Web World

I often feel a bit sorry for the men, because they don’t have as many cool accessories as the gals. We are willing to share, though. Several items are starting to show up in your passion like oversized totes, but for the most part, we have the market cornered for options. It is, however, quite impressive how designers and labels can take what you guys do have and give it a fresh new look each season. One of these items is the basic webbed belt. Once I started trolling, it was surprising how much variety there is for this mild-mannered men’s fashion item

Belts in general are not strictly a men’s accessory; women wear them, too, but we seem to go for them for fashion over function. We also opt for other textiles over webbing and choose leather all year long. I am not sure what that’s all about, but maybe it’s because so many of our shoes and handbags are leather – we are compelled by unknown forces to match things up. It’s also not unusual for us to choose widths that run from narrow to ultra wide, no matter what our belt loops call for.

It’s a mixed bag, though, and some men get really into their belts and have a bunch hanging in their closets. They may mix and match them to suspenders, like we do our shoes and purses, and some guys may only have one or two that are threadbare and hanging by a string.

For some reason, I always associate webbed belts with preppy or conservatively dressed men, but the webbed belt can easily be part of other styles of dress. If you skip the whales, boats, and other nautical-themed motifs, this belt can be rather hip, slick, and cool, with or without ornate belt buckles.

One cool idea is to take a cue from the girls and do a bit of non-matching and a whole lot of mixing. Skip making sure your shirt is plain and your belt and shoes are color coordinated. Try pairing a printed belt or one with decoration with some equally interesting shoes…or you can pick up the colors of your belt in your tie or pocket square. Another tip is to keep your webbed belt for more casual clothing and pants like khakis and jeans.