I have a friend who is an athletic 5’7″ and complains to me she can’t find waist belts small enough for her waist. If she can’t find a small enough waist belt…then what hope is there for my tiny 22.5 inch waist?!
The easiest answer I’ve found has been in the boys department! While not very chic or feminine, boys belts can be good for adding a more rustic or masculine look to an outfit. You can try the girls department as well, but beware…most girls belts are pink, sequined, or bedazzled…yuck!
First, a little bit about belt sizing:
Belt sizes are most often determined by the length from where the leather end folds over the buckle, to the middle hole. This distance should be around the size of your waist, so, in my case, I need around a 22-23 inch belt. Most small belt offerings come a size 26, which means at the middle hole, it is 26 inches long. That means it is probably actually at least 28 inches long. Try putting a 28 inch belt around a tiny 23 inch waist…there’s going to be a lot of extra belt flapping around! That will also add unflattering bulk to a small woman’s frame.
If purchasing online, make sure to check the size chart because some manufacturers use different sizing methods.
Now that we know what size we need, time to look at viable options. Check out big retailers or departments stores for simple designs like these:
And look for more hip designs in the kids offerings from more trendy and stylish labels like this:
Good places to look for more fashion forward pieces is the Yoox kidswear section (designer duds in kid’s sizes) and Zappos kids accessories.
Don’t be embarrassed to head into the boys department to try on belts. Both my 5’7″ friend and I will be there!
Join the discussion on petite belts in the forum:
http://forum.alterationsneeded.com/petite-waist-belts-t19.html
