15 Belts That Do So Much More Than Keep Your Pants Up
A Classic Belt You Can't Find Anywhere Else
- A timeless belt shape you never see anymore
- Built to be sturdy, like the old military and workwear models
- Hand burnished for a worn look
- Casual cut and high price make it a specific niche
Watch any old Western. This weekend, my wife and I did Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in The West. (My number one, for what it's worth.) Every guy in those movies is wearing a belt like this. They're big, thick, and probably made from full-grain leather, and they all have a rectangular center buckle. Up until about the '70s, all men's belts just looked like this. Now, it has a Western connotation, but it's generally just a flattering and functional shape.
Anyway, who makes the best version of this long-forgotten belt? RRL of course. Ralph Lauren's best venture, in my opinion, is RRL. The brand is the best resource for all classic American menswear. It's surplus, workwear, and vintage-inspired, and it's all made to last. This belt is maybe my favorite example.
If you want something more out-there, I'd recommend this studded belt, this logo studded belt, or this biker-inspired woven one. The uniting theme in RRL is classic Americana, but these all look even sicker in modern day America.
esquire
