Although I love belts, alongside pretty much anything that adds to an outfit, I’m not usually one to spend above £30 on one. This is less to do with the cost and more to do with a preference to spend that amount of money on something else (oh, and I’m poor). On the other hand, I am a lover of quality and choice. Elliot Rhodes, the London based belt maker definitely fulfils my love for the latter.
Recently, I popped into their store near Covent Garden, greeted by a phenomenal selection of stunning belts and a welcoming smile. Immediately I began to think that this was worth the price difference between my potential new Elliot Rhodes belt and its Topman predecessor. The experience is everything.
Bring on the choice! Turning to look at all of the options became increasingly difficult with my jaw scraping on the rustic wooden flooring. Had I walked into that store having previously decided on wanting a pink belt, I would have still been faced with a decent selection – that’s how all-encompassing the choice is.
After a lengthy discussion, I decided on a smarter belt – I find that I veer toward the smart casual style which is not something that suits thicker jean belts. A simple black belt was on the cards, mainly to be worn with a black suit for my new job, yet I wanted one that could be versatile enough to suit other outfits; nothing too showy.
Finally, I selected a slightly textured calf skin leather belt with a simple buckle. I'm not going to amaze you with my belt choice, it's not crazy or highly fashionable. Screw that, if it's worth £100, I want this to be worn for years to come, so I want to like it for years to come. This is an investment piece (for me at least); I'm looking long haul.
What really adds to the experience is the fact that, once you have made you choices, they proceed to cut your belt down to the right size. Alongside the promise that if you after need it altered further, pop in and they will do that for you, and the fact that changing the buckle is as easy as undoing a couple of well-designed poppers.
There you have it... My new belt!
After wearing this for a while now, it's safe to say that I will want another in the future. Usually I am reluctant to review items like this. I love them, but it's usually hard for me to recommend something if I can't test it out for a while so I know it won't break quickly. The problem being that PR companies tend not to be willing to wait for a year. I want to be thorough, they want quick results. This, however, is not like that. I've seen this being made and I already know this will last me for a long time - although if it miraculously doesn't, I will let you know.
If you're looking for a new belt, I'd unwaveringly recommend Elliot Rhodes.
Cheers guys,
Robert.
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