Belt Size Chart: How to Choose Your Belt Size
Your belt size is your waist measurement in inches, taken where your pants actually sit. If you wear men's pants, a quick estimate is your pant waist size plus 2. Every belt in our handmade leather belt collection is cut, stitched and burnished by hand, so getting the size right the first time saves you a return trip.
Key takeaways
- Belt size is measured in inches from the fold at the buckle to the center hole.
- Measuring your waist where your pants sit is the most accurate way to find your size.
- For men's pants, add 2 to your waist size: a size 36 pant usually takes a size 38 belt.
- Women's pant sizes don't convert to inches, so measure with a soft tape instead.
- Our belts come in even sizes, from 28 up to 48 depending on the style.
How belt sizes are measured
A belt's size is its length from the fold at the buckle (where the tongue comes through) to the center hole. It is not the full length of the strap, which is longer because it runs past the center hole to the tip.
That's why a size 38 belt fits a 38-inch waist. Buckled on the center hole, the belt wraps around exactly 38 inches. The holes on either side of center give you a little room to loosen or tighten.
Our belts come in even sizes only. If your measurement lands on an odd number, such as 37 inches, choose the next even size up (38).
Belt makers measure this way because the strap past the center hole doesn't wrap your waist, it just tucks into the keeper. Two belts in the same size can have different overall lengths and still fit the same.
How to find your belt size: 3 ways
You don't need any special tools. A soft tape measure is best, but a piece of string and a ruler work too. Here are three ways to find your size, most accurate first.
1. Measure your waist where your pants sit
This is the method we recommend. It works for everyone, whatever brand or cut of pants you wear.
- Put on the pants you plan to wear the belt with.
- Wrap a soft tape measure around your waist, right where the waistband sits. For most jeans that's lower than your natural waist.
- Keep the tape snug but not tight, and read the number where the end meets the tape.
That number is your belt size. It matches the length of the belt from the buckle fold to the center hole.
2. Measure a belt you already love
If you have a belt that fits well, it already knows your size.
- Lay the belt flat on a table.
- Measure in a straight line from the fold at the buckle, where the tongue comes through, to the hole you use most.
- Round to the nearest even number. That's your size.
Don't measure from the end of the buckle or to the tip of the strap. Both will give you a number that's too big.
3. Add 2 to your men's pant size
This is the quick estimate, and it only works for men's pants, which are sized in waist inches.
Take your pant waist size and add 2. A size 34 pant usually takes a size 36 belt. A size 40 pant usually takes a size 42.
Pro tip: Pant sizes vary by brand and cut, and low-rise jeans sit lower than your size suggests. If you can, check the estimate against a tape measure (method 1) before you order.
Belt size chart for men's pants
Use this chart to turn your men's pant waist size into a belt size. It follows the pant size plus 2 rule above.
| Pant waist size | Belt size |
|---|---|
| 26 | 28 |
| 28 | 30 |
| 30 | 32 |
| 32 | 34 |
| 34 | 36 |
| 36 | 38 |
| 38 | 40 |
| 40 | 42 |
| 42 | 44 |
| 44 | 46 |
| 46 | 48 |
If you measured your waist with a tape (method 1), skip the chart. Your tape measurement is your belt size, rounded up to the next even number.
Belt sizes for women
Women's pant sizes, like a 6 or a 12, aren't measured in inches, so they don't convert to belt sizes. A size 8 in one brand can measure several inches different from a size 8 in another.
So for women, a soft tape measure is the only reliable way to size a belt:
- Measure where you'll wear the belt. On jeans that's usually at or just below the hip bones.
- If you plan to wear the belt over a sweater or tunic, measure over that layer.
- Use the tape number as your belt size, rounded up to the next even size.
Every one of our belts is sized in inches, the same for men and women.
Belt width: will it fit your belt loops?
Size tells you the length. Width tells you whether the belt will slide through your loops and suit what you're wearing. Our belts come in two widths:
- 1 inch: a slimmer dress belt that also dresses up jeans. Our Vermillion River red leather belt is 1 inch wide.
- 1½ inch: the everyday width for jeans and casual pants, and some dress pants as well. The Sun Prairie green leather belt, the Sand Creek chestnut bridle leather belt and the Miles City hand-stamped western belt are all 1½ inches.
Not sure about your loops? Measure the inside of a belt loop on the pants you wear most. A 1½-inch belt needs loops at least that wide.
Sizes available in our handmade belts
All four of our belts are made by Bridget, her partner Aaron and her grandson Shay in their home workshop. Each one is named for a Montana place. Here's what's available in each style:
| Belt | Width | Leather and buckle | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermillion River | 1 inch | Red Vaqueta leather, stainless steel Jeremiah Watt Laylow buckle | 28 to 48 |
| Sun Prairie | 1½ inch | Green Hermann Oak leather, antique copper buckle and keeper | 28 to 44 |
| Sand Creek | 1½ inch | Chestnut Hermann Oak bridle leather, natural brass D buckle | 32 to 48 |
| Miles City | 1½ inch | Hand-stamped Hermann Oak strap leather, stainless Visalia-style buckle | 32 to 48 |
All sizes are even sizes. If you need a 28 or 30, the Vermillion River and Sun Prairie are the styles that go that small. Each place name has a story, and we share more of the stories behind the pieces we carry on our blog.
Keep your belt fitting for years
A good leather belt molds to you over time, and a belt cared for properly will outlast you. Bridget's routine is simple:
- Clean the belt with our leather cleanser to lift dirt and oil from the surface.
- Condition it with our leather oil so the leather stays supple and doesn't crack.
- Finish with a light layer of Rudy's leather balm from Bee Natural Leather Care.
Each belt's page lists the care steps for its leather, so check there before you start.
Belt size FAQ
What size belt do I need for a 34 waist?
If you wear a size 34 men's pant, you most likely need a size 36 belt. If your tape measure reads 34 inches where your pants sit, order a size 34 belt, because a tape measurement already is your belt size.
Should a belt be bigger than your waist size?
Your belt size should match your waist measured where your pants sit. In practice it is usually about 2 inches bigger than your men's pant size.
Is belt size the same as pant size?
No. Belt size is a length in inches from the buckle fold to the center hole. Men's pant size is usually about 2 inches smaller than the belt size you need, and women's pant sizes don't match belt sizes at all.
What if I'm between belt sizes?
Our belts come in even sizes. If you measure an odd number, like 37 inches, go up to the next even size, 38. The holes on either side of center let you tighten the belt to fit.
Still not sure about your size?
Measure your waist where your pants sit, round up to the next even number, and you have your size. If you'd like a second opinion, send us your measurement through our contact page and we'll help you choose.
Bridget has been picking makers and goods for her Bigfork shops for 25 years, and you can read how Bigfork's Best began in her own words. When you're ready, browse our handmade leather belts, and read why shopping local still matters to us.