Top Rules for Matching Your Belt to Your Shoes

Have you ever looked at another guy and thought, Man, his outfit is on fleek (do kids still say that?), but can’t figure out what is so striking about the outfit? One of the reasons the outfit is totally rad (are we showing our age yet?) could be the fact that he’s wearing clothes that actually fit him properly.

There’s another reason that guy’s outfit was lit (okay, we’ll stop): the details. We’ve all heard “the devil’s in the details,” and it couldn’t be more true in men’s style and probably women’s style too, but we’re going to stay in our lane.

One nonnegotiable style rule that all men should follow is matching their belt and their shoes. Sounds simple enough, but there are some detailed factors to take into consideration. We’re going to teach you the top rules for matching your belt to your shoes the right way. Read on to learn more.

Build your outfit starting with your shoes

A pro tip we learned years ago was to build your outfit starting with your shoes. Yes, not your shirt, not your pants—your shoes. At first it seemed crazy, but once we began the habit of looking at our shoes first, it changed everything.

If you think about it, your shoes essentially dictate how the rest of your outfit will look. You’re not going to wear Jordans in a conference room just like you’re not going to wear your Magnannis on the beach. Not to mention, if you start with your shoes, you can match your belt right away and work with those colors for your outfit (more on that next).

Leathers should always match

Some fashion icons push the limits and say, “You don’t need to match your leathers; it's fashionable,” but that’s just it—it’s fashionable, not stylish. Fashion doesn’t last, whereas style is timeless. One of the most stylish things you can do when building your outfit is match your leathers.

If you’re wearing smooth brown leather shoes, your belt should be a smooth brown leather also. The same goes for black leather; if you’re wearing black leather shoes, you should wear a black leather belt.

Never wear a black leather belt with brown leather shoes or vice versa. Also, don’t be that guy who wears a fabric belt with dress shoes. That’s just weird, man.

“But what if I’m not wearing leather shoes?”

We know some of you aren’t suit-and-tie corporate guys, so you might wear dress shoes once or twice a year at the most. If you’re a sneaker guy, make your life easy and get a pair of plain white shoes. They could be Common Projects or Vans. It doesn’t matter, but nothing is more versatile than a white sneaker.

With a white sneaker, you can honestly get away with any belt you want. If you want to dress the sneakers up, consider a leather belt strap; if you’re going for a casual look, go for a fabric strap. That said, if you’re wearing colored sneakers and you’re about that hypebeast life, we’d suggest matching your belt strap with a color on your sneakers to tie the outfit together.

If you want your outfit to look sophisticated, you need to follow the top rules for matching your belt to your shoes. Don’t have enough belts to choose from or your belts are falling apart? No problem!

Check out men’s ratchet belts from Tough Apparel. We build our belts with the toughness of life in mind. Plus a ratchet belt gives you the perfect fit every time. Check out our online shop today or contact us with questions. We’d love to help you improve your style!