Belts, Sunglasses and Accessories: How to Style Them
- Words by
- Julio Arco
- Published
- Reading
- 4 min
Belts, sunglasses and a few small finishing pieces do more to settle an outfit than another top ever will. The simplest rule: pick one accessory to lead and keep the others quiet. A bold belt gets plain sunglasses, and big frames get a slim belt.
Sunglasses also have a job beyond looks, so this guide covers both: how to pair these pieces, and what to check on a pair of lenses before you fall for the frame.
What kind of belt goes with everything?
A plain leather belt in black or a mid-brown, about 1 to 1.25 inches wide, with a simple metal buckle. It works with jeans, trousers and most skirts. If your wardrobe leans warm (tans, olive, cream), brown is the safer pick. If it leans cool (navy, gray, black), choose black.
Match the belt to your shoes only loosely. Same family of tone is enough; an exact match can look dated.
Leather belts for men and women
Texture matters more than people expect. A smooth, matte leather reads dressy. A suede or grained finish reads relaxed. Check the edges and the holes: clean, even stitching and edges usually mean the belt will keep its shape. For fit, you should be able to close it on the middle holes, which leaves room both ways.
Are belts still in style?
Yes, and they have two jobs. A belt can define a waist on a dress, coat or oversized shirt, or it can be a quiet detail on trousers. I can't forecast what will trend next season, but a belt that defines your proportions rarely looks out of place.
Statement belts for cinching the waist
Wide belts and sculptural buckles work best over something with volume: a long cardigan, a shirt dress, a blazer worn open. Put the belt at your natural waist, the narrowest part of your torso, and keep the rest of the outfit in one or two colors so the belt reads clearly.
Rhinestone and stretch belt options
A rhinestone stretch belt catches light, so it behaves like jewelry. It suits evening looks and plain dresses, and the stretch makes it forgiving if your fit changes through the day. Through the lens of evidence-based design, I'd treat sparkle as the focal point: it pulls the eye to the waist, so keep necklaces and earrings simple.
How do statement belts and oversized sunglasses work together?
Pair them with care. Both are large and both want attention. If the belt is wide and shiny, choose oversized frames in a dark, matte finish. If the frames are bold, take a slim belt in a tone that echoes the frames.
Oversized frames also balance wide-leg trousers and long coats, because the proportions match. For more on frame personality, see statement sunglasses and bold eyewear.
Which sunglasses shape suits your face?
There is no strict rule, but contrast usually flatters. Round faces often look balanced in angular frames like wayfarers. Square faces soften with round or oval frames. Heart-shaped faces tend to suit cat-eye or aviator shapes, and oval faces can wear almost anything.
Fit comes before shape. The frame should sit without pinching behind the ears, and it should stay put when you tilt your head down.
What should you check on the lenses?
Look for a label saying the lenses block 100 percent of UVA and UVB, or UV400. Tint depth does not tell you this, so a dark lens with no label proves nothing. Gray lenses keep colors fairly true, brown adds contrast, and polarized lenses cut glare off water, snow and roads.
UVA is the part people forget. The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that window glass blocks almost all UVB, but UVA can pass right through, so a drive is not a break from sun. For eye or skin health questions, check with an eye doctor or dermatologist.
Which finishing accessories round out the look?
Add a hat when the sun is strong. Dermatologist Anna L. Chien, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says "A hat with a 3-inch brim protects the top of your scalp, ears and face." A wide brim also frames big sunglasses well.
For snow and bright days, see polarized sunglasses for snowy days. For retro shapes, see retro-inspired sunglasses.
How do you build a small, versatile set?
- One everyday belt in black or brown leather.
- One statement belt, such as a wide or embellished style, for dresses and coats.
- One classic pair of sunglasses (aviator or wayfarer) in a neutral frame.
- One bolder pair for occasions and summer outfits.
Keep sunglasses in a hard case and clean them with a microfiber cloth. Tissues can scratch lenses. For event dressing, choosing sunglasses for outdoor events covers what to wear where.
Frequently asked questions
Are belts still in style?
Yes. Wide belts that define the waist and slim classic belts both stay in regular use, so choose by how the belt changes your proportions rather than by trend.
What kind of belt goes with everything?
A plain black or brown leather belt with a simple metal buckle, about an inch wide. Pick the tone that matches your usual shoes.
What are the things on a belt called?
The main parts are the strap, the buckle, the prong (the pin that goes through the hole), the keeper loop that holds the loose end, and the tip.
Do darker sunglasses lenses block more UV?
Not necessarily. Tint darkness and UV blocking are separate, so look for a label stating 100 percent UVA and UVB protection or UV400.
Filed under Accessory Trends
