15 of the Best Belts for Women
Women’s belts are a fashion wardrobe staple. Their primary function is to help hold up your pants, but they can be an excellent accessory to pull an outfit together or dress up a casual look.
The best belts are the perfect thickness, will last a long time, are functional, and look fantastic. You also need to make sure you find the right fit.
From women’s leather designs for jeans to fashion styles for dresses and a few braided products, we have rounded up the best quality, versatile and practical belts going along with some of the best stores to find a good range of styles.
Madewell Medium Perfect Leather Belt
Madewell Medium Perfect Leather Belt is a fantastic simple style that goes well with almost anything. It is made with good quality, supple leather, and comes in an excellent range of sizes from XXS to XXL in three versatile and attractive basic colors.
The leather is a grained Italian leather that is durable and long-lasting. It has a classic stylish curved buckle in an understated metal tone that looks good with anything from jeans to a dress. The width and the buckle are not oversized and maintain a nice medium thickness. It is also worth noting that it is made in the USA.
Available from Nordstrom
Gap
Gap is a great place to find a belt that works well with jeans or casual pants. They have various styles from simple leather with a classic buckle to braided to skinny to tie options that are perfect for dresses.
Gap styles are very reasonably priced, especially if you get them on sale or with one of the many discounts that Gap offers. The leather on most of the designs is good quality, and they often come in a good selection of colors that will go with anything,
Available from Gap.com
Frye Campus
Frye is known for its fine-quality leather, so it is no surprise that they make great belts. One of Frye’s best styles is the Campus; it is a classic style with a rounded buckle that comes in beautiful calfskin leather. This is the type of product you will keep for years as it makes a great all-purpose option.
The width is 1 1/2,” and the buckle is 2″ x 2″, so it is a medium size that is pretty versatile. It isn’t the cheapest option, but this is a product that will last a long time and will age well as it will get broken in. It also has a small amount of stitching detail that elevates this style a little bit and makes it a bit more interesting to look at.
Available from Nordstrom
INC International Concepts I.N.C. Double Circle Belt
Macy’s has a fantastic selection of fashion belts that work especially well for dresses. One style that you may want to check out is the INC International Concepts I.N.C. Double Circle. It is a bold style that comes in red or black and features golden rings that work as the buckle you use to secure the belt.
It is has a width of 1-1/4″ so it isn’t overly wide. It comes in four sizes (S: 30″; M: 32″; L: 34″; XL: 36″) . It can be difficult to find a nice looking red style, but many women love this style for the quality, width, and color (red). The buckle is bright gold, and up against the bright red, there is no question that this is a statement option.
Available from Macy’s
J Crew
J Crew has a beautiful range of belts with a variety of everyday styles. Most of J Crew’s styles come in all of the basic colors that you would need with a few pops of color along the way. The styles are always changing, but you can usually find widths options from super skinny to wide.
They sometimes have braided products and often have a decent amount of animal print material to choose from. Many J Crew’s designs are basic, but with a slight twist if you are looking for something a little bit different.
Available from J Crew.com
Halogen® Square Keeper
The Halogen® Square Keeper is a beautiful slim style that comes in 2 colors. The width of this design is 3/4″ with the buckle being 1″ square. It is made from a leather/polyurethane material, so it is a little more budget-friendly than some of the higher-end leather options.
This is an excellent style for casual or a little dressed up; it is such a versatile design that it is easy to wear with various outfits, including jeans, without feeling or looking too bulky. It comes in plus sizes, so it makes an excellent option for everyone.
Available from Nordstrom
Gucci Leather Belt with Double G Buckle
A lot of women’s dream product is this Gucci Leather Belt with Double G Buckle. This is probably the most coveted belt going. Everyone loves the double G buckle that makes it clear that you are wearing a very expensive style. It goes with everything from casual to dressy. It is obviously a statement piece that is large and bold and hard not to notice if you are wearing it.
Available from Gucci.com
Jasgood Women’s Genuine Cowhide Leather Belt
If your budget doesn’t quite allow for the Gucci belt, you may want to head over to the other end of the spectrum and check out some of the styles on Amazon. Amazon has quite a good selection that won’t break the bank. They also have options that look surprisingly like the Gucci design above but without the hefty price tag.
One style worth checking out is the Jasgood Women’s Genuine Cowhide Leather Belt With Alloy Buckle that is a good quality genuine cowhide option that a lot of women are finding works well for them. Reviews mention that this style is well made and excellent value for what you are getting. It is one size fits all, but it comes with directions on how to cut it if it is too long and a punch to add extra holes if needed.
Available from Amazon
Talbots
Talbots has some attractive patterned belts with beautiful textures if you are looking for a statement belt or something a little bit different that can elevate an outfit. Talbots has skinny, wide, braided styles, and so much more in a variety of bold colors along with the staple styles that you would expect.
Some of the designs are reversible, and they can be a little unexpected with detailing, making them well worth a look if you are looking for something beyond the ordinary.
Available from Talbots.com
Treasure & Bond Oval Buckle Leather Belt
This is a high quality, made in the USA style from Treasure & Bond, that features a large burnished oval buckle that gives it a slightly unique look due to the wide length of the buckle(the sizing is 1 1/4″ width, with the buckle being 3 1/2″ x 1 3/4″). The leather is of good quality and comes in either black or lovely cognac color. The sizing on this style is quite extensive, as you can get it in sizes from XS to 3X.
Available from Nordstrom
Loft
Loft usually has a good selection of your basic style belts with a few trendy options thrown in. They sell everything from basic leather to sparkly options for the holidays. Their designs change season to season, but most of Loft’s options are fashionable, pretty, and make great wardrobe staples.
Available from Loft.com
rag & bone Boyfriend
The rag & bone Boyfriend is a high-quality designer style that comes in suede or leather with a few choices for slightly unusual colors depending on where you buy it. Many women who own this style consider it the perfect belt as it is not too broad nor too skinny, and the leather or suede is gorgeous combined with the polished silver or gold-toned buckle.
This style works well as a great everyday option since you can wear it with jeans or a dress. It is a bit pricey, but many women who own the Boyfriend say that it’s worth the splurge.
Available from rag & bone
American Eagle
American Eagle is another mainstream brand that is a great place to find a belt. They sell all kinds of fashionable options that are affordable and versatile. Their braided designs are especially good as they are easy to adjust, and you can get different fits with them without having to add extra buckle holes.
They also offer other minimal practical belts for every day. You can usually snag one of the AE options for under $30, and they come in a variety of widths and textures.
Available from American Eagle
Coach Sculpted Signature Reversible Belt
If you are looking for a designer brand, and the Gucci or Hermes buckle designs are out of your budget, you may want to consider Coach. Coach is known for its quality leather, and the Coach Sculpted Signature Reversible Belt is an excellent option if you are a fan of the brand.
The leather on this style is known to conform to your shape over time since it is super soft and flexible. This style isn’t the cheapest option, but they do go on sale occasionally. It is a reversible style that gives you two belts in one, one side is smooth, and the other side is pebbled leather texture.
Available from Coach
Levi’s Calneva
If you are looking for a subtle style for jeans, then check out Levi’s Calneva. Since it is from Levi’s, you know that it will be the perfect width, and the leather and hardware will look great with your favorite pair of jeans. Levi’s belts are known for being long-lasting and super functional.
Available from Levi’s.coms
What to look for When Shopping for a Women’s Belt
Leather– If you are looking for something that will last for years, you can’t go wrong with good-quality leather. Full-grain, Italian, or calfskin are worth looking for if you are willing to invest a little bit more. Leather is usually worth paying a bit extra for as it is excellent for holding its shape and conforming to the shape of your body, making it more comfortable every time you wear it.
Width-Skinny designs tend to come in widths around 3/4″ while all-purpose leather styles tend to be about 1 1/4 in diameter. The type of width you will want will come down to personal preference and what you are wearing it for.
Hardware- Most belt hardware comes in either gold or silver-tone coloring. Some buckles can be enormous, so if you are ordering online, you will want to pay attention to the buckle’s width to ensure that it isn’t too big (or small).
Length or size- Many belts come in very limited sizing, so you will need to be careful that you get a style that is big or small enough for your purpose. If you are looking for a style to wear at the waist, you will probably want something that is shorter than what you would wear at the hip. Size down if you’d like to wear the style at your waist instead of at your hips.
Color – If you are looking for an all-purpose jean belt, you will probably want to stick with basic black, brown, or tan colors. A skinny belt that is a bright color or something like an animal print can add a nice pop of color to an otherwise plain outfit.
Embellished/metal details- Detailing on the leather is a great way to add a special touch to a simple outfit. You can look for details like a different type of buckle/clasp, grommets, or unusual stitching.
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