Belt Sizes for Men & Women: Charts, Sizing Guide, Conversion

Whether it’s to keep your pants from falling down or to put the finishing touch on an ensemble, a belt can be the most necessary accessory. Finding the right size, however, can be confounding and confusing. Perhaps the most common faux pas committed: Waist size and belt size are not identical.

Herein we’ve created a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about belts: how to measure belt size, types of belts, and belt size charts for both men and women. By the time you’re finished, you’ll have a black belt in belt sizes!

Men’s Belt Size Chart

General Belt SizeNumerical Belt SizeWaist Measurement (inches)Length of Belt
(inches)
XS3026.5-2828-30
S3228.5-3031-32
M3430.5-3233-34
M3632.5-3435-36
L3834.5-3637-38
L4036.5-3839-40
XL4238.5-4041-42
XL4440.5-4243-44
2XL4642.5-4445-46
3XL4844.5-4647-48
4XL5046.5-4849-50

Women’s Belt Size Chart

General Belt SizeNumerical Belt SizeWaist Measurement (inches)Length of Belt
(inches)
XS/Petite28Up to 26Up to 28
S28-3026-2828-30
M31-3228-3031-32
L33-3531-3333-35
XL36-3734-3536-37
2X38-3936-3738-39
3X40-4238-3940-41

Belt Size Conversion Chart

Americans measure belts in inches, while European countries usually employ centimeters. With this simple chart, you can translate belt sizes back and forth between the continents.

US Belt Size (inches)European Belt Size (centimeters)
32"81 cm
34"86 cm
36"91 cm
38"97 cm
40"102 cm
42"107 cm
44"112 cm
46"117 cm
48"122 cm
50"127 cm

Boys’ & Girls’ Belt Size Chart

Age/Clothes SizeBelt Size (inches)
7 Slim24
7 Regular26
7 Husky26
8 Slim24
8 Regular26
8 Husky28
9 Slim24
9 Regular26
9 Husky30
10 Slim26
10 Regular28
10X Husky30
12 Slim26
12 Regular28

How to Size Up Belt Size

Again, your belt size is not the same as your waist size or even your jeans/pants size. As a general rule, belt size is measured from where the end of the belt meets the belt buckle to the middle hole of the (most often five) pre-punctured holes in the belt. Please note: Belt size usually excludes the measurement of the buckle.

belt-sizes

How to Measure Your Belt Size

1. Take Your Own Measurement

As mentioned, measuring the circumference of your waist with a tape measure around where your belt usually sits is still the simplest, most accurate way to determine your right belt size.

  • When measuring, be sure to wear the bottom (jeans/pants/joggers) that you plan to wear with the belt.
  • Loop the measuring tape around your waist exactly where you want to put the belt on. Keep the tape level around your hip or waist area.
  • Write down your waist circumference, then add 2-3 inches to this size. This is the general rule of thumb for finding your belt size.

2. Measure a Favorite Belt

Measuring an existing belt that fits you well is a quick and effortless way to come up with your belt size.

  • Lay the full, straightened length of the belt flat on an even surface, stretched out from buckle to end.
  • Using a measuring tape, measure from one end to another, in this case, from where the end of the belt material on one end to the belt hole that you normally use on the other end.
  • While measuring the belt, remember to measure only from where the end of the belt meets the buckle and not the width of the buckle, since this will skew the measurement for an inaccurate result.

3. Measure Your Pants

Not nearly as accurate as the other two methods, if in a hurry this shortcut could serve as a quick approximation to arriving at your belt size. As an alternative, it should work for most belt sizes for men – and even some for women. This method also has the advantage of being the easiest.

  • Find the pants that fit you well and identify their waist size in inches, such as 32, 34, etc.
  • Just add 2-3 inches to that size to determine your belt size.
  • If this methodology seems a little fuzzy, fall back on one of the above options or refer to our belt size charts.