+1! Belt and shoes for sure. Ideal is that the watch should match also, but I do not live in an ideal world!
Should shoes, belt and watch strap match?
- Thread starter Rusty Blade
- Start date
+1! Belt and shoes for sure. Ideal is that the watch should match also, but I do not live in an ideal world!
I believe you should. I always did. I wore a dress watch as well. Stainless looks a bit tacky.
And don't forget the colour of your metals... belt, strap buckles...
I try to match all 3 if going out in the evening, but shades of brown do not always match the watch band. I don’t want to buy that many watch bands. Suede shoes are the exception for sure.
Belt and shoes yes, but I am not wearing steel shoes and belt to match my watch(!)
I definitely match belts with shoes, and (most of the time) with watches. My exceptions are watches that sport interesting, colorful straps. For example, I've gold, platinum and steel watches that have variously red, green, blue and yellow alligator straps. These make nice accents, and for me, are acceptable exceptions to the matching leathers rule.
jackgoldman123
Boring and predictable
+1I think they have 12 step groups that can be helpful for these compulsions.
I was blown away when different socks was "A thing".
ahhhh..... the blind grab, first thing in the morning. must be before that first venti at starbucks kind of thing...
thanks Dave!
chris
thanks Dave!
chris
Well, technically they were two things.
touche and well played
Why stop there?
What about hats, gloves, spectacles, wallet, briefcase, tie-pin, collar-bar, cuff-links, pocket-watch?
Leathers, metals, cloths...they should all match, or be complementary to each other, in a business or semi-formal/formal environment.
Do not wear black and brown leathers together.
Do not wear silver and gold together.
Do not wear suede at all, except as casual sport-attire.
Do not wear tinted or colour-dyed leathers at all, except as casual-wear, and then they need all match.
Cordovan or oxblood is no exception. All hides must match.
Variation in tone of leather is acceptable if not too pronounced, e.g. brown and tan do not go together.
Never wear a tweed suit, brown suit or double-breasted suit for business or semi-formal occasions.
Do not wear braces with trousers containing belt loops, only with trousers designed for braces...and never wear belt and braces!
Do not wear trousers without cuffs. However, forward or reverse pleats are now both acceptable styles.
If your French-cuffs protrude entirely from your suit's sleeve, return to your tailor for adjustment.
Never wear a tight-fitting suit, no matter how popular they are. They will look ridiculous soon, if they don't already.
Prêt-à-porter suits and garments are notoriously shabby in construction. But if you must, errant threads should be nipped or burnt off prior to wearing.
And of course it goes without saying that shirt buttons, belt buckle and trouser-fly must be aligned, laces must mirror each other, cuff-links must be rotated to match, handkerchief should achieve two neat points, all metals must be bright and polished (none of this satin-bronze rubbish), and above all, the neck-tie must not sag!
Perhaps you're yearning for sartorial liberty? If so, I'll offer you this indulgence: You may, if you wish, leave the bottom button of your waist-coat unbuttoned, but know that it is frowned upon with a dark business suit and especially in black or white-tie ensembles. Otherwise, it is considered the gentlemen's prerogative.
It is apparent that most of you espouse impeccable taste and are in no need of my conservative admonitions. However, a few dear souls amongst us seem to have lost their way, corrupted by the nihilistic influence of heretical millennials, shamelessly flaunting their sophomoric fantasies as modern style.
We must all strive to maintain our sartorial dignity in the face of this barbaric onslaught...
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+1Generally, yes for shoes and belt.
If you are wearing a funky belt which otherwise suits your chosen attire, it need not match the shoes.
Generally, if you can avoid a brown belt with black shoes and avoid a black belt with brown shoes, you are good to go.
Watch strap colour need not match ... ever.
For watches, use a steel band with a leather face, or vice versa. Shoes need to be leather with wooden soles. This is just a general rule but seems to work for me.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Very well done indeed
Preserving our dignity is so overlooked these days
Leather shoes with wooden soles?
You must be a Dutchman.
And I've never worn a wrist-watch with a leather face...must be another Dutch thing.
In fact, I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've no leather-faces whatsoever in my wardrobe.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Wooden shoes attract termites
Too much thought for in the morning.
IMO it is irrelevant if the watch band matches the shoes & belt, as most people will not notice. Ignoring the fact that a watch may often be invisible under a shirt sleeve, the visual surface areas are different and each becomes prominent in different fields of view.
In the 'far" field of view where you are noticing someone 10 to 100+ feet away the shoes and belt help frame a person's body. If the shades of color are too far out of balance it will create an odd look. At that scale no one is really noticing the watch or watch band.
In the "near" field of view where a person is having a conversation with another, the focus is more on that person's face and a lesser extent on their hands. The shoes and belt are no longer in focus. In any case a watch is already an unbalanced piece of attire that does not beg for symmetry with other items IMO.
In the 'far" field of view where you are noticing someone 10 to 100+ feet away the shoes and belt help frame a person's body. If the shades of color are too far out of balance it will create an odd look. At that scale no one is really noticing the watch or watch band.
In the "near" field of view where a person is having a conversation with another, the focus is more on that person's face and a lesser extent on their hands. The shoes and belt are no longer in focus. In any case a watch is already an unbalanced piece of attire that does not beg for symmetry with other items IMO.
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