Belt Up

We’ve all heard and read the requisite season coat drill a thousand times; key shapes to hunt down and how to wear them etc but what will really make this autumn’s transition to winter smoother than ever is a classic, waist cinching belt. Forget fretting about saving up enough for your must-have winter coat, invest in a show-stopping belt instead which can transform last year’s jacket as well as a generous percentage of last years purchases. In the form of an instant wardrobe updater, belts will play a substantial role in the season’s key looks and literally, defining shapes.

Take skirts. The most up-to-date style comes high waisted with a body-skimming shape woven in gorgeous textured material. However, if you can’t bear to part with your favourite skirt that ticks none of those boxes, there is a way to bring it to the forefront of autumn dressing. Here, a wide, patent belt will do perfectly, streamlining the silhouette and adding a few extra inches of height to the waistband.

There is only one thing to watch out for, take care when selecting the width of your belt, it may be tempting to get carried away and buy a thick, almost corset-like belt but they have the tendency to make you bulge in the wrong places. Stick to no wider than three inches and it will hug in all the right places.

For coats, a belt can be a great addition to the look but only if the material is rather light and not too starched and the coat is a good three-quarter in length. If this is the case, adding a belt will give a desired A-line effect to the coat that radiates elegance and style.

From a different perspective, skinny belts can work just as well. For the evening, the popular babydoll dress has been slightly phased out this season but can be updated with a simple thin band around the waist in an edgy material. Similarly, smocks just don’t cut it in this season’s eveningwear but a bright skinny belt can bring life and style to a favoured summer smock. Skinny belts can also add elegant detail to an evening dress, a simple belt with an intricate gold clasp can be the focal point of the outfit.

Daywear can also make use of skinny belts. A floral summer dress can be brought into this season seamlessly with an understated, patent skinny belt, coloured woolly tights and a pair of killer ankle boots.

Whichever way you choose to flaunt your waist this season, there’s so much choice when it comes to buying belts that, as with all good accessories, it can really make an outfit.