Y2K nostalgia still has the fashion world in a chokehold. In the past year alone, low-rises, whale tails, Avril Lavigne-coded shirts, and other noughties trends made their way back into the zeitgeist, all with a little more polish than their chaotic first go-around. And the latest relic making its grand return is the statement belt.
Anyone who lived through the early 2000s remembers *the* quintessential getting-dressed formula. You layered at least three tank tops, shimmied into flared, low-rise jeans, and carefully arranged a sliver of a whale tail to peek out. Then came the pièce de résistance: a rhinestone-encrusted cincher slung low across the hips. Belt loops? They were more of a suggestion.
Twenty years later, the girlies are back on their statement belt game. But unlike the flimsy waist chains or spiky punk-rock styles of decades past, today’s accessories are bigger, bolder, heavier, and gloriously dramatic. The style is already getting cover treatment — Tate McRae just wore a massive Chloé option with an oversized, equestrian buckle for her W Magazine spread.
But while the OG outfit formula involved piling on clothes, today’s style stars are giving their hardware the lazy-girl treatment, using it to elevate simple tank top-and-jeans ‘fits. If you need convincing, let your fave street-style icons make the case for statement belts, all glowed up.
Hello, Stud
Jennifer Lawrence recently revived the beloved ‘00s accessory on a casual bike ride in New York. Channeling the model-off-duty uniform (a white tank top and jeans), the Oscar winner pulled a peak millennial move and looped a wide black belt *over* her waistband. Unlike the emo-punk versions of yore featuring spiky studs, hers was covered in row after row of round silver hardware, for a softer yet rockstar-cool finish.
Working 9 To Fine
The emo-goth route isn’t the only option. In a chic mirror selfie, Elsa Hosk gave the statement belt a grown-up, corpcore twist. Layering a striped button-down under a boxy, broad-shouldered beige blazer, she served serious business-casual inspiration. For that high-fashion touch, the Helsa founder topped her blue jeans with a black leather belt featuring a massive silver buckle, rounding out the look with chunky black leather loafers, another It girl essential.
Pencil It In
Statement accessories play just as well with denim skirts as they do with low-rise jeans. Influencer Nara Smith channeled that exact early aughts energy with a polished sheen, accessorizing a sleek black buttoned jacket and denim pencil skirt with a bold buckled belt before anchoring the look with camel slingbacks.
Now Belt It Out
Even if you didn’t live through this particular brand of 2000s-era fashion, the styling trick takes zero effort to pull off. Grab your favorite heavy-metal hardware — whether that’s studded, wide, bright, or with a huge, bold buckle — and pair it with your favorite denim. Don’t even stress about the belt loops; if the hardware won’t fit, just layer it straight over your waistband for that true chaotic, IDGAF energy. Go a step further and let it hang low on your hips. Nothing’s more noughties than that.
