I Wear-Tested 15 Viral Belts and Honestly Think These 5 Are Worth the Hype

Though practical, belts of all shapes and sizes have always been played around with and utilized in the fashion space. Looking back, it's hard to find an era that prioritizes the traditionally utilitarian accessory quite as much as our current one. Now, practically every one of the top brands is experimenting with them, utilizing unique buckles, materials, and styling to elevate individual cold-weather looks and winter collections as a whole. But seeing a chic belt in a runway show or viral TikTok video isn't the same as actually wearing one, and since some of today's buzziest styles cost hundreds of dollars, I thought I'd take it upon myself to do some digging and find out which hold up IRL.

If you were under the impression that all women's belts are created equal, I'm sorry to break it to you, but you've been led astray. After trying out 15 in total—at home, at the office, for a night out, and just in random stores around NYC's dressing rooms—I can say with absolute certainty that the difference between a really good, worth-buying belt and the opposite is vast and not easy to tell from an e-commerce image.

Lucky for you, I'm ready to share all of my findings, including the five best belts that I tried on, from a $58 Madewell option to a $720 style from Khaite. Scroll down to read all about them ahead of your next belt buy.

The 5 Best Belts for Women

• Best Embellished Belt: B-Low the Belt Jordana Mini Moto Leather Belt ($205)
• Best Chunky Belt: Khaite Lucca Leather Belt ($720)
• Best Thin Belt: Madewell Chunky Metal Leather Belt ($68)
• Best Overall Belt: B-Low the Belt Kennedy Leather Belt ($145)
• Best Double-Wrap Belt: Toteme Glossed-Leather Belt ($410)

B-Low the Belt Jordana Mini Moto Belt

Best Embellished Belt

The studded-belt look has been making waves in and around the fashion space for about a year now, mostly because of the success of Khaite's Benny Belt. The style I've seen talked about most online is B-Low the Belt's Jordana Mini Moto Belt, which features the same studded details but with a larger, more Western-inspired buckle. Plus, it's a lot more affordable at $209. The Jordana belt was sold out for what felt like forever, but it was recently restocked at Bloomingdale's and on the brand's website in the Bone Silver colorway. I, of course, had to put it to the test.

My first impression was that it was a very heavy and expensive belt, especially when compared to some of the others I tried out that felt far more lightweight. It's made of lightly pebbled leather that is super soft and has a high-quality feeling. It fits a touch large, so I would recommend going with your normal size or sizing down, especially if you're hoping to wear this with high-rise bottoms a majority of the time. I styled it with a baggy Uniqlo tee, high-waisted vintage Gucci trousers, and a gray Me + Em military-style blazer, and I got tons of compliments at the office. It just adds something special to a simple ensemble.

Shop B-Low the Belt's Jordana Mini Moto Belt

Khaite Lucca Leather Belt

Best Chunky Belt

One Khaite belt that I constantly see people rave about is the Lucca, which features a supersize, sculptural metal buckle and other palladium-plated brass accents. I ended up testing out the black-and-gold version, but it also comes in brown suede with gold hardware, black calf hair or black leather with silver hardware, and snakeskin with silver. First things first, this belt feels like a $720 belt. It's heavy as can be, but not in a clunky way—more in a way that allows you to register that buying it would be money well spent.

When I wore it alongside a fitted, vintage blazer and black trousers and subsequently posted the look on TikTok, the comments perfectly summed up what makes this belt worth investing in. "The chokehold this belt has on me," said one commenter. "That is *the* belt," a friend of mine wrote. "I'm speechless," said another.

Shop Khaite's Lucca Leather Belt

Madewell Chunky Metal Leather Belt

Best Thin Belt

I first noticed this belt in the black-and-silver option in Madewell's new arrivals section, and I quickly picked up on how almost every size in that colorway was already sold out, making it a fast best-seller for the brand. According to the site, 2000 people added its Chunky Metal Leather Belt to their shopping carts in the last week, so naturally, my curiosity kicked in. Now that I've tried it on, I can see why everyone's buying up this belt right now.

According to Madewell, this is its chunkiest belt ever with big metal hardware. As many of the reviews state, it is a bit stiff at first, but that didn't bother me one bit. I think it made the $58 accessory feel more elegant and pricey. For a quick and easy winter outfit for work, I paired the brown version with a plain white T-shirt and some old Levi's, throwing on a black blazer to make the ensemble feel office-appropriate. Everyone at work kept asking where it was from, and it brought me an abundance of joy to share with them that it's currently in stock and won't cost them an arm and a leg.

Shop Madewell's Chunky Metal Leather Belt

B-Low the Belt Kennedy Leather Belt

Best Belt Overall

If you like the classic belt buckles more than the sculptural ones that have been big lately, but also feel like your belt collection needs a special touch, I'd suggest going with B-Low the Belt's Kennedy style. It looks simple and timeless, but it's a lot wider than a standard belt at 1.5 inches for the leather and 2.25 inches for the buckle, making anything that's worn with it feel a touch more stylized and interesting. I went with the black-and-gold option, but the Kennedy also comes in bone and camel, both of which are equally worth adding to your closet.

The day I wore it, I styled it alongside a cape-like knit top in cream with high-rise black jeans, and the belt immediately became the focal point of the outfit. With a belt this good, that'll probably always be the outcome.

Shop B-Low the Belt's Kennedy Leather Belt

Toteme Glossed-Leather Belt

Best Double-Wrap Belt

To be honest, I never really thought about wearing belts in this way before I spotted Toteme's double-wrap style at Net-a-Porter. In my mind, if you were going to wear the two-belt trend, you'd channel Miu Miu's F/W 22 collection, where all of the mini and knee-length skirts featured two sets of belt holes for two separate belts. This way is far more practical, however, because you don't need to buy specific pieces to wear it with. The extra-long belt strap is one-size-fits-all and is thin enough to fit inside the loops of any regular pair of jeans. It doesn't make a huge statement, which I enjoy in this instance—it just feels more intentional and cooler than the regular version that only loops around once.

Though I chose to style the belt with jeans, Net-a-Porter showed it on top of a satiny dress, and the belt was used to give the model a cinched waist in the billowy, relaxed silhouette, which is next up on my agenda when I go ahead and snag one of these for the long term. I know full well that they won't stay in stock for long.

Shop Toteme's Glossed-Leather Belt

Shop More Buy-Worthy Belts

Which Brand Has the Best Belts?

As we've seen, the world of fashion is buzzing with innovation, especially when it comes to belts. Top brands are getting creative with unique buckles, diverse materials, and fresh styling to enhance individual outfits and entire winter collections. That said, a few designers truly shine in this arena. After diving deep into the world of women’s belts, it's evident that Be Low the Belt, Madewell, and Khaite are leading the charge. These brands are about remarkable craftsmanship and quality, seamlessly blending classic designs with a modern twist. The result? Belts that are perfectly on-trend yet timeless, ensuring you look stylish season after season.

Which Belts Last the Longest?

A full-grain leather belt is the best option for anyone looking for a well-designed belt. Full-grain leather is crafted from the entire hide, including the robust outer layer of skin, which means the belt will be the most durable and long-lasting.

How We Picked and Tested the Best Belts for Women

When compiling this list of the best belts for women, we considered Who What Wear editor–approved styles, customer reviews, celebrity endorsement, hype on social media, and whether an item was so in demand it's currently out of stock. Then, we solidified our list, looking at what belts stood the test of time despite fleeting trends. From there, our editor wore each belt for different occasions, such as running errands in the city, grabbing coffee with friends, or heading to the office. When sharing her thoughts, our editor considered the fit, wear, feel, price, material, and style of the belt to give the best review for our readers.

Why Trust Who What Wear?

Since 2006, Who What Wear has been a digital fashion, beauty, and lifestyle publication and community where people can discover the latest brands, trends, and must-have products to help define and evolve their personal style. Think of Who What Wear as your most trusted style and shopping resource.

This story was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.