I purchased this as a gift for my husband. I agree it did have a distinct odor...Nonetheless I bought this related to the reviews...knowing this might be an issue. When the package arrived I did note the odor...however it was such a nice belt I wanted try something...I hung it up in our basement for a couple weeks and the odor had diminished significantly...now after a few wears non one would notice unless they put their nose right up to it--this is a strange example but its true. I am only giving a 4 star rating r/t the little bit of effort I had to invest. It is great belt-but do buy in advance so you can air it out. Again it is a very classy belt which could easily be worn for any occasion...formal or even w.jeans. In terms of.size...I bought the exact size my husband wears and he had 3 extra holes...maybe this will help when deciding size.
L.D.R. from Chicagoland