How to Buckle the Top of the Dress Blues

The white belt and brass buckle are part of a Marine's attire.

Members of the United States military are taught that the way you dress and present yourself is a key component of service, and anything less will be looked down upon. As with any other uniform, dress blues have certain regulations that you must abide by. When you first get the supplies for your dress blues belt, you must put the pieces together yourself. It is best to practice a few times before you publicly present your dress blues attire.

Things You'll Need

• White belt webbing
• Brass buckle and loop
• Two brass fittings or keepers
• Scissors, if needed
• Soft cloth

Instructions

1. Lay your 2-inch white belt webbing out on a flat surface in front of you.

2. Grab the brass buckle and position it on the end of the webbing on the right side. Slide the webbing through the loop on the back of the buckle and move it up approximately 8 to 12 inches from the end. The buckle's face should be facing down as you do this.

3. Insert a brass fitting or keeper on the same end of the webbing. Move it up approximately 4 to 6 inches from the end. Fold the webbing at the fitting/keeper. Move the buckle towards the end of the webbing, inserting the end of the webbing through the back loop of the buckle as you move it towards the end.

4. Move to the left end of the webbing. Insert the webbing through the hook part of the buckle in the same fashion as you did with the other side.

5. Attach the second fitting/keeper in the same fashion as the first. Insert the end of the webbing through the hook loop and pull it towards the end of the belt webbing to complete the belt.

6. Adjust the belt length to fit your waist by moving the keeper and the hook end until it fits snugly against the waist.

7. Buff the belt buckle with a soft cloth to remove any fingerprints.

Tips & Warnings

• When you put the belt on your dress blues, the buckle face should be on the right; the hook part of the buckle is on the left and is hidden when you attach the buckle ends together. The loose ends of the webbing should not be seen when you are wearing the belt. You can cut off the extra lengths of webbing, but leave at least 4 to 6 inches of webbing on each end.

References

• United States Marine Corps: Marine Corps Uniform Regulations
• United States Navy: Uniform Regs (pdf)
• United States Air Force: Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel (pdf)
• YouTube: Dress Blue Belt Assembly