Whether or not it is stylish to wear a suit with a belt is one of the all-time major dress-up disputes. This is one of those ongoing sartorial arguments that has lots of opinion on both sides but no definitive solution.
In the past, when most men wore suits practically, suit pants were created without belt loops and equipped with a set of adjustable tabs at the hips to accommodate the waist. As suits got more and more mass-produced and fashions altered, this practice, which originally began with custom and bespoke tailoring as a tailor’s feature, started to lose popularity. Waist tabs were demoted to a special tailoring element when belts slowly made their way from casual to formal attire. Today, many men have started going without belts in a nod to the rakish vibes of the past, believing that the belt disturbs the smooth lines and uninterrupted appearance of a well-tailored suit. As traditional suiting styles have become more popular again and style icons from the past have gained prominence.
Without a belt, belt loops might appear strange, as if your morning preparations were incomplete. If you have your shirt tucked in, that will be much more obvious.
They really fulfill a practical need. A belt will hold your suit pants in place if they are just a bit too baggy.
It is typically regarded as the default. It’s a timeless appearance that won’t offend anyone’s sense of taste to wear a plain black or brown leather belt that suits your shoes adequately.
However, the truth is that your suit has belt loops unless you get a bespoke suit with waist pull tabs (which is really a great touch we strongly suggest). To hold those bad boys up and avoid some weird, unintentional flashing incident on the subway platform, it goes without saying that your pants should fit you well enough that a belt isn’t strictly necessary. However, the belt will keep your pants at your waist and will look more natural with your suit that has belt loops.
Belts are by nature casual, and even narrow, polished leather ones take away a little bit from the look of complete professionalism that comes with a well-fitted suit and tie. Even if leaving unfilled belt loops isn’t ideal, the alternative—adding too much visual contrast to your suit and attracting attention to your waistline—is preferable.
Finally, if the suit pants you’re wearing have belt loops, put a belt on. We are at that point. To be fair, a decent tailor can add waist tabs and remove belt loops for a modest price if you’re so inclined. But skipping the suit altogether and leaving those loops unfilled not only makes the suit seem incomplete, but it may also make your pants sag needlessly, which isn’t fashionable.
However, if you’re wearing a suit more casually—for example, a cotton suit with an open collar in the summer—go ahead and add a belt since it fits the atmosphere, which is rather laid-back.