Black Leather Belt vs Brown Leather Belt: Which Is Better?

There seem to be so many rules about matching belts, shoes, and outfits that it can honestly get overwhelming fast.

Do you buy a black leather belt or a brown leather belt? What about the buckle? Which one is the most versatile?

I’ll let you in on a little secret here.

The key is simplicity. Less is more. Most importantly, the choice heavily depends on how you wear your belts.

That’s why in today’s guide I will break down the:

• Key features to look for in your staple leather belt 
• Benefits of both the brown and black leather belt 
• Tips on shopping for a quality leather belt and coordinating it with your wardrobe

• 9-ounce Horween® full grain leather - Beautiful and durable leather grade that becomes more beautiful with age.
• Neutral, natural brown leather tone - Neutral leather tone that isn’t too warm or cool and coordinates with multiple outfit and shoe colors.
• Solid brass buckle and rivets - Solid brass metal ware is long-lasting and ages just as charmingly as the leather.
• 1.5-inch strap width - The perfect width to go from formal to casual dress and suits a variety of body types.
• Burnished and polished belt edges - The burnished sheen increases the wearability of the belt for a variety of occasions.

• Dark brown or natural brown leather belts go with every outfit color and almost every shoe except black and tan.
• Full grain leather and solid brass buckles coupled with handmade construction ensure durability and lifelong use.
• The classic strap width fits all belt loops and suits for both formal and casual wear.
• The lifetime guarantee means you get a quality product we stand by and any repairs for free.

In a nutshell, the Natural Brown Leather Belt gives you versatility, durability and beautiful, skilled construction. Check the latest price below and read other customers’ experience of the belt.

Now that I’ve discussed all the key features and reasons why a natural brown leather belt is a wardrobe essential, how does the black belt compare?

Natural Brown Leather Belt	Black Leather Belt
Goes with medium blue or gray tones	Goes with gray, black or white tones
Great for casual dress, jeans and khakis	Great for formal wear
Goes with earthy warm tones	Doesn’t go with warm brown tones
Doesn’t go with black	Doesn’t go with light colors such as light jeans washes or tan

If your wardrobe leans toward more formal wear and cool tones, then a Black Leather Belt is the best fit.

If you’ve ever had your belt split open like a banana peel or bulge and peel, then you understand the pain of searching for durable accessories.

In my opinion, a leather belt needs to work from boardroom to barbecue and every weekday in between and look better for it. To achieve this, you need the trifecta of features:

• High-quality, full-grain leather
• Burnished and polished finish
• Solid brass hardware

Full grain leather is the most durable leather because, apart from the removal of hair, its natural grain remains intact and unaltered. It retains its oil-absorption properties and, therefore, its suppleness and ability to form a patina over time.

I’ve compared full-grain leather to a walnut table with a live edge when discussing leather grades.

Ideally, you’re not looking for the mass-produced uniformity of pigment-dyeing; rather, you’re looking for a belt with character that gets better with age.

When you think about it, manufacturing leather belts without altering the leather surface means that:

• We’re starting with the highest quality raw hides as a non-negotiable.
• The tanning process and knowledge is the best in the game bar none.

That’s why Popov Leather belts exclusively use Horween Leather, building on 100 years of excellence in leather tanning. It’s worth the splurge.

Do you know what makes me cringe? Seeing a too-narrow belt on a husky guy. It unflatteringly emphasizes the body proportions. The same goes for a massive belt on a smaller man.

So, what belt width is appropriate? 1.5 inches.

It’s wide enough to be functional and to appropriately accessorize more casual outfits, like jeans and khaki pants.

Additionally, a 1.5-inch leather belt works just great for formal occasions, provided the leather is smooth with a sheen.

That’s why you really need to look for leather belt straps that are burnished and polished to a sheen because of their versatility. The more textured the belt is, the more casual its application.

It’s been my experience that inexpensive belts will often have lower-quality leather or artificial leather, poor construction, and glossy finishes to mask the imperfections.

What you get for cheap is a good-looking belt that falls apart after a few months of regular wear.

Your options for a leather belt with longevity fall into the designer brands category, high street brands or specialized handmade outfits like Popov Leather. Here’s the pricing comparison between the three vendor options.

I may be biased, but I’ll pick handmade any day knowing that the leather source is trackable, the manufacture is carried out by skilled craftsmen, and each piece tells a story.

I take tremendous pride in the leather belts we make at Popov Leather that are simple, well-designed and get the job done for as long as you need them to.

Our customers feel the same about the:

• Quality of leather
• Detailed and skilled construction
• Versatility of the belts for everyday wear
• Durability of the belts

Check out what some of our happy customers had to say.

Cracking, bulging, splitting, and peeling often point to impression leather. The obvious tells of real leather are the aroma, the feel and the patina.

Real leather:

• Has a rich aroma, while impression leather has no smell or carries a chemical smell
• Is soft, flexible, grainy and warm to the touch, while impression leather feels cool and stiff
• Develops character and patina the more you use it

The rule of thumb is black goes with black; focus on matching the textures and materials.

For example, a full grain black leather belt goes better with rugged boots than patent leather shoes. On the other hand, shades of brown darker than tan can be intermixed provided their cool or warm tones match. Never mix black with brown.

The goal is to coordinate rather than to match. If you’re going for the traditional, conservative aesthetic, then matching belt and shoes tone for tone is the way to go.

That said, the current fashion allows you to coordinate leather tones that aren’t exactly the same but go well together.

So you’ve got your neutral brown belt in the closet, but what other belts form great additions to your accessories?

Hand made from full grain, 9 oz. Horween leather with solid brass metal wear, these three belts will round out your collection:

• Black Leather Belt - The black belt is your second neutral that coordinates with any cool and dark colors.
• English Tan Leather Belt - The rugged counterpart to your neutral brown belt, this tan belt lends its outdoorsy vibe to casual outfits, earthy tones, and well-loved boots.
• Heritage Brown Leather Belt - The warm brown tone of this leather has both a vintage feel and a handy versatility that can take whatever you throw at it.

If you’re like me and you love buying well-made products that last a lifetime, then the Popov Leather belts, with their rich, durable, full-grain leather and skilled construction, are well worth your investment. You’ll love that you get to wear them every day and they just look better and better as their patina develops.

And listen—if forced to pick one, the Natural Brown Leather Belt takes the cake just because it's the most versatile. That doesn’t mean that you can’t build up a more complete leather collection with other brown belts and a black to truly make your options limitless.