# Match leather watch strap to shoes and belt?



## Caraptor (Mar 17, 2009)

I tried searching this. This was done last year in the Omega forum, but I wanted to get the opinions of you guys and gals here in the Public Forum.

Is it bad to wear a brown watch strap with a black belt and shoes or vice versa? Could a person get away with wearing a brown watch strap with a dark gray suit and black shoes and belt, for instance?

This may be totally anal, but I'm curious. Until I switched to a stainless steel bracelet, I always wore brown straps with brown belt and shoes, and black straps with black belt and shoes.


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## dnslater (Feb 26, 2009)

I have seen this argued both ways, but many fashion sources say that a Watch is special enough that you do not have to match it to your other leather accessories. I have even seen it argued that you can match "too much" if everything is perfectly coordinated.


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## H3O+ (May 23, 2009)

I'd do it within reason. Don't bother matching your buckle color and strap grain...


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## Donf (Jul 11, 2006)

There is a difference between acceptable and proper. What we accept as proper dress, behavior, morals, etc are changing continuously. 
That said, yes, your shoes, belt and strap should match. But, no, you won't be placed in the public square in stocks if you don't match. 

But isn't it part of the fun of watch collecting to have different watches for different situations?

Dress watches with a coat and tie, sport watches with sport clothes, a diver with a wet suit, and so on. Oh the joy!!!!

PS - I also won't wear stainless with a brown jacket, gold just looks better but I realize that that may be puching it too far.


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## Donf (Jul 11, 2006)

Dbl clicked!


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## ctzn (Mar 14, 2010)

I do this to an extent, it's more making sure everything goes well together and compliments each other. Mostly to make sure I don't clash. None of my watches have SS bracelets on them as they are way to blingy for my sensibilities, so the leather or croc or rubber or nato must always go with my outfit in some manner.


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## Barry H (Oct 1, 2008)

If it's important to you, then yes. If not, no!

99.9999% of the population are too wrapped up in their own little world and wouldn't even notice*, and 0.00005% wouldn't give a cr*p anyway.

*As a keen cyclist, the number of drivers who don't see me, even though I wear a hi-viz jersey when commuting is appallingly high.


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## ljb187 (Nov 6, 2009)

Within reason I vote yes. The more formal the setting the more inclined I would be to match. I also vote for having the watch case and belt buckle metal being the same - although I'm violating said rule as I type (this just means I need a new belt). Bracelets are handy because they can be worn with anything in my current business and casual wardrobes. This isn't a very hard trick since my color pallet is only slightly broader than Archie Bunker's.


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## TristanZ (Jul 2, 2010)

I say match 'em until you get to the watches you have on rubber straps. 

...Unless you're really into latex and that sort of thing, of course, then you can match the rubber ones too.


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## TheWalrus (Mar 16, 2009)

I say it doesn't matter. Though I seem to match up belt, shoes, band subconsciously anyway.


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## ulackfocus (Oct 17, 2008)

This thread has been done in the Café a couple times. 

For casual attire, it doesn't seem to matter too much although I still match. With a suit it does make a difference and some people notice - primarily women, even if they don't say anything.


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## abingdon (Oct 1, 2008)

It's a big deal to me. But most people aren't WISes and couldn't care less.


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## Outlawyer (Feb 21, 2009)

I do now, just because I like to for myself, and it provides an excuse for having more than a couple of watches. Brown strap with brown shoes, bracelet or black strap with black shoes. I seriously doubt that anyone else notices.


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## Haf (Aug 9, 2009)

Europeans are more sensible to this rule, I guess that North Americans don't bother too much and won't notice or care about.

I'm for matching the shoes with the belt and watch strap all the way, at least for formal or smart casual wear.


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## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

Caraptor said:


> I tried searching this. This was done last year in the Omega forum, but I wanted to get the opinions of you guys and gals here in the Public Forum.
> 
> Is it bad to wear a brown watch strap with a black belt and shoes or vice versa? Could a person get away with wearing a brown watch strap with a dark gray suit and black shoes and belt, for instance?
> 
> This may be totally anal, but I'm curious. Until I switched to a stainless steel bracelet, I always wore brown straps with brown belt and shoes, and black straps with black belt and shoes.


I try to match leather colors. However, I don't have a large inventory of tan and brown shoes so there will always be some color mismatch.


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## ecunited (Jul 22, 2009)

My situation is kinda the reverse.

I only have black dress shoes and belts. Many years ago a maroon pair of shoes bit the dust and I since then I've been sticking with black (not even sure why - one less decision to make every morning?).

Watch-wise, to date I only have black leather straps. But when watches that seem to look better with non-black straps have intrigued me, I have semi-seriously thought, "If I buy this, am I gonna have to buy matching shoes/belt now?"


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## Sodiac (Dec 6, 2008)

Totally, completely, over-the-top dweebish!


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## Armchair (Jul 7, 2008)

I try to match when I can but I don't think I've ever noticed someone else not matching. It's a bit of anal retentiveness I keep to myself.


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## Janne (Apr 16, 2007)

No on all counts. It is much more important to mach the strap with your Nailpolish!
Of course, with Lipstick too on Friday nights!!!


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## jocamero (Feb 19, 2010)

um... I wear purple shoes. So I guess I should vote no.


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## srmdalt (Feb 20, 2008)

No, it doesn't make a gdam iota of difference. Having said that, I do it sometimes anyway.


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## novedl (May 20, 2009)

ljb187 said:


> Within reason I vote yes. The more formal the setting the more inclined I would be to match. I also vote for having the watch case and belt buckle metal being the same - although I'm violating said rule as I type (this just means I need a new belt). Bracelets are handy because they can be worn with anything in my current business and casual wardrobes. This isn't a very hard trick since my color pallet is only slightly broader than Archie Bunker's.


 cool norman lear shout outb-) i think some of our members are not old enough to get it:-(


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## Geof3 (Jan 26, 2008)

My wardrobe isn't nailed down to two colors. I've got shoes of many colors, to include various shades of brown. So, overall... I'd say no. But I do it as well sometimes. If a suit is part of the equation then I usually do or just go with a steel band. But then again, I often where chucks with suits, so what do I know? :-!


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## GlennO (Jan 3, 2010)

Having a different coloured strap is one way of highlighting your watch, rather than having it blend in with your attire, which makes the style and condition of your watch and strap a more important consideration.


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## rjt65 (May 30, 2009)

i voted no-- but really what i men is IMO it is ok to be somewhat off. 

For example, I have a baume & M dark brown leather strap that I will wear with lighter walnut Allen edmunds, but also black Aldens. 

I will wear various brown shade straps with my tan/taupe brown shades of pants. The dark brown straps can go with a lot IMO. but my lighter colored straps not so much.

So some matching but not exact as I try to do with belt and shoes for example. Definitely more concern with work-dress clothes.

Weekend shorts-jeans can go any which way... Usually my g shock and traser though.. or stainless straps.

to each their own


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## Tzimisces (Apr 22, 2010)

It never occured to me to care. :roll:Of course if I did I'd be matching to a pair of black workboots, or the black dress shoes I wear once or twice a year.


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## Ryan Alden (Nov 19, 2008)

I vote for No.

What I match is shoes and belt, but not for leather strap.


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## mradjstmnt (Apr 14, 2008)

belt and shoes should match in color. watchbands.....accessary under the sleeve...no matter : - )


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## tfar (Apr 7, 2010)

ulackfocus said:


> This thread has been done in the Café a couple times.
> 
> For casual attire, it doesn't seem to matter too much although I still match. With a suit it does make a difference and some people notice - primarily women, even if they don't say anything.


I second that.

I'd also say that while ideally you'd get a perfect match across belt, shoes, buckle metal and watch metal and possibly even your wallet, it is more a matter of what looks good together.

Some straps and some watches are stand-alone pieces. For example, I have an orange ABP gator on my Oris TT1 or a grey ABP elephant on a Seiko LCD watch. I'd wear that both with black or brown shoes in a casual setting. However, I must not that I also do have orange suede loafers and grey shoes. I even just bought an orange gator belt to match the orange TT1 strap. Worn with the orange (a different burnt orange tone) loafers it is however a tad bit on the wild side. Not exactly inconspicuous. If you want to be really elegant nothing will stand out but upon closer inspection one will notice that you paid attention even to the smallest detail. Only like-minded folks will notice. The others will just think you are well dressed.

Gun metal (titanium) colored watches on their metal bracelets have the advantages of being in-between. So they can go with brass or silver or black belt buckles and either leather color.

The main thing is that it looks good together. A medium brown strap with black shoes looks usually not good. If the brown has some darker black accents and maybe the watch case is black PVD, it's a different story. So the details matter.

Till


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## 09.ducati (Nov 23, 2009)

No, it doesn't matter.


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## Token (Jul 23, 2006)

My general rule, such as it is, is that brown is good for casual, and black is for 'dress', whether it be formal wear or business suit. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. Seems to me that a watch is jewelry, rather than clothing, and need not match your clothing. If you feel differently, I wouldn't argue the point....it's all personal taste.


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## supawabb (Aug 27, 2007)

Caraptor said:


> I tried searching this. This was done last year in the Omega forum, but I wanted to get the opinions of you guys and gals here in the Public Forum.
> 
> Is it bad to wear a brown watch strap with a black belt and shoes or vice versa? Could a person get away with wearing a brown watch strap with a dark gray suit and black shoes and belt, for instance?
> 
> This may be totally anal, but I'm curious. Until I switched to a stainless steel bracelet, I always wore brown straps with brown belt and shoes, and black straps with black belt and shoes.


Stick with same colors! Shows you have class and style.


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## srmdalt (Feb 20, 2008)

I want to add something else here too: A HUGE number of us enjoy a brown strap on a black dial watch. That would match either black or brown shoes. I have a black and brown braided leather belt that I can wear with either black or brown shoes.

I generally agree that shoes and belt should match: brown:brown or tan and black:black. What about dark blue though? I see dark blue leather sports jackets with black, brown, grey slacks all the time, and it all looks good to me.

Given all this, I really think it just does not matter even a smidge what color your watch band is in relation to your clothes-- within reason. I would not wear a bright green g-shock with a suit, unless the suit was bright green. Even, say a yellow dial watch on a yellow strap would look silly to me with a suit. So it is partly about the style of the watch, but bright colors imply casual, and probably don't go well with conservative attire-- in most cases. There are always exceptions-- and if you are a bit eccentric, maybe you will flout these rules-- and more power to you!!

PS: I did not see socks mentioned, by the way-- sock color is key-- way more important then watch color-- black and brown is considered a no-no by etiquette specialists. Same for navy and black, according to some. However, I've done both many times. I try to stick with dark grey, though, goes with everything. In the end, beyond shoes and belt, I can't see a reason to worry about it. Unless maybe you have an appointment at the White House, or with the Queen of England.


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## ljb187 (Nov 6, 2009)

Janne said:


> No on all counts. It is much more important to mach the strap with your Nailpolish!
> Of course, with Lipstick too on Friday nights!!!


Ha! Perspective is a great thing!


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## erictrumpet (Mar 9, 2010)

I always match 'em, but I don't think you _have_ to...

Eric.


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## huntershooter (Mar 30, 2009)

Good God man; black suit/belt/shoes and a brown strap?
I think not.


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## Tom Carey (Jul 5, 2007)

I don't think even the fashion police would write you up for this.


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## changy (May 21, 2010)

When dressed up for work, yes. Regardless of how much I love cognac gator, I can't bring myself to wear it with black shoes/belt.


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## NightScar (Sep 4, 2008)

For me, when it comes to black watches with black straps, it pretty much goes with anything no matter what color shoes I am wearing, black, brown, grey, navy, etc...

However, when it comes to watches with browns straps, I always try to wear it with a brown shoe and belt. Shade doesn't matter.


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## ShockMister (Mar 22, 2008)

Either the shoes or the watch should be black. Black is a neutral color. So it would be easier to match with any shade of brown, as opposed to trying to match TWO shades of brown that might not work together.

That is why black shoes and belt would look good with any watch strap.


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## islands62 (Aug 3, 2013)

I used to think it should match, but blue watches throw me. I can’t/won’t wear blue shoes and belt, so the rule falls apart for me.


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## timefleas (Oct 10, 2008)

ShockMister said:


> Either the shoes or the watch should be black. Black is a neutral color. So it would be easier to match with any shade of brown, as opposed to trying to match TWO shades of brown that might not work together.
> 
> That is why black shoes and belt would look good with any watch strap.


You dug up a ten year old thread to impart these pearls of wisdom? Thanks!! Let's see, brown shoes, black belt, green watch strap--no wait, green shoes, brown belt, black watch strap...oh heck, how about we just don't give a rat's arse, and wear what we want? (I mean, after all, it's not like anybody else really cares what we are wearing, be it shoes, belt or watch strap.)


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## ShockMister (Mar 22, 2008)

timefleas said:


> You dug up a ten year old thread to impart these pearls of wisdom? Thanks!! Let's see, brown shoes, black belt, green watch strap--no wait, green shoes, brown belt, black watch strap...oh heck, how about we just don't give a rat's arse, and wear what we want? (I mean, after all, it's not like anybody else really cares what we are wearing, be it shoes, belt or watch strap.)


Should I have started a new thread instead?


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## Camguy (Nov 23, 2012)

Of course one does.


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## drummer13 (Jan 3, 2010)

Hell,no !


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## oztech (Apr 30, 2015)

My opinion but dark brown straps could be worn with anything.


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## pickle puss (Feb 13, 2006)

For steel bracelets these are a must.


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## Sonnydaze (Oct 1, 2019)

Far out, Jackson.


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