Belts & Buckles 101: The Right Size Belt

Belts & Buckles 101 has finally returned for a short installment! One common question for anyone ordering a belt is "what size??". The answer is not "whatever size your waist is". So here are some tips...

Keep in mind!

• Belts usually come in even sizes - 30, 32, 34, 36 inches...
• Err on the side of too big! If you get a belt that is a bit too big, you can take it to a leather/saddle/cobbler shop and have them punch in another hole. Or just do it yourself with a sharp knife, ice pick, or similar. But if your belt is too small, there's nothing to do but return or exchange it...bummer.
• For a perfect fit, your buckle should attach to the center hole. (There are usually 5 holes in a belt.)

The very best method

If you already have a belt that you like to wear, it is best to use it to figure out your size...

1) lay your belt out flat

2) measure, in inches, from the hook, D-rings, snaps, etc. (basically, wherever your buckle holds onto the belt)

to the hole that you use (or whatever part of the belt "hooks" with the buckle)

I use the second hole from the left, or the scrumple-y bit of the fabric belt. Both of them are at about 32 inches...so that's my belt size!

3) the measurement you get is your belt size - that's it!

Other ways to do it

But perhaps you're buying a belt because you don't have one now. Here are a couple of tips...

• If you are a guy or a girl who wears pants with a waist measurement in inches, the rule of thumb is to add 2 inches to that to get your belt size...  30 inch jean waste + 2 inches = 32 inch belt size. And remember, if you are not sure, choose the size up!
• Try on your best friend's belt, check out the size, and just add or subtract the inches that you need for it to fit.

Keep Your Buckle On! Or...How to Make a Leather Belt

Since I spend an unusual amount of time chatting with folks about belts and buckles, I've made some interesting finds about what might simply be called "General Belt & Buckle Know-How". Not surprising, most folks don't think twice about the topic, but I happen to think it's pretty interesting. So, in the spirit of increasing everyone's General Belt & Buckle Know-How, this is installment one in Belts & Buckles 101.

Today - How the heck does a person make a nice leather belt anyhow?

While I sell high quality leather belts here at Wild Bear Buckles, I don't make leather belts myself. So, we are headed to the experts for the answer. Take it away Maine Line Leather...

How to Make a Leather Belt - A complete tutorial!

Why Buckles?

Buckles, huh? When there are so many great things to make out there, why choose buckles? Well...

I've always loved to make things by hand. Several years ago I thought what better way to try my hand at a handmade business (sorry, couldn't help that one) than jewelry, right? So I made jewelry...

Jewelry for my sister-in-law's wedding...

Jewelry to sell at the summer market...

And making jewelry was good, and I liked it and as best I can tell other people liked it to. But here is the thing - I don't actually wear jewelry. Well, I do, but only the same jewelry every single days for years. Here's the run down...

The blue lapis ring goes on my right hand and was given to me about 10 years ago by my high school (and still) best friend. She made it in a college class.
The other set of rings are pretty obvious - my simple engagement ring and the single wedding band Mr. Moon surprised me with at our wedding. These go in the usual spot.

 

Then there's the necklace Mr. Moon gave me about 6 years ago. It was the first sign of true love and the only time I'm not wearing it is when the leather string breaks.

And the three "sleeper" earrings - 2 in the left ear, one in the right. I think I can safety say I've been wearing these for more than 15 years.

 

And, of course, the nose ring. I got this on my 18th birthday at "Mom's Body Shop" in San Francisco, and nothing has changed since.

 So, as you can see, I have a wonderful, but very, very stagnant, relationship with a few particular pieces of jewelry, and it really ends there. (Unless it's a really fancy wedding, but that doesn't happen too often around these parts.)

And here is the other problem. I'm not really a girly-girl. I don't wear make-up, I don't own hair products, and I'd rather climb a peak than go to the mall. Also, I don't really wear dresses. My power suit? It's pants and a jacket. So where does that leave me? Belt Buckles!! I could wear the heck out of belt buckles!

Belt buckles are...

• practical (needed to keep my belt on to keep my pants on)
• have personality - of all sorts
• do not get in the way when I have to lug some wood into the house

Belt buckles with salmon shirts...

Belt buckles with brown shirts...

Belt buckles with jeans and black...

So when I'm making belt buckles, that means that I can make a million things that I want to wear. And that is a good time!

Big Sky, Blue Sky, Belt Buckles!

Living in Big Sky is often like living in a beautiful paradise. I have to pinch myself and remember that these gorgeous mountains and awe-inspiring landscapes really are my backyard! And, of course, during ski season town is abuzz with skiers and tourists who have come to enjoy our champagne powder and blue skies. Not to mention that there's never a line at the ski lift.

To celebrate Big Sky and ski season, I'm sharing a photo I took just the other day - while running an errand!  Paradise...

Blue skies and perfect powder runs do tend to inspire a few buckles, too. Lately, I've been making a whole variety of ski map buckles and I also love this recent Snow buckle...

As always, if you see a buckle here that you'd like to get or something similar, just let me know and I can probably post it on Etsy for you.

And if you haven't ever been to Big Sky - or Montana - I would highly recommend a visit. Once we arrived, we were hooked!

All the best from Wild Bear Buckles in the great Big Sky!

Montana made belts?

While I've just gotten in some genuine leather belts at Made in Big Sky...

I'd really like to find some local Montana made belts to sell with Wild Bear Buckles.  With all the cattle around here and handy craft people making chaps, holsters, leather decorations, etc. you'd think there would be someone making some perfect leather belts.

Do you know anyone making (or interesting in making!) leather belts in Montana?  If yes, please send me a heads up!  I'd love to do business...

Thanks!