I’m reading online that most belts for slacks, chinos, or trousers in that variety should range between 1-1/4″ and 1-3/8″ (32mm – 35mm). Meanwhile, jeans should have belts as wide as 1-1/2″ for the size of the belt loops alone. I’m of the personal persuasion that the belt width should match the height of the person (that is, leaning toward 1-1/4″ for shorter folks and 1-3/8″ for taller individuals), and that the thickness of the belt should be at around 8-9 oz thickness for both the profile of the ensemble and to be strong enough to hold up the weight of lighter trousers. As for cotton jeans, the oz thickness should be somewhere between 9-11oz to be able to hold up the weight of the jeans as they gain weight from sweat during the day, but I don’t yet agree that the width of the belts should be 1-1/2″ for the belt loops alone, as I think there is such a thing as a belts too thin and too wide for men or the men-adjacent below a certain height.

However, I’m open to being corrected. I hope that 1-3/8″ (35 mm) buckles aren’t too in-demand because they’re quite hard to find at a reasonable price.

For this part, I haven’t found too much information online to go against my opinion. There are essentially round buckles, square buckles, and rectangular buckles, center bar and heel barred construction, plate and open, roller and no roller, single tongue and double tongue. Meanwhile, slack end shapes vary much more. They include half round, arched (very round), english point, dress round (triangular and rounded at the point), dress squared (triangular and a squared point), completely squared-off, and salt-boxed (angled upward and squared).

I think there is a combination of buckle shape and end-slack shape that tend to match. That is, round with round, rectangular with dress round/dress squared, etc. I do feel that round buckles or plates give off an immediate western vibe but can match with english point or rounded slack, center bar buckles and english point push medieval/renaissance energy, and double tongue and roller buckles are more industrial and would suit a squared or rounded end slack. That would leave rectangular buckles with dress round or dress squared slack.

I also think that the buckle and slack end shapes should match the front-bottom curvatures in a coat. That is, a coat with a squared off flap would better suit a squared or rectangular buckle, while rounded flaps suit rounded buckles.

Am I in the right mode of thinking? Where am I wrong, if so?

How imperative are edge tapers to a belt? I can create tapers in a belt, and I don’t have to stitch to make that possible, but I also don’t want to make them if they’re not popular. Edge-creasing is also quite easy for me, but I feel that would draw too much attention to an area that is meant to bring together an ensemble and not showcase itself, or show off the crotch.

Is edge stitching a big deal? Are people out looking for belts with edge stitching? In my experience, a stitch helps to prevent some stretch, and it looks great when done right, but it’s not incredibly necessary, I don’t think. It also increases my workload and increases my prices, but again, I want to make things that are going to sell.

I’d rather make belt savers out of leather than to order any metal online, but I’d like to know what the short and end of this is for people who care about it.

So far as color goes, what are the most popular ones? Which belts draw your eye when you go to the store? Brown, blue, black? I’d like to make more plain and beige belts, but those aren’t doing too well in the shop, and I don’t want to dye if I don’t have to, but I can certainly manage a brown color with a wax. That’s easy, and brown goes with most color clothing except for blacks and greys.

I want to find your pulse on leather quality VS the price for a belt. My current pricing for belts is like:

Are these appropriate? How do you all gauge price and leather quality? For me, I’m in it and I know what quality a leather is by touch and sight, but I want to know how you all look at it from a consumer stand-point. What does a belt need to do to cost $100? What’s the bare minimum that a belt must do to cost $30?

Chicago screws are my preferred method of keeping a belt together because you can take them off to clean or treat the belt and replace the buckle, screws, and saver as needed, but I fear that they might cause too much of an industrial appearance that would deter would-be buyers. So, what are your thoughts on chicago screws vs stitching to hold buckles on a strap? Are they a no-go for dress belts?

I’m reading online that most belts for slacks, chinos, or trousers in that variety should range between 1-1/4″ and 1-3/8″ (32mm – 35mm). Meanwhile, jeans should have belts as wide as 1-1/2″ for the size of the belt loops alone. I’m of the personal persuasion that the belt width should match the height of the person (that is, leaning toward 1-1/4″ for shorter folks and 1-3/8″ for taller individuals), and that the thickness of the belt should be at around 8-9 oz thickness for both the profile of the ensemble and to be strong enough to hold up the weight of lighter trousers. As for cotton jeans, the oz thickness should be somewhere between 9-11oz to be able to hold up the weight of the jeans as they gain weight from sweat during the day, but I don’t yet agree that the width of the belts should be 1-1/2″ for the belt loops alone, as I think there is such a thing as a belts too thin and too wide for men or the men-adjacent below a certain height.

However, I’m open to being corrected. I hope that 1-3/8″ (35 mm) buckles aren’t too in-demand because they’re quite hard to find at a reasonable price.

For this part, I haven’t found too much information online to go against my opinion. There are essentially round buckles, square buckles, and rectangular buckles, center bar and heel barred construction, plate and open, roller and no roller, single tongue and double tongue. Meanwhile, slack end shapes vary much more. They include half round, arched (very round), english point, dress round (triangular and rounded at the point), dress squared (triangular and a squared point), completely squared-off, and salt-boxed (angled upward and squared).

I think there is a combination of buckle shape and end-slack shape that tend to match. That is, round with round, rectangular with dress round/dress squared, etc. I do feel that round buckles or plates give off an immediate western vibe but can match with english point or rounded slack, center bar buckles and english point push medieval/renaissance energy, and double tongue and roller buckles are more industrial and would suit a squared or rounded end slack. That would leave rectangular buckles with dress round or dress squared slack.

I also think that the buckle and slack end shapes should match the front-bottom curvatures in a coat. That is, a coat with a squared off flap would better suit a squared or rectangular buckle, while rounded flaps suit rounded buckles.

Am I in the right mode of thinking? Where am I wrong, if so?

How imperative are edge tapers to a belt? I can create tapers in a belt, and I don’t have to stitch to make that possible, but I also don’t want to make them if they’re not popular. Edge-creasing is also quite easy for me, but I feel that would draw too much attention to an area that is meant to bring together an ensemble and not showcase itself, or show off the crotch.

Is edge stitching a big deal? Are people out looking for belts with edge stitching? In my experience, a stitch helps to prevent some stretch, and it looks great when done right, but it’s not incredibly necessary, I don’t think. It also increases my workload and increases my prices, but again, I want to make things that are going to sell.

I’d rather make belt savers out of leather than to order any metal online, but I’d like to know what the short and end of this is for people who care about it.

So far as color goes, what are the most popular ones? Which belts draw your eye when you go to the store? Brown, blue, black? I’d like to make more plain and beige belts, but those aren’t doing too well in the shop, and I don’t want to dye if I don’t have to, but I can certainly manage a brown color with a wax. That’s easy, and brown goes with most color clothing except for blacks and greys.

I want to find your pulse on leather quality VS the price for a belt. My current pricing for belts is like:

Are these appropriate? How do you all gauge price and leather quality? For me, I’m in it and I know what quality a leather is by touch and sight, but I want to know how you all look at it from a consumer stand-point. What does a belt need to do to cost $100? What’s the bare minimum that a belt must do to cost $30?

Chicago screws are my preferred method of keeping a belt together because you can take them off to clean or treat the belt and replace the buckle, screws, and saver as needed, but I fear that they might cause too much of an industrial appearance that would deter would-be buyers. So, what are your thoughts on chicago screws vs stitching to hold buckles on a strap? Are they a no-go for dress belts?