The Number One Styling Question I Get

The Number One Styling Question I Get

"Do I have to wear a belt?"

Via Girl with Curves

If you've been hanging around here for awhile, you'll notice that I often style clients with belts and frequently feature images with women wearing belts. As a result, when I work with women on falling back in love with their clothing (and bodies), one of the first questions I get is, "But...do I HAVE TO wear a belt?!"

No. You don't have to wear a belt. You don't have to wear anything that you're not comfortable in, of course. But-and you knew there'd be a but!-I would love, LOVE!, for each and every one of you to think about different clothing choices (including belts worn at your natural/high waist) like a child trying new food: try it a few times and then decide if it's "comfortable."

I think comfort is partially physical, but so much more emotional. Wearing a belt might not be the right style for you or style for you all the time, but if you try one out you might like it. You might not like a belt in the belt loops or a stiff belt, but you might like the feeling and the look of a soft piece of fabric or ribbon tied around you. If you have it at the right spot, which is high up on your waist, under your lowest rib, then you might find that it doesn't slip or smoosh or tug but actually helps you to stand taller and feel prouder.

Or it might not. Either way, I'd encourage you to find a way to highlight part of your body that you haven't been, whether it's your waist, your wrists, your legs, or your neck. Try stacking a pile of bracelets on your wrists to call attention to them, or wear a shorter skirt than normal, or swap a turtleneck for a boat neck.

Sometimes part of my goal in putting women in belts is to jar the way that they think about their bodies and what their bodies are capable of. A belt is a fast, dramatic way to do that, but there are others, like wearing a dress with a high waistband (as in the image above), or a twist on one side, or a jacket/blazer/sweater with pockets or a button that "points" to your waist like this.

Above all, have fun with it.