Our 6 fave belts for women and how to style them

After years on the shelf, statement belts are proving the season’s hottest accessory and their comeback is not merely as functional accessories. These star pieces redefine and elevate any ensemble.

Waist belts

Waist belts add a chic touch when layered over blazers and dresses, effortlessly defining your silhouette. Wider styles sit well over heavy garments or chunky chunky knits, whereas narrow belts compliment fine fabrics and are a good choice if you have a shorter torso.

Emma Stone strikes an elegant contrast to her blazer dress with a black statement belt. (Photo by Jacopo Raule/GC Images)

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(Photo: Hard to Find)

Adolfo Dominguez leather belt $179 from Hard to Find

Chain belts

Chain belts effortlessly transition from day to night, adding an edgy touch to any outfit. Whether paired with casual denim or trousers during the day or draped over an evening dress for a glamorous night out.

Katie Holmes adds a subtle, but significant touch with a chain belt. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)

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(Photo Lovisa)

Chain belt $29.99 from Lovisa

Wrap belts

These are all about cinching in the waist and look great over both fitted or floaty tops and dresses. Leather varieties look luxe and instantly elevate your look, or for a fun alternative, chose fabric wraps as a way of injecting colour or prints into an outfit.

Amber Le Bon elevates her look with a leather wrap belt. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images for Fashion Trust Arabia)

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(Photo Belle & Bloom/The Iconic)

Belle & Bloom leather wrap belt $69.95 from The Iconic

Double up

Ok, so this trend might be a case of runway may not meet real life for some of us, but as you can see with Bella Hadid below, celebrities have embraced it in a bit way. Also, some garments you’ll see coming through this season are specifically designed with double belt loops so you have no choice but to wear the two. If you do try the trend, a quick tip to note is the lower belt may need to be slightly longer as it’s circling a wider area of the body.

Bella Hadid buckles up on the hard wear in NYC (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)

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R.M. Williams belt $149 from The Iconic

(Photo The Iconic)

Low slung

While some wear the trend really low on the hips, a good tip is to adjust the belt placement until it feels natural and suits your shape. The overall look is that the belt is the decorative piece (so often a wider style) that sits over the top of jeans, trousers or skirts, not threaded into belt loops.

Victoria Federica makes her belt the focal point with this casual look. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

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(Photo Princess Polly)

Lower impact belt $39.99 from Princess Polly

Western cowgirl

Complementing the western fashion front we’re seeing encouraged by the likes of Beyonce, this trend is about buckles, eyelets and embellishment. It’s even given the 90s disc belt a revival. Suit yourself by wearing it low slung, to toughen up jeans, or decorate and shape the waistline.

Highdee Kuan makes a bold statement in black, (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for ELLE)

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(Photo Kmart)

Disc belt $10 from Kmart

Fashion Editor Janine Donovan Fashion Editor

Janine Donovan is one of Australia’s leading fashion editors, having worked across Woman’s Day and Take 5 for over 30 years. Having begun her career on Woman’s Day in the early 90s, where she undertook a cadetship learning the ropes of fashion and beauty for the fast-paced weekly titles. She offers sensible and smart advice for women about what will make them feel great about themselves and is in constant contact with the readers who value her advice on navigating today’s fashion world. Her keen eye for trends and her ability to understand the readers’ needs means she’s a huge part of what makes the magazines’ lifestyle offering successful today. These days she continues to work across print titles such as Woman’s Day, Take 5 and Royals magazine while also contributing her fashion advice on the website, Now To Love.

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