Pants waist size and belt size are not the same, so ladies if this is your first go around, either ask your man what size belt he wears or measure from his old ones.  My husband is a 36 waist and the 38 wouldn't work.  I'm exchaning for a 42.  Other than my little snafu with sizing, he loved the belt color and texture.  It makes me happy because it matches very well to his Timberland oxfords (which he could care less about).