In the past 6 months I've fulfilled my lust for shell cordovan belts by purchasing the black and burgundy from Brooks Brothers and brown from Allen Edmonds.
Earlier this year in April I was eagerly anticipating my semi-annual "40% off a single Item" coupon to come in the mail from BB, but only recieved a $200 off $500 coupon. So I made the best of it and bought the black and burgundy belts, plus a tube of wrapping paper to push my cart over the threshold (the wrapping paper has been awesome and I've used it multiple times already). Each belt was approx $150, plus the wrapping paper and Shop Runner free 2-day shipping that comeswith being an AMEX cardholder, I was very happy.
http://ift.tt/1gSFcHl
A short while later I saw that AMEX was offering a $50 statement credit for AE purchases over $200. Again, $150 total for my shell belt which completed my trifecta of shell-lust and for significantly less than C&J wanted for a likely near identical belt.
http://ift.tt/1NffWsg
So, the main point of this post is that I was so surprised by the difference in size and construction of the BB and AE belts, I was compelled to start this thread.
As has been previously discussed here and elsewhere, the shell cordovan belt sold by BB, Ben Silver and also Alden are made in Canada by Fullum & Holt. They have a long history of making great belts for some of the most well regarded clothiers and continue to do so. For my size 36 black and burgundy shell belts sold by BB the dimesnions are the same:
43 7/8" from end of buckle through tip
38 3/8" from end of buckle to center hole
30mm wide
1.75" L x 1.5" W, Gold-tone buckles (no "solid brass" markings)
I'm near positive the shell belts that AE sells are made in house. AE has a history of limited outsourcing and the belts say "Made in USA", a contrast to the other options which are Canadian for Alden, BB and BS or English for C&J. Carmina is in the game too, but I have not yet tested those waters myself except for popping in their shop in Paris to pour over a pair of whiskey shell cap toe boots.
44 3/4" from end of buckle through tip
38 1/8" from end of buckle to center hole
35mm wide
2.5" L x 1.75" W, Brushed nickel buckle
When I pulled that AE belt out of the box after wearing the BB shell belts for a few weeks, it was like picking up the Stark family Valyrian steel sword "Ice" after carrying Arya's "Needle" across the seven kingdoms. I was so used to the soft, thin and flimsy 1 1/8" shell belts from BB that the padded and full grain leather backed AE belt, which was really only 1 3/8" wide, felt like an unwieldy bison leather belt with a rodeo buckle rather than a fine leather gentleman's furnishing.
1" wide is very a very conservative and dressy width, most commonly seen on straps attached to sterling compression buckles. A 1 1/4" is what I and many other consider the golden width when it comes to belts, wide enough for casual pants and even jeans, but not too wide too detract from the formality of nice trousers. 1 1/2" is a casual width usually resevered for casual belts, like the kind made to be worn with jeans and someitmes chinos. So the BB shell belt was not really too small, it was just unpadded and possibly a hair more narrow than most belts that younger men are familiar with. The AE shell belt was not too wide, but maybe a hair wider than what most men associate with a dress belt and also thoroughly padded, especially in comparison to its Canadian made cousin.
I love to put numbers on things so here's a cost break down
$150 / surface area of brown shell is (397.85) = $.38 per square cm of shell
$150 / surface area of black/burgundy shell (334.32) = $.45 per square cm of shell
Overall, I'm very happy with all of my shell belts and the prices I paid for them. The canadian made ones could stand to be a bit sturdier and wider, but because they're black and burgndy and that I wear them with my fairly conservative work clothes, it all syncs up nicely. The brown belt is great too and not too wide for everyday work wear, considering more narrow belts are far from in vogue right now. The AMEX offer for AE doesn't expire until Sept 20th, so go get yourself a shell belt and report back on how you like it.
And of course, pictures below
Calf and shell Alden for BB tassel loafers with burgundy shell belt
Brown calf Gucci and brown shell RL loafers with brown shell belt
Black shell LHS and black calf Alden perf cap toe bals with black shell belt
A Comparison of Shell Cordovan Belts
Earlier this year in April I was eagerly anticipating my semi-annual "40% off a single Item" coupon to come in the mail from BB, but only recieved a $200 off $500 coupon. So I made the best of it and bought the black and burgundy belts, plus a tube of wrapping paper to push my cart over the threshold (the wrapping paper has been awesome and I've used it multiple times already). Each belt was approx $150, plus the wrapping paper and Shop Runner free 2-day shipping that comeswith being an AMEX cardholder, I was very happy.
http://ift.tt/1gSFcHl
A short while later I saw that AMEX was offering a $50 statement credit for AE purchases over $200. Again, $150 total for my shell belt which completed my trifecta of shell-lust and for significantly less than C&J wanted for a likely near identical belt.
http://ift.tt/1NffWsg
So, the main point of this post is that I was so surprised by the difference in size and construction of the BB and AE belts, I was compelled to start this thread.
As has been previously discussed here and elsewhere, the shell cordovan belt sold by BB, Ben Silver and also Alden are made in Canada by Fullum & Holt. They have a long history of making great belts for some of the most well regarded clothiers and continue to do so. For my size 36 black and burgundy shell belts sold by BB the dimesnions are the same:
43 7/8" from end of buckle through tip
38 3/8" from end of buckle to center hole
30mm wide
1.75" L x 1.5" W, Gold-tone buckles (no "solid brass" markings)
I'm near positive the shell belts that AE sells are made in house. AE has a history of limited outsourcing and the belts say "Made in USA", a contrast to the other options which are Canadian for Alden, BB and BS or English for C&J. Carmina is in the game too, but I have not yet tested those waters myself except for popping in their shop in Paris to pour over a pair of whiskey shell cap toe boots.
44 3/4" from end of buckle through tip
38 1/8" from end of buckle to center hole
35mm wide
2.5" L x 1.75" W, Brushed nickel buckle
When I pulled that AE belt out of the box after wearing the BB shell belts for a few weeks, it was like picking up the Stark family Valyrian steel sword "Ice" after carrying Arya's "Needle" across the seven kingdoms. I was so used to the soft, thin and flimsy 1 1/8" shell belts from BB that the padded and full grain leather backed AE belt, which was really only 1 3/8" wide, felt like an unwieldy bison leather belt with a rodeo buckle rather than a fine leather gentleman's furnishing.
1" wide is very a very conservative and dressy width, most commonly seen on straps attached to sterling compression buckles. A 1 1/4" is what I and many other consider the golden width when it comes to belts, wide enough for casual pants and even jeans, but not too wide too detract from the formality of nice trousers. 1 1/2" is a casual width usually resevered for casual belts, like the kind made to be worn with jeans and someitmes chinos. So the BB shell belt was not really too small, it was just unpadded and possibly a hair more narrow than most belts that younger men are familiar with. The AE shell belt was not too wide, but maybe a hair wider than what most men associate with a dress belt and also thoroughly padded, especially in comparison to its Canadian made cousin.
I love to put numbers on things so here's a cost break down
$150 / surface area of brown shell is (397.85) = $.38 per square cm of shell
$150 / surface area of black/burgundy shell (334.32) = $.45 per square cm of shell
Overall, I'm very happy with all of my shell belts and the prices I paid for them. The canadian made ones could stand to be a bit sturdier and wider, but because they're black and burgndy and that I wear them with my fairly conservative work clothes, it all syncs up nicely. The brown belt is great too and not too wide for everyday work wear, considering more narrow belts are far from in vogue right now. The AMEX offer for AE doesn't expire until Sept 20th, so go get yourself a shell belt and report back on how you like it.
And of course, pictures below
Calf and shell Alden for BB tassel loafers with burgundy shell belt
Brown calf Gucci and brown shell RL loafers with brown shell belt
Black shell LHS and black calf Alden perf cap toe bals with black shell belt
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