Lately I have been on this crazy belt binge. I’ve been strapping around the waists of clients, turning them to finish my own outfits and just love the way they show off the waist. Right now it’s all about the waist. Pants are higher in the rise, skirts are more highwaisted and dresses are more cinched. After years of seeing just how low a rise could go its time for the waist to have its moment, making sense that it would also be all about the belt. In this week’s installment in this series I decided to talk about how to wear belts for work.
There are different types of belts out there. To help you decide which style is best for you and your body shape here are some examples of different types of belts out there and who they flatter best.
Different types of belts
Contour waist belt
Contour waist belts curve. The benefit of the curved shape is they sit close to the body when worn without being too tight. They can also be worn in a more low-slung manner. Everyone can wear a contour waist belt, but those with tummies benefit from this belt shape because it shapes the body without being constricting or creating that dreaded muffin top. Contour waist belts also tend to be very comfortable to wear.
Because of the curved shape, to properly wear a contour waist belt, the belt should be worn with the curve facing up, or like it is smiling.
Obi belt
The Obi belt is named after the Japanese sashes worn with kimonos. The beauty of an obi belt, which is basically a sash, is that it can be tied and tightened to someone’s liking and will fit a variety of body shapes well.
Skinny belt
Skinny belts are great for a pop of color or worn with a pair of trousers. However, if you are looking for major cinching in the waist a skinny may fall short. Unlike a wider belt, a skinny belt may emphasize the lumps and bumps of a tummy or muffin top when it is cinched. My recommendation when wearing this belt style when you have a tummy is to either belt it loosely or wear it in a more empire manner on the waist.
Chain belt
Chain belts are great for decoration but don’t expect them to do much more than sit there. All body shapes can wear a chain belt because it delicately sits around the waist not doing much more than looking pretty. For major waist cinching a chain belt should be avoided.
Elastic waist belt
For cinching the waist, an elastic waist belt is the perfect option. The elastic sits snugly around the waist and can create a beautiful hourglass figure. However, you need to be careful with an elastic waist belt. If the elastic is too tight tummy bulge can spill over. If you have a tummy this does not mean that an elastic waist belt is off limits. Just make sure it isn’t too tight.
Wide belt
Wide belts look beautiful, but without elastic or a contour shape they can be very uncomfortable to wear as they will just sit on the body and won’t really move as you move. My suggestion to realistically wear a wider belt is to look for one that is elasticized, contour shaped or not so wide that it hurts when you sit or is uncomfortable when you wear it.
Accessorizing with a belt
Adding a belt to a work look is a great way to add an accessorized finish to an outfit. Below are three work looks that are shown with and without a belt. With a side by side comparison you will be able to see just how much of a difference a belt can make.
This printed skirt by T. Tahari, shaped Reiss top and Mango cardigan gets a splash of color with a navy belt that also accents the waist. Many women avoid belts thinking they will make their waistlines look wide but you can see in this comparison how the eye is drawn in and the waist looks more defined. The look is finished with a Vince Camuto handbag, gray pumps by Rockport and Athena Designs earrings.
Look #2
You can use a belt to change up the look of a basic dress, like this one from Boden. This belt from Nordstrom
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