Belt Size Converter
Belt Size Converter
Trouser waist to belt size in inches and centimetres — and the fact everybody gets wrong: a belt size is the prong-to-middle-hole length, not a waist. The Anglo-American rule adds two inches; two German makers add nothing. Both are here, named.
Belt sizes
a 34-inch trouser waist, the +2 in convention
A belt size is a length between two points, not a waist
- the length
- from the base of the buckle’s prong to the MIDDLE hole. Not end to end, not from the buckle’s tip, not to the first hole
- + 2 in
- the Anglo-American allowance, because the belt runs round the outside of the waistband. Bespoke Unit makes it +3 for an odd waist
- + 0
- the German convention, in two makers’ own words: the order size IS your body circumference in centimetres
- 5 holes × 1 in
- two inches of adjustment either side of the labelled size, and no more
- the tail
- everything past the last hole. It is not part of the size, and including it reads about 16 cm long
Worked example
a 34-inch trouser waist, the +2 in convention
The Anglo-American rule adds two inches for the waistband the belt runs outside: 34 + 2 = a 36-inch belt
That 36 inches is the distance from the base of the buckle's prong to the middle hole — exactly 91.44 cm. One retailer prints 92, a rack graded in fives calls it 90
Two German makers would have you order 86.4 cm for the same trousers, because they add nothing at all: their size is your body circumference in centimetres
The two answers are 5.08 cm apart, which is a full size on a rack graded in fives
Five holes an inch apart put the range at 34 to 38 inches of waist, two either side of the middle hole
The whole strap will be about 108 cm long. Measuring that instead of the prong-to-middle-hole length would make you order six sizes too big
The Anglo-American chart, and three ways of writing it in centimetres
| Trouser waist (in) | Belt size (in) | Belt size (cm) as one retailer prints it | Exactly (cm) | Rounded to the nearest five (cm) | German answer for the same waist (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 32 | 82 | 81.28 | 80 | 76.2 |
| 32 | 34 | 87 | 86.36 | 85 | 81.3 |
| 34 | 36 | 92 | 91.44 | 90 | 86.4 |
| 36 | 38 | 97 | 96.52 | 95 | 91.4 |
| 38 | 40 | 102 | 101.60 | 100 | 96.5 |
| 40 | 42 | 107 | 106.68 | 105 | 101.6 |
| 42 | 44 | 112 | 111.76 | 110 | 106.7 |
| 44 | 46 | 117 | 116.84 | 115 | 111.8 |
Two conventions, both published, five centimetres apart
| Anglo-American | German | |
|---|---|---|
| What the number means | the distance from the base of the buckle’s prong to the MIDDLE hole | the distance from the inner edge of the buckle to the hole you use — and it equals your body circumference in centimetres |
| What you add to the waist | 2 in (5 cm); 3 in if the waist is an odd number | nothing |
| A 34 in trouser waist becomes | a 36 in belt = 91.4 cm | 86.4 cm |
| Holes | five, an inch apart, prong in the third — a 4 in (10.2 cm) span | six, 2.5 cm apart on one maker — a 12.5 cm span |
| Sizes offered | even inches, 30 to 48 | one maker sizes continuously from 75 to 170 cm; racks are often graded in fives |
| Is the buckle included? | no — “belt length does NOT include the buckle” | no — “belt size does not correspond to total belt length” |
The five holes of a size 36 belt, and the waist each one fits
| Hole | Length to it (in) | … (cm) | Waist it fits (in) | … (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34.0 | 86.4 | 32.0 | 81.3 |
| 2 | 35.0 | 88.9 | 33.0 | 83.8 |
| 3 (the size) | 36.0 | 91.4 | 34.0 | 86.4 |
| 4 | 37.0 | 94.0 | 35.0 | 88.9 |
| 5 | 38.0 | 96.5 | 36.0 | 91.4 |
How to measure a belt you already own, and what not to measure
| Do this | Not this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lay the belt flat, unbuckled, on a table | measure it while it is on you | leather stretches under tension and you will read two or three centimetres long |
| Start at the base of the prong, where the leather meets the buckle bar | start at the outer end of the buckle | buckles vary: a simple prong buckle adds about 1.5 in, a plaque buckle 3 to 4 in, so including it makes the number depend on the hardware |
| Stop at the MIDDLE hole | stop at the tip of the strap | the tail beyond the last hole is styling, not size. One German maker’s own table pairs a size 85 with a total strap of about 100 to 103 cm — so an end-to-end measurement reads about 16 cm, six sizes, too long |
| Note which hole you actually wear it on | assume the middle hole is the one you use | if you wear the second or fourth hole, your real size is one or two inches off the label, and that is the number to order next time |
| Measure a belt that fits over the clothes you wear it with | measure your bare waist and add two inches | the +2 rule is an approximation for the waistband, and waistbands differ. A belt that already works is data; a rule is a guess |
Prong to middle hole — and two conventions two inches apart
A belt size is not a waist size, and it is not the length of the belt. It is one specific distance: from the base of the buckle’s prong — the fold where the leather meets the buckle bar — to the middle hole. The buckle is deliberately excluded, because buckles vary: a plain prong buckle adds about an inch and a half and a plaque buckle three to four inches, so a number that included the hardware would mean something different on every belt. The tail beyond the last hole is excluded too. Get those two endpoints right and everything else on this page is arithmetic.
Then there are two conventions for turning a waist into that length, and they differ by exactly two inches. The Anglo-American rule adds two inches (5 cm) to the trouser waist, because the belt runs round the outside of the waistband — a 34-inch trouser takes a 36-inch belt, and one maker is careful to say two inches above your measured waist rather than above the label. Two German makers add nothing whatsoever: in their own words the order size is your body circumference in centimetres, and one of them adds that “belt size does not correspond to total belt length”. So a 34-inch waist wants a 91 cm belt on one convention and an 86 cm belt on the other. That is a full size on a rack graded in fives, and nothing in either number tells you which convention produced it. This page prints both and names them rather than averaging two conventions into a third that nobody uses.
The centimetre number is ambiguous a second time over. Even inside the Anglo-American convention, a 36-inch belt is 91.4 cm exactly, printed 92 by a retailer whose whole chart rounds up to the centimetre, and stocked as 90 on a rack graded in fives. Those are three labels for one belt spanning two centimetres. One German maker sidesteps the problem by sizing continuously from 75 to 170 cm rather than in steps at all.
Five holes, an inch apart, is two inches of adjustment either way and no more. The labelled size is the middle one, so buying two sizes up “to be safe” puts you on the last hole from the first day, with several inches of tail past the belt loops; buying too small runs out at the first hole with nothing to punch into. A German six-hole belt at 2.5 cm spacing gives 12.5 cm of span instead of 10.2. Note which hole you actually wear a belt on: if it is not the middle one, your real size is an inch or two off its label, and that is the number to order next time.
How to measure, which is most of this page’s value. Lay the belt flat and unbuckled — not on yourself, because leather stretches under tension and reads long. Start at the base of the prong, not at the buckle’s outer end. Stop at the middle hole, not at the tip of the strap: one German maker’s own table pairs a size 85 with a total strap of about 100 to 103 cm, so an end-to-end measurement reads roughly 16 cm — three or four sizes — too long. All three of the common mistakes push the same way, which is why belts ordered online come back too big. For the trousers this belt is going round, and the reason their label is not their waist either, see the jeans and waist size converter; the clothing size converter carries the continental half-girth definitions behind the EU numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Is my belt size the same as my trouser size?
No. The Anglo-American convention is that a belt is about two inches (5 cm) larger than the trouser waist, because the belt runs round the outside of the waistband and the number refers to the distance from the buckle’s prong to the middle hole. A 34-inch trouser takes a 36-inch belt. One maker is careful to say it is two inches above your measured waist rather than above the label — which matters, because the label on a pair of jeans is not the waist either.
Where exactly is a belt measured from?
From the base of the buckle’s prong — the fold where the leather meets the buckle bar — to the middle hole. The buckle is not included: makers exclude it precisely because buckles vary, a simple prong adding about 1.5 in and a plaque buckle 3 to 4, so a length including it would depend on the hardware. The tail past the last hole is not included either.
What is a EU belt size in centimetres?
It depends whose convention you are in, and this is the real trap. Converting an Anglo-American 36-inch belt gives 91.4 cm, printed 92 by a retailer that rounds up or 90 on a rack graded in fives. But two German makers define the centimetre number differently: it is your body circumference, with nothing added. So the same 34-inch waist wants 91 cm on one convention and 86 on the other — a full size apart. This page gives both and names which is which.
How do I measure a belt I already own?
Lay it flat and unbuckled, measure from the base of the prong to the middle hole, and ignore everything beyond. Do not measure it on yourself (leather stretches under tension), do not start at the buckle’s outer end, and do not measure the whole strap — one German maker’s own table pairs a size 85 with a total strap of about 100 to 103 cm, so end to end reads roughly 16 cm too long. Also note which hole you actually use: if it is not the middle one, your real size is one or two inches off the label.
How much adjustment does a belt have?
Five holes an inch apart give two inches either side of the labelled size and no more. A German maker with six holes at 2.5 cm gives a 12.5 cm span instead of 10.2. That is why buying two sizes up “to be safe” does not work: you end up on the last hole with the tail past the belt loops.
What if my waist is an odd number?
Belts are usually sold in even inches, so you have to round. Bespoke Unit’s published rule is to add three inches rather than two for an odd waist — a 35-inch waist takes a 38 rather than a 36 — which lands you on the middle hole of an even-sized belt. The alternative is to buy the smaller size and wear it on the second hole, which works but leaves less room.
Should I measure my waist or my trousers?
Neither, if you own a belt that fits: measure that instead, prong to middle hole, and you have the answer directly with no convention involved. If you have to measure a body, measure over the waistband of the trousers you will wear the belt with rather than round the bare waist — the two-inch allowance exists to cover the waistband, and waistbands vary.
Related calculators
References
- Beltley, Full grain leather belt sizing guide: pant size vs belt size and Does belt length include buckle? (beltley.com, both read 27 September 2026). The Anglo-American convention in the maker’s own words: “Your belt size is typically 2 inches larger than your actual pant waist measurement — not your ‘pant size’ on the label”, and the number “is measured from the fold at the buckle bar to the center hole of the strap”, with “Belt length does NOT include the buckle” — a prong buckle adds about 1.5 in and a plaque buckle 3 to 4 in.
- Bespoke Unit, Belt Size Chart (bespokeunit.com, read 27 September 2026): “Your belt size is two inches larger than your pant waist size”, with the qualifier the other charts leave out — “If your waist size is an odd number, buy a belt three inches larger instead of two” — and “Most belts have five holes. The prong should go in the middle one (the third one)”.
- Belt n Bags, Belt Size Guide & Chart (beltnbags.com.au, read 27 September 2026), for the centimetre column: “add 2 inches (5 cm) to your pant size”, “Belts are measured from where the strap meets the buckle to the middle hole”, and a table whose cm figures are the inch size converted and rounded up — 32 in → 82, 34 → 87, 36 → 92, 38 → 97.
- Ludwig Schröder, Gürtellänge messen: Gürtelgröße richtig bestimmen (ludwigschroeder.de, read 27 September 2026), the German convention, which adds nothing at all. Measure “from the inner edge of the buckle’s top end to the middle hole” and the centimetre figure IS the belt size; “belt size does not correspond to total belt length” — its own table pairs a size 85 with a total strap of about 100 to 103 cm.
- Fronhofer, Gürtelgröße messen (fronhofer.com, read 27 September 2026), the second German source and the blunter one: “Bei Fronhofer entspricht die Bestellgröße immer Ihrem Körperumfang in Zentimetern” — the order size always equals your body circumference in centimetres. Its belts carry six holes at 2.5 cm rather than five at an inch, it sizes continuously from 75 to 170 cm rather than in fives, and it measures to the hole you actually use rather than to the middle one.
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