# Matching belt to shoe color?



## Larey (Dec 1, 2007)

I understand the basics - black shoes I wear a black belt, brown shoes wear a brown belt. Now, to refine the principle and thinking of office wear;

How close do your brown belts match the brown shoes you pair them with?

Is the color of the brown (reddish vs ...less reddish) more important than the shade?

I have a couple of "polished cobbler" brown belts that are almost black - are there any combinations of slacks/shoes these are especially suited for?

Thanks!


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## Taxler (Oct 22, 2006)

I choose a belt with the same basic shade of color and a similar amount of shine. They don't need to be exact.


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

no, not exact. While I'd tend to say "as close as possible", I'm sure that you could actually do something with complementary light and dark shades of brown for more casual wear.


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## Bishop of Briggs (Sep 7, 2007)

Larey said:


> How close do your brown belts match the brown shoes you pair them with?
> Thanks!


Exactly. Buy from Crockett & Jones. They sell belts to match the shoes!


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

Bishop of Briggs said:


> Exactly. Buy from Crockett & Jones. They sell belts to match the shoes!


It's one of those things though that can lead to accusations of pedantry and may make you look a little obsessed. Particularly if you start matching texture as well.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

Yes, I think belt-shoe matching is overemphasized. Get you basic color family down and don't worry about it.


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## Larey (Dec 1, 2007)

*The problem*



Bishop of Briggs said:


> Exactly. Buy from Crockett & Jones. They sell belts to match the shoes!


A similar strategy started my problem - I bought Allen-Edmonds in Chili red-brown and really like that the belt and shoes matched well. My next AEs were in Antibe Brown, but they were a discontinued model and it appears AE is no longer stocking that color (simple unadorned brown) in their belt selection... nor is anyone else for that matter.

I may have to stop buying discontinued shoe models, and start paying full price just to avoid obsessing over the match, or perhaps I'll switch to Crockett & Jones... Do you know where their Denver, Colorado, USA store might be located?


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## Larey (Dec 1, 2007)

*yes*



AlanC said:


> Yes, I think belt-shoe matching is overemphasized. Get you basic color family down and don't worry about it.


Yes, that makes good sense. Just one more brown belt and I should be all set, or maybe two more...


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## Bishop of Briggs (Sep 7, 2007)

Larey said:


> Do you know where their Denver, Colorado, USA store might be located?


C&J have store in NYC and have a mail order service. You can order a catalogue via the website - https://www.crockettandjones.co.uk/. If you call them, they could recommend a retailer nearer to where you live.

You can also order C&J shoes from Pediwear which offers an excellent service to customers in the US. AAAC members recommends the firm for British footwear.


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## NoVaguy (Oct 15, 2004)

AlanC said:


> Yes, I think belt-shoe matching is overemphasized. Get you basic color family down and don't worry about it.


exactly. i generally think of my browns as coming in 3 colors - dark, medium and light. that's as far as i go matching. plus suede, burgundy and black for shoes in those colors. i don't bother with shell cordovan - just grab a calf belt that's close.

for tan suedes (i'm thinking clark's desert boots), any type of brown or a ribbon/cotton belt.


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## WinstonSpencer (Mar 12, 2006)

I agree with most of the above. Like most things, this draws another question. What about buckle matching. Does a brass bucket require jewelry attire to be gold, and a nickel buckle to be silver?


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## jml90 (Dec 7, 2005)

I need to get some more belts I've just been wearing web belts with chinos or jeans and braces with suits.


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## ciscostud (Jan 3, 2007)

Yeah, but my problem with C&J belts is that only the black appears to come with a silver colored nickel buckle. All other belts appear to come with a gold colored brass buckle. I like to match my metals and I don't like brass buckles when I wear silver colored metal for everything.


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## dfloyd (May 7, 2006)

*I'm glad I seldom wear a belt...*

one less thing to obsses over. The best place to buy Crocket & Jones from the US is P. Lal in Malaysia. Crockett & Jones store in NYC and Ben Silver in Charlston will be about $725 for handgrade, while P. Lal will be around $500. Some times Pediwear will match their price.


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## SpookyTurtle (Nov 4, 2007)

This is too complicated, I'm just going to use a piece of rope. :icon_smile_big:


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## stainless (Aug 27, 2007)

SpookyTurtle said:


> This is too complicated, I'm just going to use a piece of rope. :icon_smile_big:


Don't forget to tie an onion to it! :icon_smile_wink:


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

Stick with the same color family...matching the shoe and belt color exactly looks too "matchy matchy."


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## NoVaguy (Oct 15, 2004)

WinstonSpencer said:


> I agree with most of the above. Like most things, this draws another question. What about buckle matching. Does a brass bucket require jewelry attire to be gold, and a nickel buckle to be silver?


my solution is simple. i don't wear jewelry or watches. thus, no matching problems.


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## miamimike (Oct 18, 2007)

I have a pair of AE chili hale shoes. Also a pair of Moreschi cognac/tan shoes. What color belt would you suggest I wear? I have a chocolate brown belt, would that be ok to wear with the Moreschi shoes? What color should I get for the AE chili color shoes? 

Personally I was thinking it would be ok to wear the chocolate belt with the Moreschi shoes, and a chestnut color belt for the Chili shoes. Im not to much into matching shoes and belt colors, always thought it looked to uniform. Any advice would be great. Thanks. 

What do you also think of the croc, lizard, snake embossed (fake) belts?


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## gnatty8 (Nov 7, 2006)

AlanC said:


> Yes, I think belt-shoe matching is overemphasized. Get you basic color family down and don't worry about it.


Excellent advice which I also follow religiously.


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## LD111134 (Dec 21, 2007)

I have a limted number of belts two black (one "jeans-style" and one dressier), one pebble grain medium-brown, one burgundy, one British tan (I think that's what the shade is called), one chili (brass-tipped) and one deep brown (almost black; jeans style). These match everything in my rotation - not exactly, but close enough (e.g. the burgundy belt pairs up well with my AE Stockbridges in chili).


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## ChicagoMediaMan-27 (Feb 23, 2008)

I think they should match as close to each other as possible. They don't have to be a perfect match, but close. I would never wear a chocolate brown belt with chili brown shoes, even though they are in the same color family.


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

I just match the color family as others have said.


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## HISMES PARIS (Mar 26, 2008)

WinstonSpencer said:


> I agree with most of the above. Like most things, this draws another question. What about buckle matching. Does a brass bucket require jewelry attire to be gold, and a nickel buckle to be silver?


I definitely don't mix gold colors with silver colors. Belt, cufflinks, and watch all come into the equation. I suppose a wedding ring might be an exception :icon_smile_big:


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