How to Style a Vintage Belt

Vintage belts can be versatile and unique accessories if you style them correctly.

Vintage belts are a great way to accessorize and give a contemporary outfit a unique edge. Pick one up in a second-hand vintage shop or an online outlet and wear it to create a casual, glamorous, bohemian or high-fashion look. White, black and brown leather belts are a great option because they can be paired with most colors and textures, and also can be teamed with a pair of black heels, brown boots or white sandals. A vintage belt can be a great addition to your wardrobe because it's versatile and can be styled in different ways depending on your mood and the occasion.

Things You'll Need

• Vintage belt
• Sewing needle
• Brooch
• Diamanté earrings
• Piece of fabric

Instructions

1. Wear your vintage belt on the top of your waist to break up an outfit like a floral summer dress to achieve a boho-chic look. If your belt doesn't fasten tight enough to hold in this position, poke some new holes in the end with a sewing needle or clasp it together at the end using a vintage brooch.

2. Team a vintage belt with some low-rise, flared jeans and wear it on your hips to create a hippy look. Wear bright colors on top and some beaded jewelry to complete the outfit and leave your hair tousled.

3. Loop your vintage belt in high-waisted denim shorts or a mini-skirt and combine with a tank top and high heels to go for something more glamorous. A great way to add a bit of sparkle is by pinning diamanté earrings into the unused buckle holes of your belts or weaving a piece of colorful fabric like silk around the band.

4. Match the color of your belt with another item of clothing like a neck scarf, a hat or a pair of shoes. This will make your outfit flow while drawing attention to your vintage belt and making it the focal point of your look.

Tips & Warnings

• Vintage belts will differ depending on when they were made or which fashion era they are based on, so keep this in mind when styling your belt with an outfit. Look at old fashion magazines from different eras like the 1940s, '50s and '60s to get some ideas and inspiration about how to wear and style different vintage belts. For example, if your belt is from the '60s, you could base your styling on the bohemian hippy look or mod-con rockers, whereas a '50s belt could be styled with a rockabilly dress and kitten heels.

References

• Daniel Comrie, Fashion design graduate, London

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Chictopia: Vintage Belt