How to Put on a Belt Buckle the Right Way

Last Updated: May 23, 2022

Adding a belt buckle is a great place to start changing your look. There are plenty of different style options available, and it’s straightforward to do. Plus, nearly all belt buckles can go on a belt.

To put a buckle on your belt, pull the strap through the metal hinge on the back of the buckle. Next, pull the belt the entire way through until it meets with the clasp of your belt. Then, put on your belt like usual, fasten it, center the buckle, and secure it.

While this sounds like a lot, it’s pretty straightforward!

Follow the steps above with your belt and buckle to make it easier on yourself. This article covers everything you’d want to know about belt buckles and how to use them.

Can Belt Buckles Go on Any Belt?

First, you’ll want to know if your belt buckle will fit. You should bring the belt to the store to check if the buckle fits in person.

So, can belt buckles fit any belt? Most buckles will fit most belts, although some will only go over certain ones. Most belts today have a width of 1.5 to 1.75 inches, which buckle manufacturers keep in mind. If you have a standard belt, most buckles will fit!

However, you’ll probably need to find a more specific buckle if you have a thicker belt. Different belt widths also serve different purposes and occasions. Check out the chart below to determine what belt width and buckle you’ll need.

Anatomy of a Belt Buckle

You’ll also need to understand what makes up a belt buckle to put it on your belt. The decorative buckle that you slip over your belt consists of three main parts, including:

• Ornament: The decorative metal piece that goes over your belt.
• Hinge: The metal bar on the back of the ornament that the strap slides through.
• Prong: The metal piece on the back of the ornament that fits into a belt hole. It secures the buckle and holds the belt in place.

However, if you want to understand the standard end of your belt better, then these are the three parts that come already connected to the strap:

• Frame: The base or central part of the buckle.
• Prong: The movable section that fits into the holes on the belt.
• Bar: The straight piece that holds the prong.

Now that you know the names of all these parts, it’s time to attach your belt buckle to the strap.

How To Put a Belt Buckle on a Belt

Belt Buckle With Snaps

If you have a snap-on belt, the process is slightly different from setting up the ones that don’t include snaps.

1. Start by undoing the snaps, so the belt is open.
2. Then, grab the hinge on the back of the buckle and slide the belt through until it reaches the middle section of the snaps so that you can redo them around the hinge.
3. Check that the loop on the belt was also held in place by the snaps. As long as everything lines up correctly, that’s all there is.

These belts are usually the easiest to apply buckles to, as long as they fit perfectly. However, these belts aren’t the standard. The chances are that your belt doesn’t come with snaps, so you’ll want to know how to connect those.

Belt Buckle Without Snaps

1. First, take the end of your belt that doesn’t have anything. Thread that through the hinge on the back of your buckle. Make sure to slip it through to the end. You won’t be able to move it down any further when you reach that point.
2. Slide the belt through the loops on your pants to sit comfortably on your waist. Secure the end of the belt as normal, then center the ornament buckle. It should sit above the button on your pants.
3. Find the prong on the back of the decorative buckle and push it through the nearest hole on the belt.

You’ll know that you’ve done it correctly if the belt doesn’t bunch up anywhere since most belts place the holes at similar intervals.

Although, if it doesn’t line up, there’s nothing wrong with making a new hole for your buckle to fit. Don’t do this with expensive belts, however.

Belt Buckle With Two Rings

Double D ring belts are a bit different. These belts hold the strap in place with the use of two rings. Most of these belts consist of fabrics instead of leather or metal and rely on friction to stay in place. They usually don’t have holes, so you probably won’t want to attach a metal buckle to these fabric straps.

1. Thread the strap through to fasten the two ring belts until the rings sit above your pant buttons.
2. Pull the belt through both rings, open the rings, and slide the strap through the second ring.
3. Lastly, close the rings to hold the belt in place.

How Do You Install a Side Release Buckle?

You can even install a slide release buckle on your belt.

1. You can do this by first removing the included fastener. Take that same end, install a slide adjuster, and then thread the “male” or pronged portion onto the belt.
2. That end should also go through the slide adjuster, creating a loop.
3. Finally, connect the receiving end of the release to the opposite side of the belt. You’ll need to sew a few lines of stitches to hold it there.

Final Thoughts

There are multiple ways to put on a belt buckle. What steps you follow will depend on whether or not your belt has snaps. Make sure to buy the correct size buckle for your belt’s width, and you’ll be good to go.