lThe Black Dress Belt

This is the most formal belt in your collection. You should never wear a belt with a tuxedo or traditional formal wear, but if there's a great suit that requires something black and dressy, we recommend a slim leather belt (1"- 1 1/4") with a simple silver buckle.

If you can spring for an exotic skin, like this lizard, it will add a unique texture that is all luxury.

Our favorite online right now: the "Windsor" lizard belt by Trafalgar.

lThe Brown Dress Belt

In my personal collection this is the one that gets the most use. I wear a lot of tailoring, often with brown shoes (more brown in LA, more black in NYC). Again, for a dress belt we like something slim (around 1" wide) and we prefer the exotics, like this American Alligator.

lThe Rugged Denim Belt

For a casual weekend involving jeans and/or other workwear-inspired pieces, look for a belt that is a little wider (1 1/2" or so) and cut from a thick, rugged bridle leather that is ready to take a beating.

Our favorite online right now: the "Double Prong" belt by Filson.