Y’all told me you love posts about trends and how to wear them, so…

Belts! Specifically, wide belts will be a big accessory trend for 2020. I know the thought of wearing a belt makes many of you cringe, but before you click out of this tab, here’s the thing…

ANYONE can wear a wide belt, it’s all in how you wear it for your body type. Today I’m sharing how any body type can wear a wide belt, even if you’re short waisted.

I’m short waisted and don’t have a lot of room on my torso for belts,  but I’ll be honest…I’m pretty pumped up about this trend. Especially because it’s winter and probably going to be winter for a bit longer, and adding belts is an easy way to add some freshness into our winter outfits.

Another perk of belts? You can shop for them without heading into a dressing room and taking off your coat and boots!

As a personal stylist in Denver and Northern Colorado, I love my jeans, but I also enjoy dressing up and experimenting with styles, and lately it’s been belts!

Here’s an example of my favorite belted outfit.  I’ve been wearing more belts lately and having fun with a new to me accessory. Hopefully you’ll be convinced on the belt trend seeing them on me, real life…not a model.

As an inverted triangle with a not so small waist, this outfit works because I’m wearing a very full skirt and a dark blazer. It creates the illusion of a smaller upper body and a larger lower body, balancing me out. There’s a little fullness in the jacket, so by not pulling the jacket down too much, my waist looks a little smaller.

Also, because I’m short waisted, I place the belt a little below my natural waist to give the illusion of a longer torso. Lastly, the low stance of the jacket (where the top button is placed) points inward to my waist and the belt buckle, also making my waist look smaller.

Here’s how each body type can wear belts

Psst…these are a few general ideas. A lot of us are combination body types, so I encourage you to read all of the body types to see what resonates with you.

Hourglass

Girl, belts are your best accessories! You probably don’t know just how many of us are envying your tiny waist. It’s a true crime if you’re not playing up your waist.

Especially if you are long waisted, you can wear the widest of wide belts, a corset belt. Worn with a simple shirt dress, it’s even office appropriate!

Rectangle

If you’re not curvy and your middle isn’t as narrow as you’d like, a belt can help emphasize your waist. You’ll want to experiment a bit with your belts. Darker colors can make your waist look smaller and stretch belts will have the effect of pulling your waist in a bit.

I’ve had tons of luck with belting outfits where I can blouse the top or jacket out over the belt a bit, giving the illusion of a smaller waist.

Apple

I know…the common wisdom (and even I’ve said it) is to bypass your middle and focus attention to your upper body or lower body. (And that’s not bad advice overall.)

But, there’s no real reason you have to miss out on all of the belt love! First, choose a belt with an eye-catching buckle. And then, once you’ve belted your outfit top it with a jacket or cardigan. You get the flair a belt brings without focusing the attention on your middle.

Inverted Triangle

Your best bet with wide waist belts is to wear them over an outfit that has a bit of volume below your waist. And then simply stick to the “rule” of wearing lighter colored or patterned skirts and pants with plain or darker tops…all giving you the illusion of an hourglass shape.

A lot of inverted triangles tend to be short waisted with long legs. If this is you, be sure to match your belt with your top to elongate your torso. And since you probably don’t have a lot of vertical real estate in your torso, you may want to choose a bit narrower belt.

I tend to pull my belts down a little so they’re hitting a bit below my high natural waist.

Triangle

Many of my triangle shaped clients tend to have super flat tummies with long torsos and short legs. If this is you, go ahead and highlight your slim waist with a wide belt.

Match your belt to your dark colored, A-Line or flared skirt and a fun colorful top for a super cute look!

Try wearing your belt a little higher than your natural waist to elongate the look of your legs.

I will admit I don’t wear a ton of belts, but now that they’re back in style, I’m excited.

And now that it’s a big trend, for 2020,  belts should be easier to find.

And since it’s the beginning of the New Year and new decade…why not try something new! Will you try belts? Let us know in the comments below!