Forget practicality, these belts look fresh from your jewellery box

For the past few years, the best belts have fallen into one camp and one camp only: camp practical. They’ve been chic yet sensible in sleek leather finishes giving off an air of understated elegance. Sometimes a buckle would stray into the artistic with a hammered gold plate, shell shaped detail or designer logo but that was as far as it went. That was until 2023 when Gen Z, intent on bringing back every 00s trend they can get their hands on, reintroduced the Western hoop belt back into our consciousness and with it, all signs of practicality went out the window. Now in 2024, we’re all ditching the belt loops in favour of another noughties classic belt style, the charm belt.

Worn loose and low slung, these belts feel less like sensible staples and more like jewellery, instantly accessorizing your outfit. With that in mind, chain styles in gold and silver are the most popular way to go while added embellishment in the form of charms, gemstones, and beading will ensure your belt feels right out of a jewellery box. For a touch of whimsy, kitsch designs are having a moment, in keeping with our current love of fun handbag charms and toy box style necklaces.

However, if you’re not ready to break away from your more simplistic belt roots just yet, there are also some more simple styles which, while I won’t promise will hold your jeans up, do feel a little more elevated in their shape and design. From minimalist metal styles to rustic rope belts with supersized embellishments, these styles still demand attention in a more grown up way.