The mystery of the vanishing belt loops

[il_ar]

Hi,

This is a post about suits. For as long as I've worn suits to work, I've observed that the belt loops on the back of my trousers get worn down very badly. See here:

In fact, this is usually the first thing to go on a new suit. Sometimes in the first year. I am thinking of spending some coin on a nice made to measure suit but I would hate for this damage to pop up in the first year.

Does anyone know why this happens? Is it from sitting in office chairs? Is it from my backpack (though usually when I am wearing the backpack I am also wearing my jacket)? Some other reason? Could I avoid the problem by getting trousers with side tabs? Surely someone else has had this problem.

Thank you

 

[ValidusLA]

Considering its the rear belt loop and you wear a backpack, I'm going to go with the backpack. Its the only thing that could be causing enough friction to wear through a belt loop like that. I've never seen wear like that on a pair of pants I own, but I've also never worn a backpack since college.

Unless you are sitting in a really rough chair and bouncing all day?

 

[breakaway01]

Hard to imagine a backpack causing this wear if you are usually wearing a jacket. I'd imagine you'd see some serious wear on the back of your jacket if this were the case.

Do you have an office chair with a highly textured/rough cloth?
Also wondering where your belt loops lie when you sit down. Are they at your natural waist or are they low on your hips? If they are at your natural waist, the rear belt loops should be at the small of your back and less exposed to friction. On the other hand if your trousers are low rise perhaps the rear belt loops can rub against your chair when you sit.

 

[Joffrey]

What a lovely thread. All my suit pants have the same issue and I don't wear a back pack. I do have an aeron chair which has textured seats (mesh).

 

[il_ar]

Hmm I think it might be the chair. My jackets appear fine, the backpack is quite smooth pleather, and the chairs do have a mesh back with a lumbar supporting bulge. The pants do also sit a touch too low and might be extending back a bit and touching the chair. I don't know that I can do anything about it except that I'm changing jobs in a few months so hopefully the problem will go away for future suits.

Thank you all for your thoughts. If anyone has direct experience with this and has worked it out, please weigh in!

 

[J o s h]

Considering its the rear belt loop and you wear a backpack, I'm going to go with the backpack. Its the only thing that could be causing enough friction to wear through a belt loop like that. I've never seen wear like that on a pair of pants I own, but I've also never worn a backpack since college.

Unless you are sitting in a really rough chair and bouncing all day?

Is your avatar a picture of Marechal Ney?

 

[CR78]

I've had this exact same issue caused by friction from my mesh-backed office chair. I actually zipped a vest around the chairback to remedy the problem and save my beltloops.

 

[ValidusLA]

Hahaha indeed. He is a (quite distant) relative.

 

[mak1277]

It's 100% mesh-backed office chairs...similar issues with many of the men in my office. Fortunately we recently trashed the mesh chairs. I wish I had a solution besides "pay attention when you sit".

 

[J o s h]

Hahaha indeed. He is a (quite distant) relative.

How interesting!

France's history is brutal.

I drove the southern part of the route Napoleon last year - which retraces his path - from Antibes to Castellane. This was before he encountered Ney.
Beautiful.

 

[C MattssonJH]

As a men’s clothing stylist I have had to unravel this mystery myself on one occasion. The client blamed the fabric not wearing well. We dug in to what the causes could be and the mesh chair was revealed. Sadly for him the wear was in the seat of his pants not the belt loop. By the way you can buy MTM suits that come with an extra belt loop. Be sure to ask.
Also if it is a better pair of pants there may be enough fabric in the pants hem for a tailor to fashion a belt loop and just leave you less hem.

 

[stinkybarbour]

You have a chair that selectively abrades one single belt loop on a pair of trousers and ignores the rest of the fibres, particularly the butt and back of thighs which have far more contact?
Odd... very odd. Unbelievably odd... i.e.; I dont believe a word of the OPs post.

 

[Concordia]

So to replace Aeron and preserve flannel trousers, what spec office chair?

 

[dieworkwear]

So to replace Aeron and preserve flannel trousers, what spec office chair?

Replace with Aeron mesh pants and a flannel chair.

 

[Concordia]

Replace with Aeron mesh pants and a flannel chair.

You mean Fresco? The FNB special edition?