European Women Never Skip This Accessory When They Want to Look Polished

It's basically my job to study what stylish women from all around the world are wearing, and lately I've had my eye on the style in capitals like Milan, Paris, and Copenhagen. If there's one thing I've learned in my deep dives, it's that belts are back and bigger than ever, something the most recent runways have confirmed, too. People in Europe are styling their belts in the chicest ways right now, and their looks are an endless wealth of inspiration. They're threading them through the loops of their trousers and jeans and also piling on the belts in places you wouldn't even expect—something we've been referring to as "unnecessary belts"—to make all of their outfits a lot more interesting.

While I'll admit to having dubbed them as a "boring" piece in the past, I'm vowing to reset my focus on the accessory because based on the looks you're about to see here, they hold so much power in transforming an outfit. Since I'm working on building out my belt collection, I'm keeping my budget under $100 and loading up on many options. I'll be swapping between silver and gold hardware, rotating between thick and thin, and picking colors you really just wouldn't expect—just wait until you see this belt collection of mine. Here are the styles that I'm currently considering.

How Europeans are styling belts:

Combining cream and brown tones always looks so elevated and expensive. The way to style it? By breaking up a monochromatic looks with brown accessories, and specifically, with a brown belt.

We have Saint Laurent to thank for the ridiculously chic combination of a pencil skirt and oversize blazer, but the addition of a belt just takes the whole thing up a notch. I can't imagine this ensemble without it. It just ties the whole look together.

Studded belts have been trending all year, and they're especially useful at taking an otherwise simple outfit and making it feel special. Even a casual tank-and-trousers look feels trend-forward and cool with the addition of a tough belt.

My ideal way of wearing an unnecessary belt lately has been on top of a skirt that doesn't require one. I love how it adds an extra cinch at the waist and can make an item you've worn over and over feel brand-new.

Belts with sleek hardware buckles are especially hot right now, and they hold a lot of power in making just about anything—even a button-down shirt and jeans—look extremely elevated.

One of the simplest outfits in existence is a T-shirt and jeans, but it suddenly feels polished and pulled together when you add a classic leather belt. A black style takes center stage when you wear it to break up a monochromatic palette.

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