Leather Dress Belts

Three things: the width, the edge, and the hardware. A dress belt is narrower than a casual strap so it sits properly in a dress trouser loop, its edges are finished rather than cut and left raw, and its hardware is simple and solid rather than oversized.

The Vanguard is our dress belt on all three counts. It comes in a 1 inch width cut for dress loops, its edges are polished and dyed, and the buckle is solid brass with a matching keeper. A machine stitched perimeter runs the length of the strap, which is the detail most people read as dress.

Choose the 1 inch if the belt is mainly for dress trousers. It is our dress width and sits properly in narrower loops.

Choose the 1.5 inch if you would rather own one belt that works with a jacket and with jeans. It is the more popular of the two and still reads smart with a dress shirt.

If you are unsure, measure the belt loop on the trousers you wear most. Loops under 1.25 inches want the 1 inch.

Measure a belt you already wear, from the fold at the buckle to the hole you use. If you do not have one to measure, take the waist size of your favourite jeans and add 2 inches.

Both widths come in sizes 32 inches through 52 inches. See our Belt Sizing Guide for measurement diagrams. If the size is not right, you have 90 days to exchange it.

It is the one rule worth keeping. Match the belt to the shoe rather than to the trousers: a black belt with black shoes, brown tones with brown shoes.

The Vanguard comes in four colours. Black is a true black for formal shoes. Heritage Brown is the darkest, a deep reddish dark brown. English Tan is a warm reddish tan. Natural is a medium warm tan with the most visible grain and natural markings of the four.

The Vanguard is machine stitched around its entire perimeter, with edges that are polished and dyed and a solid brass buckle with a matching keeper. The stitch is what keeps the strap from stretching and sagging, and it is the detail that reads as dress.

The Classic and Conway belts use a no-stitch build, a single piece of leather with hand-burnished edges. Both are cut from 9oz full-grain leather, both use solid brass Chicago screws so you can swap the buckle yourself, and both carry our lifetime guarantee.

Yes, and the 1.5 inch Vanguard is the one to choose if you want a single belt for both. It sits correctly in a standard jeans loop, while the stitched edge keeps it smart enough to wear with a jacket.

The 1 inch is the better choice if the belt is mainly for dress trousers, since a narrower strap can look slight against heavier denim.

Every Vanguard is cut and finished by hand in our workshop in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. Nothing is outsourced, and the same workshop that finishes every edge also checks every belt before it ships.

Every belt is backed by our lifetime guarantee. If it fails, we repair or replace it. You also have 90 days to return or exchange it if it is not right.