Earn Your Black Belt in Style

White belt, yellow belt, red belt, green belt, blue belt, and the coveted black belt…Sounds like a list of belts you’d find at your nearby karate studio, right? But, believe it or not, instead this is a list of the martial arts inspired belt colors you’ll need to be in style this spring!

Your braided belt should be long retired by now, but go ahead and put away your wide belts, and the skinny ones too. The kind of belt every woman needs this season is a wrap or tie belt. You can pick your color and your length (once tied some will hang down longer than others) and your width, but this type of belt is a season must-have!

You can use your tie belt to cinch a looser dress and give your waist some definition. Or, if you have an oversized blouse just grab a simple martial arts belt and tie it on for instant style.

The best thing about these belts is they are easy and comfortable to wear. There’s nothing like being able to set your belt size to loose or fitted depending on how you are feeling on any particular day. You can tie a large knot just an inch below your middle, or you can tie a looser knot that hangs lower on your hips. Whatever degree of cinch you choose, these martial arts belts have the ability to polish whatever ensemble you’ve chosen for the day.

Runway styles show these wrap belts tying their way around blazers, coats, sweaters, and robe-like dresses. Pretty, feminine looks like spring floral maxi dresses or flowing skirts can also look great when paired with a wrap belt.

To get the perfect tie, wrap the belt around your waist pulling both ends to the front. Make sure both sides are equal in length. Once you’ve finished your knot, one end will be slightly longer than the other, creating a stylish asymmetrical look. At this point, decide whether or not you want the look to be tight or looser. Next, you get to choose whether or not you want to keep that knot in front for a bold statement look, or move it off to the side for a more subtle effect.

Now that you are feeling like a more stylish version of the Karate Kid, don’t forget to grab some great glasses (the ultimate fashion accessory) from your closest Eyeglass World to finish off your look!