Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Belting it out

Let's talk belts.

  I love wide belts, probably because they suit my build. Skinny belts at the waist make me look like I have been bisected into two powerful chunky pieces, and I can't wear belts at my hips because I wear long fitted shirts so I don't show a big section of my lower back/upper butt when I sit and squat.

  I'm always interested in hearing about how other people wear belts and how they suit different body types and figures. And if you have any advice on how one wears hip belts that doesn't involve a strange series of lumps under one's long shirt, please let me know.

  I cruise eBay to calm down before bedtime, as it's lightly engaging and doesn't take much concentration or brain power. I've been fixated on Crystaline's Steampunk Lolita ensembles this past month and I'm in the market for a belt like the one she sports in a lot of her outfits:

  I thought I'd share some brown wide belts that caught my interest. Let me know if you'd be interested in any other styles or items, and maybe I can poke around the internet for you when I can't sleep! Links here don't profit me, but they may benefit YOU. ;D

  This studded brown belt with double buckle looked simple enough to wear on the street but had a cool fantasy vibe to me. It has an elastic section in the back and claims to fit ~30-33 inches. $12 with shipping.


  This is a German trachten belt. It is also adorable. Dangly hearts on little sock-shaped pieces of wool! Says  it will fit waists ~36-41 inches. $30 with shipping.


  An obi-style fake leather belt with a panel in front and long elastic band behind it. I guess this would be for wearing under jackets or if I was going to spend an evening leaning against a wall. On the plus, the stretchiness says it will accommodate up to 43 inches. Also comes in brown, black, and red. $16 with shipping.


  I like the asymmetric holster-feel of this one. I think it looks modern and conjures a bit of gunslinger feel at the same time. ~27-34 inches. $8 with shipping.


  Closest in appearance to Crystaline's belt, this cincher comes in several colors and finishes. Claims to fit ~30-40 inch waists. $17.45 with shipping, but seller has individual colors on auction that you can bid on for cheaper.

  One thing I've noticed is that many of the new-fangled belts are mass-produced pieces from China, meaning the size range can be quite small in comparison to American sizes. For myself, growing up the nice clothes here were always too big/tall/long and when I discovered Asian clothing, it was like a world of things that fit me opened up. However, this means that my friends are often excluded because of the limited sizing. Do you have better luck with particular brands? Do you have experience finding clothing from a particular country that fits you better? What do you look at when you shop online?

3 comments:

  1. I never realized, until I started dressing in women's clothing regularly, how useful belts can be. They can add shape, color and pizzazz to an outfit. They can transform a simple dress into an elegant ensemble. And there is such a wonderful variety of belts and styles. You illustrate this point nicely in the post.

    I'm glad you're finding items that fit you. I have the same problem but at the other end: most women's clothes, belts and jewelry are too small for my ginormous size.

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  2. Love those style of belts, sadly - I suffer from short waisted issues and my boobs usually sit right at the top of belts like that.

    As for sizing, I fall between so many "standard" measurements, that nothing ever really fits me precisely. So I wear a lot of layered things, sleeveless, and knits.

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  3. I own mostly skinny belts because they go so well with a pencil/high-waisted skirt. A wide belt is on my wishlist, though - they can be such a statement piece! I've spent some time looking at Asia-produced clothing and accessories online, but haven't bought yet. There's just so many things out there, it's hard to decide what to get!

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