Belts

Daniel: Hey, what kind of belt do you have?
Miyagi: Canvas. JC Penney, $3.98. You like?
Daniel: No, I meant...
Miyagi: In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants.
--- The Karate Kid.

Yes, “belt mean no need rope to hold up pants”, but a belt also means cinching in that waist, gathering that loose shirt in and wrapping those hips.

Many of Nina’s items in “The One Hundred” sound like the bleeding obvious, but it’s the bleeding obvious that can easily get overlooked. Belts are definitely one of these.

A long cardigan worn with a long skirt looks dowdy. Wrap it up with a thin belt at the waist and the dowdy magically evaporates.

You can’t tuck your t-shirt into your jeans unless you’re wearing a belt. Well, not without looking like a complete dag. Add a belt. Instant de-dag.

Your silk blouse and pencil skirt looks OK. Cinch a wide, elasticised belt around the middle for immediate drama and style.

That basic LBD you have is lovely. Sling a loose gold chain belt around it and suddenly, it’s fabulous.

It’s actually bit spooky.

Nina writes, “Think of your belts as pieces of jewelry.” This is good thinking when they are patterned or have elaborate buckles, but I tend to keep belts simple and think of them more as structural pieces than decorative. They define shape when worn tight, and draw focus when worn loose.

I don’t have too much of a waist, and I wear a lot of low-waisted, wide-legged trousers, and these demand skinny belts to finish them off. I rely on tailoring and belts to give me shape and finish my outfits.

And, yes, belts also hold my pants up :-)