MALE CALL

Belt loops were meant to be used on suit pants

Q I read in GQ that you should not wear a belt with a suit, is that true? If so, why would they have the belt loops?

A I, too read that strange advice in GQ. I cannot imagine what the writer was thinking. You are certainly right that suit manufacturers put the belt loops there for a reason, and the reason is to be used.

Men's trousers are designed in two different ways: some have belt loops for wearing with a belt, and some have side tabs for tightening/adjusting the waist when not wearing a belt. The choice is up to you.

In certain cases belt loops are not necessary.

The primary reason is if a man is a regular wearer of "braces" (the upscale -- and British -- term for suspenders that are attached to trousers with buttons). Those tacky metal clip-on suspenders that some men wear are designed for wear on overalls or little boys' pants; they don't even merit the term "braces." Well-dressed men who wear braces on a regular basis have a tailor sew six buttons inside the waistbands of their suit trousers; they then also have the unnecessary belt loops removed.

Better suits and custom-made suits are often made with small adjustable side tabs of fabric on the waistbands of the trousers. These adjust the waist size, making a belt unnecessary. Side tabs are a matter of personal preference. A lot of men like the resulting clean look and the trim effect. Others feel "undressed" without a belt, and choose to have belt loops and a belt, rather than side tabs, even on their custom suits.

In either case, you should decide which is your personal dressing style; then choose one or the other. Do not wear a belt and braces; do not have belt loops and side tabs on the same pair of trousers. In other words, belt loops have a purpose; they are there to hold your belt in place. They are not one of those sartorial touches that are there for show.

Some clothing items/parts of clothing are real and useful, while some are just for show. Many aspects of men's clothing are relics from the past, based on history rather than need. And a few are somewhere in between, since they once had a purpose and now no longer do. Here are a few examples:

• Neckties started out as decorative scarves that imperial Roman legionnaires wore tucked into their armor or simply tied. The scarves were not worn by the general public but only by soldiers as a badge of honor.

• The breast pocket on a man's jacket has a reason for being there; it is to hold a pocket square. The men's clothing designer, Alan Flusser, once said to me, "The pocket was put there for a purpose -- and it was not to collect debris."

• The pocket square tucked into a man's breast pocket is designed for show, not for use; it adds a note of sartorial flair to a man's combination. Handkerchiefs that are actually to be used are kept in a trouser pocket and are certainly not made of silk.

• The buttonhole on the jacket's lapel was originally for a flower. Even though very few men wear a boutonniere these days, suits still have that buttonhole.

• The small ticket pocket on some of today's finer suit jackets is hardly ever used to hold tickets. It is there strictly for style and show.

• Cuffs on trousers originated in England, where they were called "turn-ups." They resulted from a man's turning up the bottoms of his trousers to protect them from soiling as he walked around his country estate. Accordingly, men wore cuffs on their tweedy suits and country flannels, but not on their formal wear. Today most well-tailored trousers have cuffs, but trousers for black-tie formal wear never have cuffs.

• The four buttons on the sleeves of suit jackets are explained in a couple of ways. The story we hear most often (which I rather doubt) is that they were put there in medieval times to prevent men from boorishly wiping their noses on their sleeves. The much more likely reason was that all men wore their jackets no matter what they were doing. Whether reading a book, climbing a mountain, or merely working in their own garden, they kept their jackets on. Thanks to the functioning sleeve buttons, a man could just unbutton and roll up the sleeves without removing his jacket, thus, preventing it from getting dirty. In those days, taking one's jacket off in public was akin to stripping down to his underwear.

So, back to your question: Belt loops are there for a reason. If they are on a suit, you need a belt.

Please send men's fashion queries to Male Call:

[email protected]

High Profile on 03/18/2018

Upcoming Events