# Men's fashion Q: Braided belts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 22, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683 "2004-06-22T19:01:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683/21 "2004-06-23T19:29:02Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > They are also very handy for bondage as they can be the size of a wrist or ankle easy. This is the only reason I approve of my boyfriend’s braided belt…quite convenient for certain situations invovling less-than-waist-sized limbs… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683/22 "2004-06-23T22:23:56Z")
Getting back to the “Where can I find braided belts?” query - I quite by chance came across a rack of them at the local Walgreens. > [@](#): > > …at least I don’t find them in the places where I look. Yeah, I wouldn’t expect to find them there either, but there they were, at the end of the antacids and aspirin aisle, next to a table covered in vaguely imported-looking cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683/23 "2004-06-23T22:33:59Z")
> [@tamaraqueenofgoths](#): > > I always thought that pleated pants make most people look heavier than they are. There is this pouch of extra fabric around the stomach/crotch area that most people don’t need, and it can accentuate a small belly to make it look like a large belly. It’s been years since I’ve worn a pair, but I remember when I sat down while wearing a pair, the pleated front part would bunch up and stick out, making me look like a had male genitalia on an otherwise female body…not exactly what I wanted. I think this problem comes from wearing pleated pants that are too tight, probably because the person has put on weight since he got them. With the pants too tight around the waist, the pleats won’t hang right, but get pulled out of shape. Another issue might be that when an old, dark pair of khakis becomes all puckery and faded, pleats might emphasize their decrepitude. But I think if you ever heard George Carlin’s “beets” routine, you would know that the real answer is simply that “Pleats” is a silly sounding word. \*\*Pleats. \*\*…_pleats?_…PLEATS…Pleats! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683/24 "2004-06-23T22:51:20Z")
It’s not just ill-fitting pleated pants or old pleated pants, though - you will notice that there is extra unneeded pant there. That makes it look like you have extra unneeded person there, too. Regardless of the pants. Flat front pants are almost always more flattering - the “cleaner” line is also more slimming. You don’t really want any sort of visual interest right where pant pleats are, trust me on that. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683/25 "2004-06-24T02:02:24Z")
What’s wrong with pleated pants? What’s wrong with them is that that silhouette is extremely unfashionable at the moment. You can bitch and moan all you want about the arbitrary whims of fashion. You can try to rationalize your love for pleated pants with charts and graphs and Venn diagrams. You can fight the power and keep wearing your Dockers from 1993. But it won’t change the fact if you’re wearing pleated pants, you’ll look like a dork. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > But: why put it in the same league? > > Me, I wear them with my casual clothes all the time. Then again I’m a very relaxed dresser. > > Maybe that’s the reason – like canvas belts, they tend towards the casual, relaxed side… Interesting that you say that. I note that you’re in Puerto Rico. Braided belts and canvas belts go in and out of year-round fashion, but they do tend to be a staple of summer and tropical fashion. I’d assume that _all_ casual wear in Puerto Rico is summer clothes, so I’d expect that braided belts and canvas belts are always at least acceptably fashionable. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683/26 "2004-06-24T02:13:38Z")
Oh, I forgot to say– As I said to **JR** above, braided belts may not be really hot right now, but they’re acceptable summer wear. I think of them as a “preppy” look, so I went straight to Brooks Brothers, and found this nice one: [http://www.brooksbrothers.com/home/start\_frames.tem?frames\_section\_id=233](http://www.brooksbrothers.com/home/start_frames.tem?frames_section_id=233) There are others on the site, too, but that one was very reasonably priced. As far as the looks of braided belts–there are a couple of problems with them. First of all, they add some bulk around the waist line. If you’re thin, it doesn’t matter. If you’re quite heavy, it doesn’t really make you look heavier. But if you’re just a little on the thick side, for some reason, a braided belt will really add on the visual pounds. Another problem is that they tend to look worn out more quickly than a plain leather belt. Well, this is only a problem if the wearer doesn’t care for or replace the belt. So, I’d say keep wearing them if you like them, but consider making a change for the wintertime. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-fashion-q-braided-belts/251683.md?page=1)