Choosing a Belt to Pair with Vintage Jeans

• Feb 12, 2013

• #1

D

Deleted member 16736

Guest

I'm buying a pair of Lee 50's reproduction jeans and I need a belt to go with it. I've learned that 1" belts were the standard in the 40's/50's, but I've also read that jeans should only be worn with wide belts. Any suggestions on resolving my conundrum?

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #2

Guttersnipe

One Too Many

Messages

1,942

Location

San Francisco, CA

Belts like these are always a great choice for that western meets 50s biker look:

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #3

S

s_crumb

Familiar Face

Messages

98

Location

Colorado

There's only one choice..... Warpath Leather. He just made me a belt that's fantastic.

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #4

Speedster

Practically Family

Messages

876

Location

60 km west of København

Yes, Warpath Leather is the way to go. Making belts like the one Guttersnipe posted above. He is a member here on the forum (mattfink).

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #5

D

Deleted member 16736

Guest

Thanks for the suggestion. I checked out his site. They're beautiful belts. I'd probably go for one of his less ornate belts. I like the walnut belt with a simple jewel and studded-spoke design. Thank you.

Here are some of his recent creations. I was looking at the first one.

http://warpathleathergoods.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-projects-february.html

 

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 12, 2013

• Feb 12, 2013

• #6

Ishmael

Practically Family

Messages

546

Location

Tokyo, Japan

^^ Damn, those are outstanding!

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #7

D

Deleted member 16736

Guest

What about something thinner and more sedate? I found these silver ranger buckles. Would these fit with a pair of 50's jeans?

http://www.bdjeffries.com/shop/prod...=Men&sub_dept=1"+Buckles&old_id=102&old_id2=1

Part of the problem is men didn't wear jeans at this time. Boys and teenagers did, so there's not a lot of photographic evidence to go by.

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #8

alanfgag

Messages

15,008

Location

Buffalo, NY

You can have two. Just sayin'.

Personally, I prefer vintage belts with Native American silver work.

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #9

Edward

Bartender

Messages

24,779

Location

London, UK

You can't go wrong with a decent leather belt. I like a plain belt, myself, and as I've aged I'm moving away from always opting for the chunkiest available. A decent leather does last longer, though there's an upper limit to what I am prepared to spend. I do rather baulk at the idea of spending what would but a very serviceable pair of jeans on a belt; usually I just buy something half decent on eBay, as long as it's not bonded-leather (doesn't last with me). I have picked up a couple from Rocket Originals. Not worn them with jeans - I have the 1/2" brown and black/white striped models, which I tend to pair with a pair of fifties-cut slacks. I really like them. Have my eye on some of their other belts too. http://www.rocketoriginals.co.uk/products.asp?cat=11 If only they would do a repro of Brando's Johnny Strabler belt (I've seen a Japanese take and it's beautiful, but it was also above GBP100, which is crazy money for a belt!).

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #10

Baron Kurtz

I'll Lock Up

Messages

12,784

Location

Being slowly digested inside "The Crouching Monste

Eh? Look for photos of workmen, truckers, railroadmen, construction sites etc. Denim was very common, workwear as it was. You'll see a lot of 2-2.5" wide belts with very simple, non-fancy, buckles. When you get your Lees (which model and finish, btw? 101Z, I assume. Lee are a good choice.), you'll see the belt loops. they were cut that size for a reason - to accommodate a wide belt. I use a 50s Swedish Army belt, and it has the perfect vintage workwear look.

Joel Shapiro said:

Part of the problem is men didn't wear jeans at this time. Boys and teenagers did, so there's not a lot of photographic evidence to go by.

Click to expand...

 

Last edited: Feb 12, 2013

• Feb 12, 2013

• #11

Feraud

Bartender

Messages

17,190

Location

Hardlucksville, NY

Edward said:

If only they would do a repro of Brando's Johnny Strabler belt (I've seen a Japanese take and it's beautiful, but it was also above GBP100, which is crazy money for a belt!).

Click to expand...

Edward, would you have a picture of Brando's belt? I'm curious to see what it looks like.
Thanks.

 

• Feb 12, 2013

• #12

D

Deleted member 16736

Guest

The pants are 1952 101Z. I read Lee Japan makes great reproductions. What do you think of a 1.5" bullhide belt with brass buckle like this one?

http://www.bullhidebelts.com/Rich-Brown-Smooth-Edge-BullHide-Belt_p_176.html

 

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 12, 2013

• Feb 12, 2013

• #13

Edward

Bartender

Messages

24,779

Location

London, UK

Feraud said:

Edward, would you have a picture of Brando's belt? I'm curious to see what it looks like.
Thanks.

Click to expand...

Brando's Belt:

Repros seem to vary between browns and blacks. I'm sure it was a fairly generic style back in the day, so I imagine a range of colours was available. As to Brando's, I'd assume black (like the jacket and boots), but in B&W, who knows? Could have been a dark brown. Rakuten do a nice repro, if I could justify the price.... :

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/burny/item/10001279-2/

So do Rumble59:

http://miskonduct.com/index.php?mai...id=636&zenid=1913a5e948a11fde4f44689c35f7015b

http://www.rockabilly-rules.com/Rum...o-schwarz-Buckle-Wild-Wrench.html?language=en

Money no object, I'd love a couple of these in black and brown.... I like the red on black too....

 

Last edited: Feb 12, 2013

• Feb 12, 2013

• #14

Edward

Bartender

Messages

24,779

Location

London, UK

Joel Shapiro said:

The pants are 1952 101Z. I read Lee Japan makes great reproductions. What do you think of a 1.5" bullhide belt with brass buckle like this one?

http://www.bullhidebelts.com/Rich-Brown-Smooth-Edge-BullHide-Belt_p_176.html

Click to expand...

Pricey, but look really nice...

(FWIW, surprised Aero et al don't do belts.... I'd have thought if Aero could do belts to colour-match (within reason) their jackets, they'd sell nicely...).

 

• Feb 13, 2013

• #15

mattfink

Practically Family

Messages

833

Location

Detroit

Thanks for the kudos guys! You would be hard pressed to fit a 2" - 2 1/2" belt in a pair of jeans. The are mostly 1 3/4" (belt loops filled) or 1 1/2" (some room in loops). I'd be proud to make a belt for anyone here on TFL!

 

• Feb 13, 2013

• #16

Tomasso

Incurably Addicted

Messages

13,719

Location

USA

Maybe a ranger belt....

Or a ring belt.....

 

• Feb 13, 2013

• #17

I

injunjack

One of the Regulars

Messages

123

Location

Finland

Like Mattfink said, 1 3/4 is most common width in proper "jeans-belt"

And those Brando like belts are very easy to do yourself.....

 

• Feb 13, 2013

• #18

majormajor

One Too Many

Messages

1,713

Location

UK

Here's the thing I wear with jeans currently. 1.5 inches wide.

Not flash or expensive, but then jeans are "workwear" after all.

It came from here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DUKE-MENS...Men_s_Accessories_UK&var=&hash=item2c64456ff4

BTW, the jeans are Freddies (only £70 direct). Excellent jeans - and yes, the belt loop IS slightly angled!!

 

Last edited: Feb 13, 2013

• Feb 13, 2013

• #19

gtdean48

Messages

10,524

Location

DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA

I go with 1.25" wide horsehide = http://www.thebeltman.net/horse.htm

 

• Feb 13, 2013

• #20

Edward

Bartender

Messages

24,779

Location

London, UK

A.C. Lyles said:

Maybe a ranger belt....

Click to expand...

That looks quite cool, actually. What's the idea behind the design?

majormajor said:

Here's the thing I wear with jeans currently. 1.5 inches wide.

Not flash or expensive, but then jeans are "workwear" after all.

It came from here:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DUKE-MENS...Men_s_Accessories_UK&var=&hash=item2c64456ff4

BTW, the jeans are Freddies (only £70 direct). Excellent jeans - and yes, the belt loop IS slightly angled!!

Click to expand...

I think I might have bought a couple of belts from them at a time too. I'd like to get some really nice belts eventually, but for now this sort of cheaper end do the job. I find they tend to last reasonably well. Are those the 50s Freddies? I wish they'd do the 40s model without the braces studs. I have two pairs of them now and want something different (i.e. can wear with a belt), but I have a very marked preference for the higher waist and wider leg on the 40s, over the 50s model. I'm looking at the WW2 USN selvedge jeans on the Soldier of Fortune site, which seem to look the part...