# Style Q: Should my belt be half-a-notch too tight, or half-a-notch too loose? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2007, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820 "2007-04-12T16:48:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [April 12, 2007, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/1 "2007-04-12T16:48:01Z")
One of my pet peeves is the near-nonexistance of continuously-sized belts, that you can fasten at any circumference. It should be possible to design men’s belts that are braided, or have a clamp closure, and will meet the needs of any level of dressiness that may be required, but for whatever reason it just isn’t being done. As a result, depending on what jeans or trousers I’m wearing that day, I often find that none of the notches on the belt fit right and I wish I had another notch right between two that are there. Now the belt isn’t really needed to hold up my pants. They’d stay up perfectly fine by themselves, but the belt is an expected accessory. You don’t look quite fully dressed without the belt. But if I wear it a half-notch too tight, it’s, well, too tight. OTOH if I wear it a half-notch too loose, then the belt slides around in the loops and the buckle hangs down a little bit in front. What do the fashion mavens say? Which is more correct? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/2 "2007-04-12T16:56:46Z")
…adding a hole to the spot you need it, is what a REAL man (with extra time on his hands and the proper tools to do it) would do. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/3 "2007-04-12T17:13:37Z")
I err on the side of slightly too loose. Too tight makes it uncomfortable to wear. I may not be a fashion maven, but I am gay so that should make my opinion just as important! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/4 "2007-04-12T17:15:40Z")
Definitely a little loose is better than a little tight. Too tight makes you look like you gained weight. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/5 "2007-04-12T17:22:32Z")
Pick up a hole punch. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/6 "2007-04-12T17:22:43Z")
Health-wise= a tad loose is better. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/7 "2007-04-12T17:24:48Z")
[QUOTE=Caridwen] Too tight makes you look like you gained weight. [/QUOTE] Speaking as a big guy, this is my take on it as well. I’ve lost a good deal of weight recently, and even in pants that are now _obviously_ several sizes too big, cinching the belt too snug makes everything pucker around it and leads to a very unflattering bulgy look. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/8 "2007-04-12T17:26:16Z")
I use one of [these.](http://www.emocs.com/leatherpunch.htm) All belts can be adjusted to fit, no matter how much I lose (or gain, unfortunately). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/9 "2007-04-12T17:37:51Z")
An ice pick works pretty good too, although **silenus** ’ leather punch would be optimal. I go 1/2 loose as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/10 "2007-04-12T17:46:59Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] Pick up a hole punch. Problem solved. [/QUOTE] Oh please. Everyone knows the only way to add an extra hole is with a Phillips screwdriver. Then, after you have completely mangled the hole into something that looks like an erupting pimple, you can just keep your britches up with a nice length of knotted rope. ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/11 "2007-04-12T18:04:52Z")
I got a belt from Sears a coupla years ago that is made out of braided elastic. Still got it, and love it. It’s reasonably good looking and continuously adjustable…and it stretches! What more do you need? ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/style-q-should-my-belt-be-half-a-notch-too-tight-or-half-a-notch-too-loose/399820/12 "2007-04-12T18:30:02Z")
I’ve always been taught that if your belt has five holes, you buckle it in the third hole.