How to measure belt size

Measure a belt that already fits

A belt you already wear is the most reliable way to find your size, because it records where the belt sits and how tight you like it. Proper Cloth recommends this method first.

1. 1
   Lay the belt flatUnbuckle it and lay it straight on a table with the inside facing up.
2. 2
   Find the buckle foldStart the tape at the fold where the leather bends around the buckle bar. Do not start at the outer edge or tip of the buckle.
3. 3
   Measure to the hole you use mostRun the tape to the center of the hole you buckle most often.
4. 4
   Round to an even sizeRound to the nearest inch. If that is an odd number, round up: 35.5 inches is a size 36, and 37 inches is a size 38.

Do not measure the whole strap. The total length runs several inches past the size, because the tail has to reach through the keeper.

Measuring to the hole you use means the new belt's middle hole lands where your favorite hole is now, with room to go tighter or looser. Enter the number in the belt size calculator to see belts in that size.

Measure your waist where the belt sits

If you have no belt that fits, measure your body at the height where the belt will be worn. For most pants that is just below the navel, which is lower and usually wider than the natural waist.

1. 1
   Wear the pants you will wear the belt withThread a soft tape through the belt loops, so it sits exactly where the belt will.
2. 2
   Stand relaxedDo not pull your stomach in or push it out. Keep the tape snug but not tight.
3. 3
   Read the number and go up to the next even sizeA 33 inch waist takes a size 34 belt, and a 34 inch waist takes a size 36.

Some belt makers treat this tape measurement as the belt size itself, while most size charts add about 2 inches. When the two disagree, measuring a belt that fits gives the most dependable number.

The pant size plus 2 inches rule

The rule works because of where the size is measured. Johnston & Murphy, for example, measures to the third of five holes, and the holes are 1 inch apart. A size 36 belt therefore reaches from 34 inches on its tightest hole to 38 inches on its loosest, and a 34 inch waist sits in the middle with room on both sides.

The number on your pants is a starting point, not a measurement. Pant labels and real waists can differ by 1 to 3 inches, so if your last belt felt long or short, measure instead.

Belts worn low on the hips need more length. Proper Cloth suggests adding 3 or 4 inches for low-rise pants; measuring your waist at the height the belt will sit gives you the number directly.

How brands label belt sizes

• A plain number, such as 36, is the belt size in inches: the length from the buckle fold to the middle hole.
• A number with a waist, such as "36 (fits waist 34-35)", is the same belt size with the waists it is made for.
• A range alone, such as "47-48", usually names the waist the belt fits, not the belt size.
• Metric sizes are in centimeters and round to the nearest 5: 85 is a size 34, 90 is a 36 and 95 is a 38.
• Letters come with a waist range. On Levi's men's chart, S fits a 30-32 waist, M 34-36, L 38-40 and XL 42-44.

Some brands measure differently: Stegmann measures its women's belts to the fourth of seven holes. When a product page gives its own measurements, use them. For letter sizes on women's belts, see women's belt sizes.