Within my wardrobe, I often find that I get hooked on one item, stock up on that item, then find in several years (or sometimes, much to my chagrin, months), I'm over the obsession. I suppose this is normal when it comes to fashion as styles change, and for fashionistas like me, when we find something we love, we stock up on it. Especially if we can find it at a bargain!
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My Favorite
Belt:
Dad's Old Belt |
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However, I've found that I've had a special sort of love/hate/love affair with belts. I have gone through several rounds of belt obsession in my life. The first came in college, when I discovered my favorite belt. Now, I normally don't play favorites with my belts...or any of my accessories, for that matter. But, this belt is special. Why is it special, you ask? Well, it was my father's when he was in his hippie phase--his late teens and into his 20s. I found this belt in my father's closet. Why he still had it almost 30 years later is a mystery to me--especially because his waist has expanded somewhat since that point. However, I saw this worn, beat-up, brown leather belt and it called to me. I had no choice but to listen. I was even happier when I tried it on and it fit. This belt has stayed with me through all of my belt phases--love or hate. It's one of those classic pieces that always looks fabulous with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, a pair of khakis and boots or over a bulky sweater and leggings. This belt was my gateway drug. After this, I found that I was loving chain belts. I had them in every color, every thickness, every shape, every size. I have since given my chain belts to goodwill or to my little cousins to use in their games of dress-up. Thus, my first love affair with belts ended.
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The Survivors
of the 2nd belt obsession:
the suede belts |
My second love affair with belts wasn't actually about belts at all...it was about scarves. That's right. I wore scarves as belts. Profusely. With almost every outfit. Over dresses, in belt loops, around my skirts. Scarves. I couldn't get enough. It was at this point that I had just started teaching and I was living in New York City. I was the ultimate bargain shopper when it came to my scarf belts. I would often buy colorful, wispy scarves from street vendors. I would find scarves and scarf belts (see, I was in style! I wasn't the only one with this obsession) at major retailers--in fact, I bought quite a few from the Gap back in the day! I even had one from Coach...that one was my splurge. I still have my scarf belts. I didn't part with them, thinking that someday they may have a use again...maybe not as a belt, but maybe they'd play some role in my wardrobe. I still have a drawer full of these scarves and scarf belts. At the same time, I also got really into skinny belts. I remember having a pink skinny belt, a red skinny belt and a black skinny belt. I have a fabulous brown skinny belt with gold rings that I have kept from this era, and also got two suede belts in maroon and cream that have managed to survive the belt purges. In fact, these three belts are totally making a reappearance in my wardrobe these days.
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| The Preppy Belts |
My newest obsession with belts started slowly. I got back into sweater dresses about three years ago and I was looking for something fabulous to wear around my waist to dress up my outfit. This is where I found my burgeoning love for funky, thick belts. I bought a gold one and a maroon one. But, this was where my belt love ended. I would only wear these with sweater dresses and wouldn't wear them that often. I was over belts. But, about 2 summers ago, my belt obsession started to sneak back up on me again. This time, it was the classic style preppy belts. The belts that I remember from my youth--the belts made of grosgrain ribbon with a two-ring closure. My first one was a light blue and dark blue belt. I bought it because it was in school colors--and where I teach, we wear school colors every Friday. However, I found that while I bought this fabulous belt, it would often sit in my drawer because, as I said, I was over belts and unsure how to wear it. Then I found my next preppy belt--my madras plaid belt with a faux bamboo ring closure. I found reasons to wear this belt. I loved it. I still love it. My last preppy belt was acquired last spring--it's a grosgrain ribbon belt from J.Crew in a fun green color with blue whales embroidered on it. It has the two ring closure. I mean, how much more preppy than that can you get?
But, it was this last summer when I knew that my full-fledged belt obsession had re-reared its head.At the end of last school year, I began to covet my friends' stretchy, thick belts. I made it my mission in my back to school shopping to find myself a thick black belt. Did I succeed? Of course I did! I then decided that I needed a skinny black belt. Check! I got one of those too. Then the school year started. Since then I have acquired three more belts in varying styles.
Now I have a full collection:
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| The Funky Belts |
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| The Skinny Belt |
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| The Thick Belts |
Add to those my preppy belts, my classic suede belts and my dad's old belt and I have one fabulous belt collection. Does this mean that I'm done shopping for belts? Ha! Don't be silly.
It is an obsession, after all.
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