I <3 Belts

Buckle up!

Mar 23, 2024

Hi friends,

Spring has Sprung! LA is finally warm and nice and green after the rain, but unfortunately I’m staring at a giant pile of clothes on my bed. About an hour ago, I decided to “spring clean” and dramatically took everything out of my closet, determined to only put back in the things I wear a lot, in a miracle new layout that somehow would create room. Between this moment of genius and now, my motivation and energy levels dwindled, but I guess I will have to complete the mission of figuring out what to keep, what to let go of, what to replace it with - so I can use my bed. A newsletter for another day!

I’m finally coming around to deliver on my belt edit promise - there is just so much to say! I have many belts, collected since my teen years. Back when I was 15 and worked retail in my hometown, at a concept store called “French Fries,” I quickly understood that a belt could be an affordable and versatile accessory to make a look. I would use one to cinch a short jacket to wear it as a dress, or to tighten and shorten - do we say “blouse” in english too? - some of my parents’ clothes.

Example: My Khaite Benny Belt styled over this Coachtopia patent skirt (sold out, but linking similar here and here). Wearing it with this Auralee sweater I got in Japan (similar from J.Crew, and LouLou Studio) & Loro Piana flats (good dupes here).

I envied my friends who wore their mom’s designer vintage belts, and come to think of it, I associate them with legacy - the box of precious belts will someday be passed down, much like I received an orange box with my grandmother’s silk scarves when she passed away. In general, I don’t like extra stuff lying around, perhaps a reaction to being raised by two people who love antiquing (we can’t call them hoarders here), and I am pretty good at Marie Kondo-ing on the regular. Yet, I’ve never sold or gotten rid of a belt ** takes writing break to put the belts from the bed to the closet**.

Selling belts never seemed worth it: their resale value is minimal, they take very little room, in the pretty tin box that a holiday Panettone from Gucci once came in. There is always a belt in this magic box that can make a little black dress look more interesting, this old thing look like a brand new outfit.

One of my favorite, most worn belts is a beaded belt from Isabel Marant for H&M, circa 2013 - it has lost many beads but will still complete a plain pair of jeans + white t-shirt combo.

Belts are the best kept secret of women with long torsos - they let you control where the eye travels to define the waist, elongating legs and silhouette on demand. They can mark the slimmest part of a figure to create an hourglass shape or put a bow on a very plain look.

How to measure your belt size!

If you’re going down the rabbit hole with me, I highly suggest you measure your belt size. The simplest way to do this is to use a tape measure to measure a belt you already love. Otherwise, measure the circumference of your waist, at about the level you usually wear your belt (low, mid or high waist), add 2-3 inches to allow a little extra space to close the belt. In general, 70cm = xs, 75cm = s, 80cm = m, etc. This is especially important if you plan on purchasing vintage belts on Ebay or Etsy.