by Aisling Ashbery

Created on: August 14, 2010

Skinny jeans have been hot for the past few seasons, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere.  Though it’s easy for this trend to go wrong, with a little thought and effort it’s also easy for these jeans to be part of a chic and stylish wardrobe.  If you’re wondering which belts to pair with your skinny jeans, take a look at the guide below.

1. Sleek

Skinny jeans are all about getting a long, lean, sleek silhouette.  Therefore, any belt that you choose to go with your skinny jeans should help you accomplish that shape.  Steer clear of bulky belts, or belts that break up the visual line (such as tie scarves or fringe belts).  A sleek, skinny leather belt can accomplish this very well. 

2. Trendy

Skinny jeans are already a trend, so you don’t want to pile on too many other trendy pieces.  You can, however, incorporate some of the more eye catching trends as long as you don’t go overboard.  A great way to do this is in a belt, because a belt can offer just a tiny teaspoon of the trend so that your outfit doesn’t get oversaturated.  Try a skinny metallic belt, or a studded belt.  They should offer just the right amount of modernity to really make your outfit look cool. 

3. Always Visible

As mentioned before, the idea behind the skinny jean is to create a long, lean silhouette.  This means that when you decide to wear a belt with your skinny jeans, the belt should always be visible; if you try to cover a belt with a long top, you’ll be creating an extra bulge around your mid-section that is not only unflattering, but counterproductive to the point of wearing a skinny jean.  If you want to wear a long top with your skinny jeans, you can either go without a belt or choose a smaller belt to wear around your waist over your top instead of a belt that goes through the jean’s loops.

4. Fashion over Function

You should never wear a belt with the sole intent of keeping your skinny jeans in place.  The fabric will scrunch together, creating a very unflattering shape around your middle.  The bottom line is that if you need a belt to keep your pants up, they do not fit you properly.  You either need to go down a size or take them to a tailor to have the waistband nipped in a bit (which is a very easy alteration).

  When you consider the function of a skinny jean, it becomes easier to choose the best belt to pair with your favorite stovepipe skinnies.

Learn more about this author, Aisling Ashbery.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.