Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
Thick, veg-tan belts are great, particularly when you are wearing raw denim everyday, but they can be a bit cumbersome if you’re wearing thin chinos, twill shorts, or other lightweight summer clothes. This week, we’re exploring the world of woven leather belts, which maintain the durability and appeal of a leather belt but help add a bit of prep and variation to your outfits.
1) J. Crew: 3cm Woven Leather Belt in Brown
J. Crew’s Woven Leather Belt is great option if you are looking for a woven leather belt that is still strictly casual. This lack of formality is due in part to the 3cm strips of leather used to weave this belt, which are wider and thicker than the leather used to produce many other woven belts. This belt is dyed a medium brown and features a brass colored roller buckle, making it extremely versatile if you decide to make it part of your daily wear.
Available for $55 from Mr. Porter.
2) Caputo & Co.: Slim Braided Leather Belt in Navy
One of the benefits of woven belts is that they fasten between the woven strips of leather, which both offers more sizes and helps to create a more exact fit. Caputo & Co.’s Slim Braided Leather Belt in Navy, while still on the casual end of the spectrum, does have a certain preppy quality to it, and the navy color of the leather and silver toned buckle will give your outfits a certain amount of pop without being too overpowering.
Available for $79 from Need Supply.
3) Allen Edmonds: Woven Inlay Dress Belt in Black
While most of the belts on this list are fairly casual, Allen Edmonds Woven Inlay Dress Belt in Black is about as formal as a woven belt can be. In addition to belt’s smooth leather edges and black color, the narrow width of the leather strands make it the perfect belt to add something a bit different to some of your dressed up outfits. It comes in a variety of colors so you’ll surely be able to find one that matches the hues of your wardrobe perfectly.
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Available for $130 from Allen Edmonds.
4) Dr. Collectors: Lot. B12 in Natural
Dr. Collectors consistently release some of the most unique items on the market, and their Lot. B12 Belt in Natural is one of them. It’s woven from thick, veg tan leathers that, though different from most woven belts, creates a great finished product. The design also features a double pronged buckle and a strip of solid leather for the buckle holes. While the buckle — which doesn’t fasten between the woven strips of leather — takes some of the fun out of this woven option, it definitely makes up for that with its distinct style.
Available for $185 from Trading Post LA.
5) Farnese: Leather Woven Belt in Cognac and Brown “Intreccio”
Farnese’s “Intreccio” Leather Woven Belt is pretty different from other woven leather belts. It uses two different colors of fine leather cord to create a herringbone-esque pattern, and is woven around an elastic band to make the belt extra comfortable. This stretchiness, in addition to the fact that you can buckle this one between any of the woven strands, make the fit very forgiving. Each belt is handmade in Italy and comes in a variety of colorways.
Available for $145 from No Man Walks Alone.
Plus One – Il Micio: Multi-Color Linked Boho Belt
Il Micio’s Linked Boho Belt isn’t a traditional woven belt, and that’s just what we like about it. It’s made from eighteen different colors of goatskin that are linked together in a chain pattern, and features a deadstock vintage silver toned buckle on the end. Each belt is handmade, giving them even more unique character than they already had. While this belt isn’t for everybody I know, there’s certainly someone out there who’ll fall in love with it.
Available for $265 from No Man Walks Alone.
