I love the worn look of this belt. I wanted the belt to look worn and frayed and this belt represents that beautifully. I have a 36" waist, so I ordered a size L (37-39"). However, in hindsight I should have ordered size XL (40-42 inches) because I need some room to grow - and I like the belt to go through the loop on the pants (and through the included loop on the belt itself) . It also took me a while to thread the end of the strap through the loop on the strap - it's very tight. Overall I'm happy with my purchase and I really like the look.