothing actively discourages belting. Rather than belt loops, trousers are equipped with D-ring-buckled side straps to allow for some adjusting. Even a gentleman’s weight can yo-yo slightly.

The same is true of tailored suits from Lord Willy’s, said Mr. Wilcox, where 90% of the customers prefer no belt. For the few who can’t fathom forgoing one, loops can be added, unless the suit is three-piece. “A belt looks terrible in that context; it breaks the flow of the fabric,” he said. And for tuxedos? “That’s a no-no. I don’t think a belt should be anywhere near a tuxedo.”

Here are a few recommendations for those who would like the not belt look with a bit of flair. These are great options when you need a little extra support or change sizes throughout the year.

Yes

“If I’m wearing brown suede shoes, I want a complementary, non-matching belt,” said Jim Ockert, owner of California menswear shop Khaki’s of Carmel. “A belt tells a little more of a story.” Though he does concede that current suit trends steer away from belts, he still sees a place for them. A belt, he argues, lets a man add more flavor to his look, especially given the scarcity of accessory options for menswear. And the iffiness of lapel carnations.

Not to mention that belts can be very interesting when you open your mind to those beyond basic brown or black. There are all sorts of subtle color and leather variations—suede, alligator, ostrich and pebble grain to name a few. The key, said Mr. Ockert, is to avoid matching materials: “If you’re wearing brown suede shoes, don’t wear a brown suede belt.” Something in the same ballpark but not slavishly in sync looks more style-aware.

Belts speak to a more Continental aesthetic, where accessorizing plays a bigger role. Jauntily folded pocket squares and more emphatic colors, not to mention the soft-shouldered silhouette of Italian tailoring, all tend to be simpatico with a belt. Unsurprisingly, belted suits stood tall during the 1980s, when the unstructured look of Giorgio Armani was at its zenith.

And then, of course, there is the belt’s functionality. Side tabs or back tabs on a tailored pair of trousers offer some scope for cinching but could never accommodate, say, the newly trim waistline of a man who finally achieved his New Year’s resolution (hey, there’s always a first). “Side tabs are a great look, but it’s a look,” said Mr. Ockert. “A belt is maximum versatility.”

What do you say?