The best belts for men keep your slacks from going south, but they also make them sing, in the most stylish way possible. Because yes, they hold up your pants. (We know this, you know this, every '70s-era leading man in hip-hugging jeans knows this.) But more than their practical benefits, belts can make or break an entire outfit, imbuing your getups with a jolt of cowboy swagger or disheveled-heartthrob cool.
Now, we’re not suggesting you swap that discreet western joint for a brash leather number worthy of a WWE champion. We are suggesting that you apply the same care and attention to your belts that you do every other piece of clothing in your closet—especially given how, when styled correctly, they're typically the first thing someone hones in on when they look at you. To help you invest in some leather that'll last, we went deep on the best belts for men this winter to keep you looking sharp—and your pants right where they belong.
The Best Men’s Belts, According to GQ
Best Belt Overall: Maximum Henry Oval Standard Belt
When Maximum Henry Cohen launched his eponymous label in 2012, I doubt he pictured himself outfitting style icons like Robert Pattinson and Timothée Chalamet—but here we are. Fourteen years later, his brand has crossed into Hollywood, collaborated with leading Internet menswear personalities, and also notably partnered with the most discerning boutiques, who proudly display his handmade belts right on their shelves.
They do it because the belts are true pieces of craftsmanship. They’re cut, dyed, stitched, and waxed to order in their Long Island City studio, and made from 100% Belgian vegetable-tanned leather with sturdy hardware. Take this one: At 1.5” wide, it’s the perfect daily driver, whether you’re pairing it with raw denim jeans or paper-thin chinos. The additional beauty of this brand? No two pieces are exactly alike, so each belt is already unique, though you’ll make it even more so as the patina builds with every wear. With Maximum Henry, you’re getting a piece that’s truly yours—not some cookie-cutter belt from the nearest outlet store.
Best Budget Belt: Journeyman Full Grain Leather Belt
For a little over $50, you can snag both black and brown belts from Journeyman. And don’t let the price fool you: Made in the U.S. from full-grain leather at a sturdy 1.5” width, this belt gets all the fundamentals right. It’s an ideal pick if you’re just dipping your toes into the belt game—not only does it keep your wallet happy, but the classic color options and silver single-prong buckle make it as versatile as they come. More good news? The brand backs it with a lifetime warranty, making it a stress-free investment. And here’s the kicker: the buckle is removable, so you can swap it out someday for that vintage one you scored at the flea market.
Best Dress Belt: Anderson’s 3.5cm Leather Belt
Family-owned Italian accessory brand Anderson’s has been turning out some of the world’s finest belts for nearly 65 years—and they’re still doing it all from a workshop in Parma, Italy. Their secret sauce? A mastery of Italian leather, a playful approach to design, and a commitment to a rigorous 100-step production process that guarantees every belt shipped out meets its high standards. (Yes, that’s 100 steps for a single belt. Quality, my friend, doesn’t come easy.) All of this is also why retailers like Mr. Porter don't just buy two or three Anderson's styles—they buy twenty or thirty.
This black suit-ready beauty shows just how Anderson has mastered the classic elements of a dress belt. The premium calf leather is a just-right 3.5cm wide, and fastens with a silver-tone buckle that says "I don't need your attention.” It’s a showstopper that pairs equally well with an all-black fit or some casual grays and charcoals—because quality typically lends itself to versatility.
Best Braided Belt: Rubinacci Braided Leather Belt
A little bit boho, a little Ivy League, the unique magic of a braided belt is that you’ll never need to hunt for the right hole—just tighten the belt until your pants sit right at your waist, then slot the buckle prong easily into the braid it’s landed on. But where to source one? In this case, the answer is also an opportunity to own something from one of the world's greatest suit-makers. For even if Rubinacci's bespoke suits start well upwards of $5,000, a belt from the famed house—which might last even longer—can be yours for a tiny fraction of that.
Best Suede Belt: J.Crew Italian Suede Buckle Belt
With more warm-weather outfits, a smooth, shiny, dark leather belt can feel a little… sweaty. Suede is the solution. To help, J.Crew chose to produce their suede belt in what some say are the two best varieties—Chocolate brown or snuff. We’re all winners for it, especially when the result comes in at sub-$100. And while that lower price point might be cause for quality concerns with a dressier style, for a belt you'll ideally be wearing to and from a park picnic, the more you rough it up the better.
Best Belt for Fashion Guys: Our Legacy Leather Belt
Honestly, Our Legacy’s belts are one of the main reasons menswear guys started paying closer attention to belts again. Just as their Camion series managed to perfect the kind of shoes every guy wants to wear right now, their semi-braided Western belt has an unmistakable presence at most fashion gatherings and has spawned a series of imitations.
But the original remains the strongest. OL’s belt is a neat 2cm wide, with a metal pin, Western buckle closure, metal keeper, and metal hardware tips that all combine for a sort of punk, sort of rodeo vibe. Simply put, this belt takes any outfit in a number of complimentary directions—and don’t worry, it won’t bite.
Best Belt for GQ Cover Stars: Artemas Quibble Roebling Belt
What do Steven Yeun, Sergio Pérez, and Paul Mescal all have in common? Well, aside from rocking the cover of GQ, they’ve also each been spotted wearing belts from Artemas Quibble. The masterminds behind the label are husband-and-wife duo Natasha Chekoudjian and Jason Ross, who have also designed belts for some of fashion’s biggest names: Calvin Klein, Helmut Lang, and Rick Owens.
Each belt is handmade, and you, the buyer, get to choose the hardware and leather color. The belts feature materials like reclaimed leather, repurposed brass, and antique textiles, combining for a perfect blend of raw materials and avant-garde aesthetics. The strap itself is 1.25” wide, but the buckles? Unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Seriously, if "presence" had a dictionary image, this would be it. It’s the kind of belt that could easily work for A-listers today, cowboys of yesteryear, and maybe even a Spartan or two before that.
More Belts We Love
Nicks Boots
Appaloosa Gunslinger
Made from Nicks Boots' thickest and finest steer hide, this is the kind of belt actual cowboys would have thoroughly examined before handing over their dollars. With textured details to rival the Appaloosa horse it's named after, the heavy-duty approach is carried over to the hardware also—solid brass, baby.
Tory FGS
Rounded Center Bar Belt
Brooklyn’s beloved Front General Store has some of the best vintage but also makes excellent private-label beanies, thermals, and now belts. Made in the USA from 1” bridle leather with a unique sewn pattern, this belt is the ultimate choice if you’ve been itching for some stitching.
L.L.Bean
Braided Leather Belt
The Bean's recipe for success this season? It’s all about the BBB. Not the Big Baller Brand: We’re talking barn coats, boots, and belts. Like this full-grain leather belt with a solid brass buckle, braided so it’ll fit you comfortably no matter that day (or hour’s) fluctuations.
Lemaire
Layered Leather Belt
The Lemaire version of anything is often the most special. And while we wouldn’t want to tear down any of the other options on this list, this minimal Western belt somehow manages to be both city and country. A buffed leather beauty with antiqued gunmetal hardware and a detachable buckle, it’ll have you ready to slide a lasso into your daily commuter tote.
Hollywood Trading Company
American BLK Belt
The belt Jim Morrison would have probably chosen to melt hearts in a smoky club. The mixed, but somehow soft-feeling studs bring a cool blend of old Hollywood glamor and rock 'n' roll grit. And since it's Italian-made, it's built to last—a piece you could pass down to your kids, along with a few stories they might not be ready for.
Corridor
Braided Leather Belt
Just as Corridor has quietly come for your weekend wardrobe, and knit collection, they’re now ready to replace your belt too. This one is made in India from full leather, and 100% leather except for its antique brass buckle.
What to Look for in a Great Belt
What, exactly, differentiates a so-so belt from a truly superlative one? It’s more than just enough holes (though that’s a good place to start). Homing in on the materials at play is especially key. Are you looking for full-grain leather that’s durable and business-ready? Or maybe a braided suede for a relaxed, just swung-off-the-horse vibe?
Once you've got that figured out, it’s time to choose between widths (casual belts usually clock in at around 1.5 inches wide; formal belts 1.25 inches), and buckle types (clean and classic buckles skew formal; rugged, D-ring buckles skew casual).
Finally, and perhaps most importantly: figure out your proper waist size. Pros tend to go about 1 or 2 inches up for a fit that’s snug but not restrictive, which also leaves a little room for any winter weight anybody reading this definitely won’t gain.
How We Make These Picks
We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.
To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.
We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.
Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.
Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a superlative version on this list for you. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)
How We Test and Review Products
Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.
Our staffers aren’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and know the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.