Kickbacks at the beach, far-away vacays, glizzies in the sunshine—all in all, the warmer seasons are a net positive. But the heat deprives us of one very important thing: layering. These are arguably the worst months for fashion enjoyers. Forced to shed our hard-earned drip, we have to rely on accessories to make up the difference. And while we could turn up the heat with swanky watches and icy earrings, there’s one accessory—blazing out of the unstoppable cowboy trend—that’s taking the lead this year. That accessory is the western belt.
Don’t be alarmed: If you think western belts can be ostentatious—or a signal that you’re overcompensating for something—you’re not wrong. But those big honkin’ F-150 belts, adorned with studs, swirly stitching, and a license plate-sized buckle aren’t the belts we’re talking about today.
Instead, what we’re seeing is a minimal western belt, a subdued version that eschews the gaudier side of the cowboy aesthetic, but still has clear roots in the tradition. They’re slimmer, no wider than one inch, and come without the festoons of their peacock-y saloon-busting siblings. With just a few hits of metal at the keeper, the tip, and at the horse-shoe-shaped buckle, the stealthy western belt rides perfectly on your hips, whether or not your style leans western. They can add a pinch of pizzazz to a pared-down white tee and khakis fit, or even bring some levity to a more serious two-piece suit without feeling like you’re Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy.
Take it from us: We’ve seen them around the GQ office, in every cool guy haunt around New York City, and even on regular-degular dudes who haven’t got the time to pay any attention to the menswear landscape. The great news now is that brands big and small have caught on to the belt’s stylish versatility. From small-scale upstarts to runway behemoths and every brand in-between, the minimal western belt is everywhere. Here are just a few of our favorites on the market right now.