How the Argentine Polo Belt Became Fall’s Must-Have Accessory

“Don’t forget the belt,” I whispered to myself while getting dressed for dinner on a recent Saturday evening in Rhode Island. I had played in a polo tournament just hours before, and my belt was still in the loops of my white competition jeans, now crumpled on the floor and brown in the seat, encrusted with dust and dirt from rubbing against a saddle all day. I pulled the belt out of the dirty jeans, inspected it for any damage and, seeing none, threaded it around my waist, through the loops of my freshly-ironed khakis.

That belt is one of my favorite accessories. It’s made from chestnut brown leather, with red and white wax-dipped saddlery thread, embroidered in a diamond-shaped motif which runs its entire length. It served its function earlier in the day—keeping my jeans in place while hopping on and off a horse and maneuvering to hit the ball—and now it would serve another. I was en route to dinner at Sky Bar atop Clark Cooke House, one of Newport’s last bastions of civility where gentlemen must wear a jacket to dinner. My navy blazer, white shirt and khakis would otherwise have felt rather staid and unadventurous (at least for me), but the texture, color, and patina of my polo belt felt apropos.

The polo belt occupies a unique niche in the realm of menswear—it’s worn by both princes and athletes, at once aesthetic and utilitarian, and somehow straddles the worlds of casual and elevated dress. While not quite refined enough to pair well with a suit, it feels more complex and interesting than a plain leather belt, offering a flash of personality that’s anything but flashy. They offer color without veering too closely towards the obnoxious early 2000’s “pop of color” trend which has since waned.

Polo belts, after all, offer a degree of timelessness that predates most contemporary menswear trends. The game of polo originated in Ancient Persia before spreading to India, where it was adopted by the British, who in turn brought it to Argentina in the late nineteenth century. While its exact origins are ambiguous, the polo belt is believed to have originated from Argentina’s gauchos during this period—who would harvest leather belts from the cows they raised, and then hand-stitch them with the pampa diamond, an iconic symbol of South American heritage. Today, the best polo belts are still made in Argentina, hand-stitched with precision and made from highest-quality leathers built to stand the test of time. Polo players often select their colors based on team affiliations or personal relevance (my red and white belt is an homage to my alma mater, McGill University), and color combinations can range from mild to wild.

The polo belt is a favored choice of well-dressed men everywhere, and not just the Nacho Figuerases of the world. Eli Manning wears them, as do Princes William and Harry. Take a walk around any major city’s financial district and you’re likely to spy one or two in the wild. The style telegraphs a certain sportiness and savoir faire—and depending on the vibrancy of colors, they communicate an eye for color and detail without being peacockish. It’s the colorful belt you can wear to work without feeling like you’re wearing a colorful belt.

“The thing is, you don’t have to be flashy to wear a polo belt,” said Jon-Mark Craddock, owner of La Matera, a brand of polo belts, watch bands and other accessories inspired by polo belts. “You don’t want to get too wild if you’re a guy who works at a bank, but it’s just the right amount of swag without being flashy.”

The signs of quality to look for, per Craddock? Cheap polo belts are made with inferior leather that appears cracked on its face, or has layers on its side edge. And cheaper polo belts are stitched with shorter pieces of thread which will unravel over time, creating a fraying effect—but the best quality belts are stitched from longer pieces of thread which won’t unravel.

Opportunities to dip into the world of polo style abound, even if you can’t ride a horse. The polo shirt obviously comes to mind, as does the iconic fashion and lifestyle brand Polo Ralph Lauren, but there are also more subtle references—such as the horse bit loafer, or the classic gaucho alpargata, which inspired the modern mens’ espadrille. Take a wider look at the canon of menswear, and you’ll see that polo belts are just the tip of the iceberg.

I once had a polo coach who told me that, “Looking cool is half the fun.” Shouldn’t we say the same of getting dressed each day?

We’re not saying that this is the exact belt that the Prince of Wales prefers, but we’re also not not saying that. This version comes in chocolate leather, with navy and cream-colored stitching, so it looks fantastic with jeans or khakis for your next royal tour. Made from high-quality saddle leather and with La Matera’s signature lifetime guarantee, this is an infallible option in the world of polo belts.

For an added degree of authenticity, try one of the belts from Tato’s—a go-to source for gear in the world of polo. Tito’s offers a wide array of colors from this classic hunter green and sand combination, to fuschias, purples and oranges.

It would make sense that this American sporting goods company would offer up their own take on the classic polo belt. Every few months Orvis switches up the color offerings for their polo belts, but they’re always made from genuine USA-made latigo leather—which undergoes a dual tanning process for added tensile strength and durability.

How about a twinning moment? Even Fido deserves to be in on the fun. For the next polo match with you plan on attending with your pup in tow, there’s no better accessory.

Todd Plummer is a Boston-based style and travel writer. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Harper's Bazaar, New York Times, Vogue, W and more.