We Asked 15 Stylish Women About Their Favorite Belts

J.Crew was name-checked by four different people we spoke to as the preeminent source for durable, affordable belts that won’t go out of style. “I love my J.Crew belt. The brand does such a great job of offering affordable belts that are stillhigh quality,” saysMcKenzie DePinto, an account executive at Mansur Gavriel. If you’re in the market for your first belt, she suggests going for “something simple and timeless” like this black leather belt with a gold buckle. Style expertAlison Deyettesays this particular belt “has been added to the closet of many of the clients I style” thanks to its ability to pair with pretty much any item of clothing in your wardrobe. If you’re looking for something a touch more unique, you can personalize it with a monogram (for an extra $10). It’s also available in grommet and leopard calf hair versions, if you’re in the mood for even more of a statement piece.

“My favorite and most worn belt is one I got from the men’s section of J.Crew in high school,” recalls influencer and content creatorGabriela Mannix. “It’s only gotten better with age, and holds it own against some of the other pricier belts I own.” Though her exact belt is no longer available, she says this brown suede version is very similar. Her favorite way to style it is to “knot the belt so I can wear at my natural waist or hips, no extra notch needed!”

Artist and designerEdith Youngis a fan of Nisolo, “an environmentally and socially conscious brand” that’s sold at reasonable price points to boot. Nisolo promises its belts are made withresponsibly produced leatherthat is certified by theLeather Working Group.

After Strategist contributor Tessa Kauppila spotted a perfect brown suede belt on a fellow subway commuter, she embarked ona hunt for her own. She tried multiple options from Madewell to Mango, and this one from & Other Stories was one of her favorites. The dark-brown suede looked more expensive than its under-$100 price point, and the half-moon buckle detail was distinct “but still relatively understated, making it a fabulous seasonal addition to a variety of different outfits,” Kauppila writes.

Of all the belts she tried, Kauppila ultimately crowned this one from Sézane as her top pick. It’s made from suede “that truly looks velvety, with a light-gold buckle and two spaced-out belt holders,” she writes. Though she’d originally had a darker brown in mind, the light-taupe shade “popped against denim beautifully and felt especially versatile — it looked just as good with a white tee as it did with a dressier knit pullover.”

“This is my forever go-to piece when it comes to a classic black belt,” says photographer and graphic designerShini Parkof this skinny — it’s just one inch wide — belt. She promises it “looks great with everything” but especially “loves the effect it has on tailored trousers.”

With this reversible belt from W.Kleinberg, you’re basically getting two belts for the price of one. I’d been on the hunt for a basic black belt for a while, but couldn’t decide if I wanted smooth calf leather or edgier croc leather; this belt made it so that I didn’t have to choose. It also comes in a variety of colors, some of which are rather unusual — including grape purple, scarlet red, and grass green — so the potential styling combinations are quite expansive. The leather is thick and the hardware is sturdy; it’s my most-worn belt by far, and I predict it will be a workhorse in my wardrobe for years to come.

Strategist senior editorHilary Reidis also a fan of W.Kleinberg; she owns this glazed-calf-leather belt in black with a gold buckle and loves that it’s “just the most basic belt possible. It is really well made and the leather is high quality, but it’s a belt that is so subtly designed that you can literally just wear it when your pants are too large, not even as a fashion thing,” she says. She’s also found that the one-inch width is perfect for jeans and corduroys, and the gold hardware is “an elegant shade that’s not too brassy or fake looking” — though it’s also available with a nickel buckle for those who prefer silver.

“I prefer braided belts for their versatility because I can wear them with pants with a variety of rises,” says beauty editor and brand consultantHannah Baxter, who calls braided styles “the Swiss Army knife of belts.” And because braided belts can accommodate a range of waists, they are often a good option for plus-size women. Baxter particularly likes this Brooks Brothers belt, which also comes in burgundy and brown. “Pair it with bike shorts andshit-kicker boots— trust me on this,” she says.

Personal stylist andKulecontent directorElizabeth Tamkindescribes B-Low the Belt’s Milla belt as “very sleek and sophisticated”; she’s especially a fan of the minimalist, Bottega-esque metal buckle. It also comes recommended by content creatorElla McFadin, who says it’s a perfect everyday belt that would “look super cute paired with jeans or a chunky sweater. You could even style it over a midi skirt and tuck the sweater into it.”

Tamkin wears this Emme Parsons belt several times a week and receives “so many compliments on it.” It’s fairly long, which threw her for a loop at first, but eventually she grew to embrace the “tail”: “I used to always tie the tail, but now I really like the element of it swinging, like an actual tail,” she says. But she adds that it’s very adjustable with a lot of holes, so you can play around and find the length that works best for you.

Five of the women we spoke with recommend belts by French designer Isabel Marant. “She offers everything from super-classic tobraidedto a bit more Western and designed,” explains art directorMadelynn Hudson. This hardware-heavy belt adorned with gold studs is a surefire way to add edge to an outfit.

Both McFadin and personal stylistIlana Torbinervouch for the belts from Aureum Collective. “Aureum is a jewelry brand, and I really think of this belt as a jewelry piece — the gold detailing is very well thought out,” McFadin says. Torbiner also noted the belt’s hardware in particular; the custom-molded gold buckle gives it “a classy, dressier feel,” she says.

Content creator and real-estate agentBeth Doud Tomashoffhas owned this Anderson’s belt for years and says the pebbled black leather and shiny gold buckle still look like new. “I’ve worn it in the summer, in the winter. I’ve worn it a million different ways,” she says. “This belt is just one of those belts that I’ll have in my closet forever.”

If you really want to turn heads, three of the women we talked to suggest this sparkling option from B-Low the Belt. “If you’re simply looking for something functional to hold your pants up, this is not that,” saysNicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour, editor-at-large at Who What Wear. “However, it does look unbelievably cool with anything from asweatshirtand jeans to a slip dress, so I would still recommend it.”

“This belt adheres to the equation I invented as a divining rod for my own shopping habits: Always aspire to ‘Polo Bar meets Dylan’s Candy Bar,’ where a classic — dare I say preppy? — silhouette becomes rerouted by an unexpected color palette,” says Young. Plus, this belt is reversible, so there are actually two palettes to choose from. “You can buckle this up on the days when you feel guilty about wearing the most boring pair of pants in your closet.”

“If you already have your staples and want to start venturing into different colors, hardware, or shapes, Déhanche is a great brand for that,” advises stylist and content creatorJules Fox, who loves their unique pieces “that you won’t see everyone else on the street wearing.” She recommends this Hollyhock belt in particular, which has a set of rings in place of a single loop, “for when you want to stand out and spice up your looks.”

Multiple sources we talked to also mentioned Khaite’s Benny belt. Torbiner says hers has held up excellently for several years, and Doud Tomashoff, who also owns a slightly more opulentversion with gold studs, says she’s “obsessed” with it. “It really makes any outfit so much better and cooler. The inside is a very soft leather and you can just tell it’s phenomenal quality,” Doud Tomashoff says.

Fox assured us that this timeless black belt from The Row is worth the splurge. “The leather is so nice and elevated. It won’t show any wear and tear and you’ll be able to wear it with every single item in your closet,” she says. After wearing it on repeat for over a year, she reports that the hardware “has not tarnished one bit.”

Eshaghpour loves this “special but simple” leather belt from Loewe, which features a buckle inspired by the brand’s logo. “The buckle is a touch more nondescript than your average logo belt,” she says, “so no matter how many times you wear it, you won’t get sick of it.”