The accessories are the little extra that give a real label to your outfit. The belt is one of them and it s the fifth element for an asserted style. A beautiful belt will enhance your look and your silhouette … as long as you choose it well.
Let’s discover together the criteria for choosing a belt, the favorite brands and ideas for wearing it well.
When to decide to wear a belt ?
The belt is worn in two cases :
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to maintain in place a too big pants (admit that it is rarely the case)
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to illuminate an outfit or to tighten the waist (we recognize ourselves more in this definition)
For example when you wear :
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a slim or skinny with a loose top (shirt, blouse, sweater, t-shirt),
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loose pants (chino, carrot etc) with a top close to the body,
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a top and a bottom slightly loose,
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a dress and you want to mark your waist to structure your silhouette,
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a skirt and you want to create a transition with the top when it is slipped inside the skirt,
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a sweater over your skirt and you want to structure your silhouette.
Wearing a belt should not be a routine
It should really add something to your outfit,
It must contribute to the message of your outfit and not confuse it.
For this, it must be following the style of your outfit.
Often we make the mistake of having a collection of belts of the same type, all corresponding to the same style.
This limits our possibilities and doesn’t allow us to go all the way when we want to create a successful outfit in one of the stylistic registers.
It is not necessary to have dozens of belts that look the same but rather one for each style (classic, rock, bohemian, casual etc.).
How to choose tour belt ?
The material
The first and most important thing is :
Forget about the polyurethane or other synthetic materials, which are very cheap and get damaged very quickly and go for our loving leather.
Ok, I admit it, it is becoming difficult to find good quality leather belts without taking a mortgage on the house.
But then again, less is more!
Always keep that in mind!
We are here to build our perfect and long-lasting wardrobe, remember?
So let’s choose each piece of this wardrobe with a particular care.
And the belt is a very important part of your perfect wardrobe.
A beautiful belt will immediately attract the eye and boost your outfit.
With this in mind, go for a full grain leather, calf or cowhide belt.
Some luxury belts are double lined which gives them more straitness and a classic look.
For wide belts to tie, you can also choose a fabric belt.
But again, do not throw yourself on the first rag that comes, choose it carefully, well-cut in a noble fabric.
Pinterest*
Pinterest*
The width
In your perfect wardrobe, you could combine:
A thin belt with a width of 1 cm varnished with a rectangular buckle
It will be suitable for elegant and/or tomboy outfits (black patent for example).
A thin belt of 2 to 3 cm wide braided, in leather or nubuck of beige or camel color
You can wear it on your skirts without slipping it into the loops.
Instead of closing it with the buckle, you can tie it casually and make sure it is long enough then
This belt will be very useful for summer, bohemian, folk and ethnic looks.
A classic leather belt, 3 to 4 cm wide
Slipped into the loops of your pants.
This is belt, the real one with its first purpose, to be worn with your jeans.
Choose it with a nice buckle and in a leather that will give it patina over the years
This is the investment belt so don’t think twice when it comes to the price. It is the belt that will enhance your outfits with basics or in neutral colors.
A wide belt
Wear it high or under the bust for glamorous looks (it’s better to avoid wearing this type of belt on the hips unless you’re a huge fan of the seventies look).
The choice of the perfect belt depends nevertheless and above all on your silhouette!
A belt can really change everything , can « compacting » you or make your look stunning , so it’s not a detail that you can just skip when it come to strap you in one.
Eh let’s summarize :
- If you’re short or thin, go for thin belts (up to 3 cm max) and the same color as the stocking you’re wearing , it give the appearance to extend your silhouette.
- If you are tall, cheeky lucky you … all up to you, everything will suit you!
- If you are short and with generous shapes, rather go for belts that are thin (4 cm max).
- If you’re tall and with generous curves : go for wide belts.
- If you are a #bigboobs team star
MORE OF THIS ARTICLE
- How to choose your belts : material, cut, length, size, color, finishings
- Which belt to choose to enhance your silhouette
- Which belts you should absolutely have for a maximum of style
- Our favorite brands
- How to wear your belts: with which tops, which jackets, which shoes, which accessories
- Which belts for which styles
- How to match the color of your belt
- Pinterest inspirations: all the streestyle outfits ideas to wear your belt with style
Find this complete article in the wardrobe encyclopaedia EBOOK “Everything you need to know about wardrobe items”.
*These are images for which the sources could not be identified on Pinterest.
Header picture credit:
Claudie Pierlot