Belt Size Guide
Your trousers size is not always the same as your belt size!
If you buy shoes, they have to be the right size. It’s similar with a belt.
We have found that there is such a huge variation in the actual size of clothing, according to style, cut, fabric, current trends, and especially whereabouts on the waist that the belt is to be worn, that using standard inches (or centimetres) was the best way.
Please check your belt size carefully
- Take a belt you like to wear
- Measure the leather part only
- Measure from where the leather turns over the buckle to the current hole you most often use
- Remember to ensure the width of the belt will fit through garment waist band loops if required
Please select the most appropriate size from the dropdown list. We can also make in-between sizes.
As a rough guide…
It works for many people to simply add two inches (5cm) to their trouser size in order to find their belt size.
Please be aware that this doesn’t work for everyone so if you need to compare your own belt measurement to our size ranges, here’s how the holes measure up:
NB. Measurements are taken from where the leather turns over the buckle to the centre of the range of holes and are approximate. We allow a tolerance of around a quarter of an inch (just over half a centimetre).
Ranges are given as a rough guide… we can also make smaller, larger and in-between sizes.
|
Belt size, inches |
Range of holes, inches |
Belt size, centimetres |
Range of holes, centimetres |
UK garment size (approx) |
|
24 |
21-27 |
61 |
53-69 |
4 |
|
26 |
23-29 |
66 |
58-74 |
6 |
|
28 |
25-31 |
71 |
63-79 |
8 |
|
30 |
27-33 |
76 |
69-84 |
10 |
|
32 |
29-35 |
81 |
74-89 |
12 |
|
34 |
31-37 |
86 |
79-94 |
14 |
|
36 |
33-39 |
91 |
84-99 |
16 |
|
38 |
35-41 |
96 |
89-104 |
18 |
|
40 |
37-43 |
102 |
94-109 |
20 |
|
42 |
39-45 |
107 |
99-114 |
22 |
|
44 |
41-47 |
112 |
104-119 |
24 |
|
46 |
43-49 |
117 |
109-125 |
26 |
|
48 |
45-51 |
122 |
114-130 |
28 |
For any longer, one-piece belts outside these ranges in some colours, please ask about current leather availability.
If you have any other queries regarding size, please contact us and we will do our best to help.
Will it fit?
Q. If I buy a 36 inch belt for 36 inch trousers, will it fit?
A. Possibly.
Remember that the extra thickness of the leather* needs to go around the waistband of the trousers, which goes around the wearer.
Waistbands are generally thicker than the garment fabric as they are made from a folded (therefore doubled) fabric thickness, and they often contain an extra piece of another fabric to give it a bit of body. This thickened waistband then goes around the waist/hips of the person wearing it.
It’s surprising how these extra layers can mean it’s usually an extra two inches (5cm) of our sturdy, functional belt leather that is needed to go around the new owner of a TBM belt.
In summary, it’s best to buy a 38 inch belt for 36 inch trousers if you are unable to confirm the measurements precisely.
At TBM we are usually happy to exchange or give credit for our belts when they turn out to be too big or too small so you can buy with confidence. If you would like to talk to us about sizing, just give us a call or drop us a line.
*usually 1⁄8 inch or 3.5-4mm for Sedgwick leather and 1/4 inch or around 6mm for our Devon leather