The Common Types of Belts and Which Ones You Truly Need

A belt is a wardrobe staple. Your favourite pants and trendy vest will never be complete without a belt. This clothing piece can definitely up your game in fashion while keeping your pants up, literally.

Belts are more than just a fashion trend though. It can actually be used for survival and self-defence. Because of its style factor and practical function, it’s no wonder belts are considered timeless. 

However, as essential as they are, you don’t really need every single style and type of belt out there. We’re listing down the popular types of belts and sharing our thoughts on whether or not you truly need them to complete your wardrobe:

1. Must-Have: Classic Leather Belt 

This classic belt is durable and fashionable. This type is punctured or tear-resistant. Although various colours have now emerged, vintage and timeless leather belts usually come in brown or black, like the  Ironbark Single Keeper or the Double Keeper. Choose one with an imposing buckle, and you’re sure ready to head out with confidence!

Tip: If you are particular about the leather, you can take note of these: 

• Genuine leather belts have a strap of 100% leather which makes them pretty expensive but also very durable. This kind of strap cannot be combined with synthetic materials. 
• Exotic leather straps are often made of leathers from alligators, crocodiles, lizards, and ostrich. 
• Tooled leather has designs made by a stamping process perfect for casual events.
• Suede leather comes with a napped finish on one side, making it feel softer.

The verdict: Leather is king and you can never go wrong with a classic. So this one is definitely something that will make your wardrobe function better. 

2. Maybe a Must-Have: Faux Leather Belt

Faux Leather is synthetic or artificial leather that is usually made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane. There has also been a recent rise in vegan leather, which is made out of more environmentally friendly substances like cactus leather. Faux leather belts are a lot cheaper than genuine leather and are low maintenance. However, you might be compromising a bit on durability if you opt for this one. 

The verdict: This kind of leather will not stretch as much as pure leather does. Moreover, it is not tear-resistant like genuine leather. Nevertheless, a faux leather belt is still a plausible choice to match with your everyday leather essentials like a leather coat or a leather hat.  

3. Must-Have: Braided Belt

A bit playful yet edgy and classy. This belt will go well with dresses, pants, or any casual wear. There are elastic braided belts, leather braided belts, tri-colour braided belts, and a cotton/polyester braid with leather accents and a metal buckle. Some braided belts have wider straps which can help achieve a slimmer figure. 

The braid isn’t just for looks, too. The artistic weaving of the material signifies flexibility and comfort. For instance, the Dorrigo Hand Braided Belt In Tobacco is hand-braided and made from double loops of full grain leather which have been laced together with a natural coloured cord and finished with solid metal hardware. For another unique pattern, you can opt for the Tucker Hand Braided Belt In Tobacco, which is made from triple layer full grain leather loops which are interlocked with double strands of rope for extra strength and finished with solid metal hardware.

The verdict: It has vintage styling, it adds more personality, so, hands-down yes, you need a braided belt in your closet!

4. Not a Must-Have: Reversible Belt

A reversible belt is simply what it is. It has two sides that can be used. It is like owning two different belts for a price of one. The key here is the swivel belt buckle which can switch with either side of the belt.

The verdict: While it’s nice to feel like you have two items in just one object, owning a single yet durable and authentic leather belt is still a smarter choice in the long run. 

Final Thoughts

For thousands of years, this simple strap with buckles has played a big role for different generations in different walks of life. Belts are nonetheless more than just a fashion piece, it’s functionality is something that makes it more valuable than how it looks. 

Ready to own your belt essentials? Check out the Kakadu belt collection here!