Men's Accessories: Belts

A man's wardrobe is incomplete without a belt. Gone are the days when the sole purpose of a belt was to hold trousers. Now, they are more of a fashion statement and an accessory every man should have. Belts refine your look and express your personality.

In the old times, belts were used by educators and disciplinarians to spank children and slaves. This use of belts, however, has declined in the Western world as it is considered to be too barbaric a punishment.

A belt, basically, is a flexible band made of leather, metal or heavy cloth. They are available in a wide range of colors and styles. They are categorized into men's dressy belts, leather belts and casual belts. Apart from the material, they also differ in their widths. Dressy belts have a width as much as that of a thumb whereas casual belts are usually wider.

Also the formal leather belts have a shiny finish. The basic shades for belts include black, brown, tan and taupe. Metrosexual men can go for some funky bright colored belts. Leather belts, too, go well with jazzy designer apparels.

Belt buckles are the latest vogue especially among teenagers. After all they are the things which stand out on a belt. These buckles come in all sizes and shapes and include hip hop buckles, spinner buckles, Superman buckles, skull and other rhinestone designs.

While choosing a belt one must make sure that the belt color goes what he's wearing. A belt, no matter how good looking, if not matched well with the clothes would spoil the entire look. In fact wearing a belt of the same color as the trouser gives a slimming look. So choosing a proper belt becomes a very vital task.

Belts come in a wide range of prices depending upon the material used and also on the brand. Roberto Cavalli, Diesel, Versace, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Ralph Lauren are some of the major belt brands. For the highly fashion conscious men, there are ostrich leather and lizard skin belts available. These belts are as expensive and rare as they are exotic.

Belts are accessories. Belts shouldn't be worn to hold your pants up, because you should get pants that fit in the first place. Talk to your tailor on what kind of belt you are going to use before making your pants if there is a special or particular type of belt to you liking.

Whatever your budget maybe, there is always a belt to suit your personality and your style. You just have to look for the right brands and at the right places.