How can you wear a belt with a skirt that doesn’t have belt loops?

Skirts and belts go together really well. The belt allows you to add another layer to your look and it gives you an excuse to add a little color or even a little bling to your outfit. Fashion is supposed to be fun and belts are fun. But how can you wear a belt with a skirt that doesn’t have belt loops? It’s actually not hard to bring this classic pair together, even with a skirt that doesn’t seem to want to fully cooperate.

FYI, thanks to AI imagery software, we’re able to create very specific fashion and hairstyle examples to illustrate the points being made. In some cases, imagery is exaggerated to hammer home the point.

The Mini, Medieval People and Skirts Through History

Some people wear skirts all the time but it’s probably a little more common for you to wear skirts somewhat rarely. The fact is, the skirt is an amazing piece of fashion. There are lots of different types of skirts and they’re made in every fabric, color and pattern you can name. Skirts are also one of the first pieces of fashion ever created.

The earliest people to wear skirts were hunter-gatherers who lived during the Stone Age. These first skirts were probably fur wraps, hides of animals that were processed with stone tools. Ancient Egyptians also wore skirts, something they depict in numerous murals and carvings. Both men and women wore these short skirts, which kept them cool in the African heat. Ancient Sumerians also wore skirts. In other words, they were pretty darn popular.

The trend was still going strong in the Middle Ages, when both men and women wore skirts and dresses. Long tunics became popular. And in Scotland, the men all wore kilts…which are definitely skirts. People have been wearing them for a long time and wearing them with belts, that’s been a thing for a couple of thousand years at least. Belts were also around in ancient days and like lots of other items of clothing, they were also worn by ancient Egyptians and Romans and Greeks.

Types of Skirts That Work With Belts

Many different types of skirts can be worn with belts but the belt may slide down or up and you could end up fighting your clothing just to keep everything in place. Some skirts, however, are practically made to be worn with belts, even when they don’t have belt loops. Choose skirts that already naturally work well with belts when you want to play around with belted skirt style.

A line

A line skirts are made to flare out over the hips, becoming wider down to the hem. These skirts can be any length, from mini to maxi, and they look great when belted. A line skirts can be worn for everything from casual to formal occasions, as long as they aren’t too short. These skirts are comfortable to wear because they get wider, so there’s plenty of moving room.

Bubble

The bubble skirt is a hallmark of 1980s fashion and it shows. This is a short skirt with a bottom hem that goes up and under the skirt. The skirt is also somewhat puffy and poofy. The bubble skirt is made to sit on the natural waist, so it works well with a belt. Wearing a wide, colorful belt with a bubble skirt is a pretty classic 1980s look, actually.

Circle

The circle skirt is a wide, flaring skirt. This is usually a shorter skirt, because the hem allows it to flare out. Circle skirts are made to sit at the natural waist so it is easy to belt them. The wide, flaring style is sort of flirty and fun and always a classic This skirt style looks good on just about any body type.

Gypsy

Gypsy skirts are wide, full skirts that are made with lightweight material. Gypsy skirts are heavily pleated and have elastic waistbands. This makes them easy to belt. The elastic keeps the skirt in place around your waist.

Mini

Mini skirts were famous in the 1960s and have never left the fashion spotlight since they first scandalized the fashion world. They continue to be a super popular look and they look great with or without a belt. Adding a belt to a miniskirt will help pull some of the focus to the waist so that the entire outfit isn’t centered on your legs.

Peplum

The peplum skirt is made with two layers. The main skirt part fits like a pencil skirt, somewhat slim and hugging the hips and thighs of the body. The skirt ends around the knees. But the peplum skirt has a little something extra: a waist ruffle. This extra ruffle adds a whole new dimension and look to the skirt. A belt is a great way to add yet another layer to this look.

Tulip

Named for their silhouette, tulip skirts hug the hips and thighs closely and then have a little flare at the end with a skirt that overlaps itself in a style that resembles petals. This looks a bit like the tulip flower. Because these skirts are made to sit on the natural waist, they are perfect candidates for a fashionable belt.

Types of Belts to Wear with Skirts

Which types of belts are better to wear with skirts? Which belts will give you the look and the fit you want? There are so many types of belts out there, it’s easy to get pretty confused pretty quickly. Stick to belts that are going to work well with skirt outfits to create gorgeous fashion that looks great everywhere you go.

Leather

Whether it’s a buckle belt or a corset belt that closes with laces, leather belts of all kinds work well with all sorts of different skirts. Leather will match with all different types of fabric and leather belts are made in every imaginable color and pattern, so you can easily find one that matches the skirt you want to wear.

Fabric

Fabric belts match beautifully with skirts because skirts are also made from fabric. You can also mix things up a bit and match a fabric belt to a leather or vinyl skirt. Mixing textures like this creates interesting fashion looks. When you know how to layer, you know how to be stylish.

Rope

Rope belts literally look like pieces of rope, an homage to some of the earliest belts worn by humankind. Rope belts have a great casual look that works well with casual skits. Because rope belts are super skinny, they are easy to wear with a variety of different skirt styles.

Skinny

Skinny belts are very thin belts that add just a little touch of detail to your outfit. Skinny belts add a little pop to your skirt without taking too much focus off the rest of your outfit. This is a great type of belt to choose when you want to add a little definition to your waist and just a little touch of something extra to your skirt outfit.

How Can You Wear a Belt with a Skirt That Doesn’t Have Belt Loops?

Wear a belt with a skirt even if it doesn’t have belt loops with some styling tricks. To ensure a great fit, choose a belt that’s wide enough to cover the waistband of the skirt. Otherwise, wear a thin belt that sits under the waistband of the skirt. Tuck your blouse into your skirt to get a smooth silhouette. Another good style tip to follow is to pair skinny belts with shorter skirts and wear wider, thicker belts with longer skirts.

Belts that don’t have loops to sit in can slide out of place if you’re not wearing them at your natural waist. This is the slimmest part of your waist and this is where the belt should sit, above the curves of your hips. Make sure the belt fits well, not too loosely and not too tightly, and the skirt and belt should stay in place.

FAQs

Wearing a skirt with a belt isn’t really the hard part. The hard part is all in picking out the skirt and the belt and getting the two to look good together! If you still have questions about pairing these items together, it’s no wonder. We’ve got the answers to the most frequently asked questions about skirts and belts and wearing the two together.

How do skirt sizes work? What is your skirt size?

Getting the perfect skirt begins with knowing your correct skirt size. Start by measuring your waist. You want to measure around the natural waistline. This will be the slimmest part of your midsection. The natural waistline usually falls at or near the belly button.

Next, measure your hips. This is going to be under your waist and this time, the tape measure should go around the widest part of your hips. Knowing these two sizes, you can match your measurements up to a chart to determine your skirt size. It’s very helpful to use size charts and go by your measurement, as sizes can vary between countries. U.S. and UK sizes, for example, differ from each other This can make things super confusing if you’re an online shopper.

You definitely want to take the time to find your correct skirt size. The key to looking fashionable is having clothes that fit your body properly. Clothes that are ill-fitting will make you look sloppy and they will not flatter your shape.

What skirts are in style?

Are skirts even in style? Which styles of skirts are popular styles? Yes, we’re making it more confusing than it is. It’s very simple to find out what’s in style and get an idea of what fashionable people wear. Many social media sites are used by celebrities and style personalities to share different pictures of looks. They’re always going to be wearing the latest thing. Start following some fashionable people and you’ll start to get suggestions to follow even more stylish trendsetters. Just browsing through your feed will give you an idea of the looks that are in style.

When in doubt, you can always draw inspiration from the past and go with a more retro or classic look. Wearing something that was popular in decades past doesn’t mean you’re out of style, it means you’re honoring fashion’s past. It’s also very trendy to copy styles from the past, so you can’t go wrong if you dip into the closet for something classic.

When is your skirt too short?

Miniskirts have been a part of fashion since the days of ancient Egypt but it’s hard to know when a short skirt is too short. However, it’s a pretty easy rule to follow that your skirt is too short if you can’t sit down and keep your bottom fully covered. The same goes for bending down. You really don’t want to expose everything every single time you try to have a set.

If you like to push the limits of hemlines, however, you can always wear something under the skirt to keep your body covered. Snug-fitting boy shorts will provide plenty of modesty even in the shortest of skirts.

What skirts are good to wear when you have a belly to hide?

If you have a bit of a belly, wearing a skirt may be a little tricky. Some skirt styles aren’t flattering to women who actually have stomachs. But there are some skirts that do help to camouflage that tummy and give you a more flattering look. Look for high-waisted, pleated skirts. Flaring skirt styles, such as circle skirts, do a great job of hiding a little extra belly that you don’t want the world to see. The pleats add dimension and volume and do a great job of hiding those problem areas.

Can belts be washed?

Belts are difficult to clean because they have buckles attached to them. Some belts are made with material that can’t really be washed, such as leather. First, look for the care tag on the belt. If present, this will be on the underside of the belt near the buckle. If this is not present, clean the belt yourself using either mild detergent, in the case of fabric, leather cleaner or mild soap and water for metal and plastic.

How do belt sizes work?

If you’re going to wear a belt, make sure it’s the right size. Your belt size is exactly two inches longer than your waist measurement. A belt that is shorter won’t fit and a belt that is longer will have too much excess.

Should your belt and your skirt match?

Even if you know the style of skirt you like and you have some great belts to go with it, actually matching the two up is a challenge. Are they supposed to match each other? What part of your outfit should match your belt, anyway? It will work just great if you match your belt to your skirt, whether you choose a belt that’s an exact match or you choose a patterned or solid belt that picks up on a single color of the skirt. But you can also play with contrasting looks and wear a belt that contrasts against the color of the skirt. You can match your belt to your shoes, your blouse, your jewelry or your purse. All that matters is that your belt matches something you’re wearing.

Sources:

Fashion Lady – The Skirt Vocabulary – Different Types of Skirt Styles

Girls with Curves – How to Belt Anything

Sew Guide – History of Skirts

Size Chart – US Skirt Size