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A 34-inch waist (86.4 cm) takes belt size 36 (91.4 cm). Belt size is your waist measurement plus two inches, because a belt has to travel past the waistband, through the loops, and to the buckle hole you actually use. Enter your waist to find your size, in inches and centimetres.
Belt sizing is one of the simplest rules in clothing: add two inches to your waist measurement and that is your belt size. The two inches cover the waistband, the belt loops, and the distance to the middle buckle hole, so a belt bought at your waist size alone would fasten only on its last hole, if at all.
| Waist (in) | Belt size (in) | Waist (cm) | Belt size (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 30 | 71.1 | 76.2 |
| 30 | 32 | 76.2 | 81.3 |
| 32 | 34 | 81.3 | 86.4 |
| 34 | 36 | 86.4 | 91.4 |
| 36 | 38 | 91.4 | 96.5 |
| 38 | 40 | 96.5 | 101.6 |
| 40 | 42 | 101.6 | 106.7 |
| 42 | 44 | 106.7 | 111.8 |
| 44 | 46 | 111.8 | 116.8 |
| 46 | 48 | 116.8 | 121.9 |
| 48 | 50 | 121.9 | 127.0 |
The pattern never changes across the table: every belt size is exactly two inches above its waist, from 28 to 30 at the small end to 48 to 50 at the large end, and the centimetre figures follow by multiplying by 2.54, so the default waist of 34 inches is 86.4 cm and its belt size of 36 is 91.4 cm. A 28-inch waist (71.1 cm) takes a 30 (76.2 cm), a 40-inch waist (101.6 cm) takes a 42 (106.7 cm), and a 44-inch waist (111.8 cm) takes a 46 (116.8 cm). Belts are sold in even sizes, so if your waist plus two lands on an odd number — a 35-inch waist gives 37 — size up to the next even size, 38 in that case: a belt that is slightly long still fastens on an earlier hole, while a belt that is too short has no hole left to reach.
Measure where the belt actually sits, over the trousers you will wear it with, not around your bare waist at its narrowest point and not at your trouser size on the label. Trouser labels lie a little: a pair marked 34 often measures 35 or more around the waistband once the fabric, the button, and the belt loops are counted, which is why measuring the trousers themselves beats trusting the label. Stand relaxed, breathe out normally, and keep the tape level and snug without pulling it tight — a tape pulled tight under a breath held in gives a size that pinches all day. If you already own a belt that fits, there is an even easier check: measure it from the buckle end to the hole you actually use, and that length in inches is roughly the belt size to buy, though the waist-plus-two rule remains the standard when buying blind online.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Belt size | Waist + 2 inches | 34 + 2 = belt size 36 at the default. |
| Waist in cm | Inches × 2.54 | 34 × 2.54 = 86.4 cm at the default. |
| Belt size in cm | Belt inches × 2.54 | 36 × 2.54 = 91.4 cm at the default. |
| Size-up rule | Next even size above waist + 2 | A 35 in waist gives 37, so size up to 38. |
| Why + 2 | Waistband + loops + buckle distance | Without the 2 inches, the belt fastens only on its last hole. |
Waist plus two is the standard belt-sizing rule that most brands cut to, but it is not a law of physics: some makers measure belt size to the middle hole and others to the end of the strap, so the same labelled size can differ by an inch or two between brands, and braided or stretch belts forgive a snug measurement while stiff leather does not. Waist size also moves through the day and with the trousers: heavy denim adds bulk over dress trousers, and a waist measured after lunch is not the waist measured before breakfast. Treat the result as the size to try first, then check the brand's own measuring note for the belt in your hands, especially for dress belts, where the fit is judged by which hole you fasten.
Bright Side Kit. "Belt Size Chart: Waist Measurement to Belt Size Lookup" https://brightoolbox.com/belt-size-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.Belt size 36: belt size is waist plus two inches, so 34 + 2 = 36. In centimetres, a 34-inch waist (86.4 cm) takes a 36 (91.4 cm).
Because the belt has to travel past the waistband, through the loops, and to the buckle hole you actually use. Without those two inches, the belt would fasten only on its last hole, if at all.
Belt size 30: 28 + 2 = 30. In centimetres, a 28-inch waist (71.1 cm) takes a 30 (76.2 cm).
Belt size 42: 40 + 2 = 42. In centimetres, a 40-inch waist (101.6 cm) takes a 42 (106.7 cm).
Belt size 46: 44 + 2 = 46. In centimetres, a 44-inch waist (111.8 cm) takes a 46 (116.8 cm).
Size up to the next even size: a 35-inch waist gives 37, so buy a 38. A belt that is slightly long still fastens on an earlier hole; a belt that is too short cannot be stretched.
Yes. Measure where the belt sits, over the trousers you will wear it with, standing relaxed with the tape level and snug. Trouser labels often measure larger than marked, so the tape beats the label.
Yes, by an inch or two: some makers measure to the middle hole and others to the end of the strap, and stretch belts forgive more than stiff leather. Use this chart as the size to try first, then check the brand's own note.