Ribbon and needlepoint belts are great but they aren’t necessarily always office-appropriate.  For situations that require more formal dress, it’s good to have a quality leather belt to turn to.  Sure, your basic leather belt may not be as fun or show your personality as well as the aforementioned styles, but it’s an edict we must follow.  There’s nothing wrong with basic, anyways.  There’s a reason it’s used in the boardroom.  It simply looks good.  When you do need basic, make sure it’s a belt crafted with years of American heritage and fine leather, like the Wellington Belt by Martin Dingman ($145).

Crafted from hand rubbed calfskin and finished with a hand sewn polished nickel buckle, the Wellington is understatement at its best.  It’s not showy, but it’s subtle elegance lends a distinguished look, a look that gets better with time as the saddle leather liner ages beautifully.  There are three colors to choose from and, while the ebony and caffe look great, it’s the maple that has my eye.  The subtle transitions from darker to lighter tones set it apart from the others.  Keep in mind that unlike most needlepoint belts, where you order a size 2″ larger than your pants, you’ll want to order these the same size as your pants as they are measured from buckle end to center hole.