Cool Belt Buckles for Men

A cool belt buckle is a staple accessory for any man's wardrobe. It can make an otherwise uninspired outfit look awesome or be the perfect finishing touch for special occasions. The best part about cool buckles? They aren't just for men - anyone can wear them! Style them with jeans, kilts, or even skirts and dresses.

There are so many different styles of cool belts that you could wear with your favorite clothing - how do you choose which one will look best? We put together this guide to help answer all of your questions about modern belt buckles.

Table of Contents

What is a belt buckle for?

What are belt buckles made from?

Do you need a special belt for a belt buckle?

Why do people wear big belt buckles?

Are belt buckles in fashion?

What makes a good belt buckle?

Cool Belt Buckles

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What is a belt buckle for?

Belt buckles are one of the best and only accessories for men. Their primary purpose is to hold your pants up and make you look good. Belt buckles come in many different shapes, sizes, and materials but are most commonly made of metal and attached to a leather belt strap. They are stylish items that can quickly upgrade any outfit to make a fashion statement, from work attire to casual wear. They are also practical wedding anniversary gifts and groomsmen gifts.

Series 7 Space Dial Belt Buckle

Person wearing cool arrowhead shaped belt buckle on a black leather belt with a navy blue shirt and faded black jeans.
Retro futuristic Dial 7 belt buckle turns like a safe lock. Full grain American black leather belt. Custom belt sizes. bifl edc

Series 7 Space Dial on Leather Belt

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Series 7 Space Dial on Leather Belt

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black and silver belt buckle on distressed grey leather belt. turn the dial to unlock your cool belt buckle

What are belt buckles made from?

Belt buckles can be made out of just about anything if you're creative enough. Most new belt buckles are made with metal and are plated to achieve cool colors and finishes. Those with fancy tastes can get a fashion belt buckle made of sterling silver, brass, or copper. In our opinion, it's kind of overkill and too expensive for most people, but to each their own. It's pretty easy to make different color metal buckles at much more affordable prices.

Some belt buckles are made with aluminum, stainless steel, or non-metal material such as wood or carbon fiber. These belt buckles are less common but a good choice if you have a nickel allergy.

Avoid belt buckles made from plastic - it is not a durable or sustainable material.

we sell leather belt straps without belt buckles on our store by request. we offer free ground shipping on orders in the USA

Do you need a special belt for a belt buckle?

The short answer: maybe. Not all belt buckle designs are the same.

Our belt buckles attach fairly simply - they screw directly into a leather strap cut straight at one end. Some traditional belt buckles use snaps or rivets, but in our experience, screws feel more secure and don't make your belt bulge out from your belly as much.

Some belt buckles require a leather keep - a little leather loop made to hold the extra belt strap in place. This isn't a great look because it makes belts look floppy and unkempt. One of the unique benefits of our belt buckle design is that the extra leather tucks on the inside of the belt, giving your outfit a seamless, clean style.

→ Shop for a new black, brown, or distressed grey belt strap

What makes a good belt buckle?

A good belt buckle is all about the details. The best buckle for you is made with good quality materials, in a finish color to complement the kinds of clothes you like to wear, and paired with the best leather possible. If you use a belt to hold your pants up, the buckle should be sturdy enough to hold up to the stresses of daily use without damaging your belt strap and should look great with jeans.

What makes Obscure Belt buckles better?

If you ask us, traditional belt buckles are pretty unexciting. They have a fatal design flaw - the way you have to weave the leather strap through the D-buckle breaks your belt down in one spot, creating an ugly-looking wear pattern. Eventually, the leather will tear at that spot, forcing you to buy a new belt. This is especially true of belts made with inferior leather products.

How our buckles work

Obscure Belts' buckles work in a completely different way than other brands' belts. Our patented design uses two parts working together - the cool buckle on the outside that you click to open and the special sizing screw on the inside that the buckle locks on to. This unique locking system keeps the stress of day-to-day wear off your leather so it looks great for years. No bending your leather in half to put your belt on, no floppy belt strap. Plus, your belt buckle just looks and works so much cooler than anything else out there. We stress-tested and built the Outlaw buckle to last many years of use.

Outlaw Gun Belt Buckle

Close up of the waist of a person wearing revolver gun cowboy belt buckles on smooth black leather belt with faded black jeans and a grey t-shirt.
Black leather belt with western gun belt buckle. Push the trigger to unlock.

Outlaw Gun Buckle on Western Leather Belt

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Outlaw Gun Buckle on Western Leather Belt

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the outlaw gun belt buckle on black leather belt opens with a bang when you pull the trigger

Why do people wear big belt buckles?

American men's fashion is notoriously lacking. There aren't many creative options for men to express their personality and style. Sure, there are handkerchiefs, shoes, watches, or cufflinks you can accessorize with a suit, but choices are pretty limited if you have a casual style or lean towards country western motifs.

Belt buckles are one of the few products guys use to make a bold statement with their clothing. Some people use big belt buckles to make a strong statement. Think - massive dinner-platter size cowboy belt buckles or rodeo western belt buckles. And sure, a big gold or silver cowboy buckle is a statement piece, but that is a tad old-fashioned. You can earn way more style points with a creative buckle with a cool function, like one of the ones we make.

diagram of ancient belt buckles from around the world in the Roman Empire. Some of the men's belt buckles look similar to Montana Silversmiths designs.

Are belt buckles in fashion?

Belt buckles through the ages haven't changed much - they have been in use since ancient times and have never gone out of fashion. They are an accessory with a purpose. You would be forgiven for thinking Roman buckles from 2000 years ago, like the ones above, were made recently because the designs haven't changed much. They all have the same hinged D-shaped buckle with a pin that the belt strap loops through. It is not a bad way to buckle a belt, but there is clearly room for improvement. Fashion has advanced over the years, and so should the belt buckle!

Congrats, you're now a belt buckle expert!

Now that we answered the most common questions about how to wear men's belt buckles, you can confidently shop our collection of belt buckles to find the perfect one to match your unique style and fit your waist. Our range of products make great gifts too! The guys in your life will appreciate getting one of these beauties for an anniversary gift or for father's day.

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