Q. I went to buy a belt to go with my new medium-brown (chile) dress shoes. The shoe store also sells nice belts and I figured I could find one that matched. But the colors were off. They were different shades of brown. The salesman said they did not have to match exactly. Is he right?
A. Yes, he is definitely right. Not only do dress shoes and belts not have to exactly match, but sometimes they definitely should not. In truth, not every expert would agree with me; but this is my strong opinion.
Here is one of those areas where men's dressing and women's dressing are totally different. When a woman combines two items with exactly matching colors and patterns, she is wearing a smart "outfit." When a man matches two identically patterned items (that are not pieces of a suit!), such as a tie and braces (suspenders) or a tie-and-pocket-square matched set, he looks tacky, as if he were dressed out of a kit.
Coordination is the key for men, not exact matching.
When pairing a belt and shoes for a dressy occasion, it is important to choose items in the same basic color family, usually brown or black. They need not mirror the very same shade or degree of darkness.
Matching them too closely could look like you're trying too hard. It is an unsophisticated look. Still, the two colors should be in the same ballpark; for example, chestnut and chocolate are usually close enough, but dark, reddish brown and light tan are not.
Of course, black shoes are sure to work with black clothes. And some shade of brown shoes with a brown belt is always a good look. On the other hand, I am not fond of black shoes with a brown belt or vice versa.
In addition, dress shoes and belt do not need to be the same type of leather or the same texture. As an example, dark cordovan shoes can be paired with a somewhat lighter (both in color and texture) brown calf belt. (Cordovan hide is generally too rugged to make a supple, comfortable belt.) Avoid brown suede shoes with a brown suede belt. Again, too matchy. Instead, choose some shade of medium brown leather belt.
With belts, less is more. A fine strip of supple, well-finished leather and a plain, understated buckle are all that a belt should be. Whether black or brown, a dress belt should not only be in the same color family as the shoes but also as dressy or casual as the rest of the combination. Do not combine a dress belt with casual shoes.
Opting for a showy or decorative belt buckle with a suit or dress pants is not wise. On the other hand, when dressing down, say, in jeans or shorts, you have a lot more flexibility: Your belt and your shoes can be more colorful, more flamboyant, and more fun. This could be the time for brightly colored boat shoes or moccasins and D-ring cotton belts. However, do not try to match them to each other.
For business and dressy social occasions, the V-shaped cut of suit lapels and a carefully combined suit and tie selection are calculated to draw people's attention to your face. There is no logical reason to draw their attention to your waistline. Avoid turquoise stones and large silver buckles. Keep away from buckles with designers' initials. Stay with quiet, tasteful belts that hold up your trousers and have no message to send.
Finally, returning to the idea of pairing, an alligator belt should not be matched up with alligator shoes. While an alligator belt is widely considered to be one of those I-wish-I-owned-one luxuries in a man's wardrobe, alligator shoes send the opposite message. Worn by rich mobster types, they tend to shout "new money." Over the years, some of my readers have told me that new money is better than no money. They're probably right, but in the real world, where we are often judged by our appearance, why not send the very best message we can about ourselves?
Send men's fashion queries to Male Call:
Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile on 07/05/2015