What A Belt Can Do To An Outfit

Belts played a big part in a couple of last week’s wardrobe sessions.

We…

Reinvented the look of a sleeveless jacket/waistcoat with a belt

Made a dress fit better around the waist with a belt

Made a head-to-toe one-color outfit have more texture and therefore interest, with a belt

Removed a belt, which made the dress look cleaner and simpler (suiting my clients’ style)

Gave a pair of pants more shape at the waist with a belt, while also adjusting the length to just where we wanted it.

Used a belt to create shape at the waist by cinching it in between a blouse and skirt

Made an old 20-something-year-old skirt look modern again with an interesting belt

I get asked quite a bit – “How do I know when to wear a belt or not to wear a belt?”

Firstly, it’s about knowing what type of belt works best for you. (e.g. thin or thick) and where to wear them.

Then, if you remember that dressing is about balance, it’s learning to look at your outfit, once you’ve put it together and deciding whether adding a belt will complement it or not. Play around and experiment and ask yourself what feels right and what doesn’t.

Some days I’ll put a belt on, and then once I’ve finished getting dressed (including, my bag, jewellery, jacket, etc) I’ll assess how it all looks head-to-toe together in the mirror….and I might decide to remove it. I may feel there’s too much detail on my shoes or texture on the bag, jewelry on my wrist….. that there’s already enough going on, and that the belt would just be too much.

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