Kate Middleton and Zara Tindall just used this simple trick to make cosy dresses and coats more waist-flattering and I'm copying them
These two are experts at making cold weather outfits look sophisticated and sleek - and they use this accessory a lot
The colder it gets, the more layers I reach for and this can sometimes leave me feeling like my outfits don't have a huge amount of shape. The same can be true with cosy jumper dresses and yet there's an easy way to accentuate your waist and it works for so many different looks.
The Princess of Wales and Zara Tindall just stepped out within days of each other and both used the same trick to enhance their style - a waist belt. The future Queen has been loving the brown colour trend recently but she switched things up and wore a gorgeous emerald midi on day 1 of the Sultan of Oman's State Visit on 20th October.
This Norma Kamali dress was high-necked, long-sleeved and had a wide built-in belt above the flowing midi-length skirt.
Shop Belts
This looks to be the exact belt worn by Zara Tindall with her Fairfax & Favor Sybil Jacket and it comes in various other colours too. It's handcrafted in Portugal from suede and has the brand's signature gold shield hardware and a shiny chevron buckle. For a coordinated outfit, go for brown suede boots to tie everything together.
Affordable and simple, this black belt is a useful addition to anyone's accessories collection. It's crafted from 100% leather and is designed to sit comfortably through belt loops, though also looks great with dresses. There are so many other colours to choose from and they have an adjustable pin buckle closure.
This timeless suede belt is new-in at Hobbs and it's got white contrasting stitching that enhances the rich brown tone. The buckle is round and the hardware is gold-toned, though very minimal so you don't have to worry too much about metal colour-matching. Throw on with an autumnal midi dress and you're good to go.
Shop Built-In Belted Pieces
You can get this sleek Boden midi dress in a variety of different colours and this olive version is gorgeously autumnal. There's navy blue piping along the neckline and it's made from a wool-cotton blend. The self-tie belt is removeable so you could add your own if you prefer.
Coming in a rich burgundy shade, this affordable Mango dress features a flowy pleated chiffon skirt, long sleeves and a high neckline. The built-in belt brings definition to the waist and the gold-toned buckle adds a touch of glamour.
You can never really go wrong with a black coat and this one is double-breasted, with a smart lapel collar. Front welt pockets are a practical addition and because the waist belt is the same material as the rest of the coat it adds structure in a beautifully low-key way.
A chunky belt like Kate's immediately draws the eye and creates that smooth cinched-in look, even if it's only loosely fastened. However, you can also achieve this waist-flattering effect with a more delicate belt and this is exactly what Zara did at Qatar Racing British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse on 17th October.
She championed one of her favourite British clothing brands, Fairfax & Favour, and wore their Sennowe suede belt over her Sybil tweed jacket. This design is more streamlined and minimal than the one on the Princess of Wales's dress, but it still added a lovely amount of definition.
The colour contrast helped with this too, as the equestrian royal chose a deep chocolate belt over a lighter beige jacket. Shade-matching your belt to your outfit can be tricky if the accessory isn't part of the actual design, though it does look incredibly polished.
Alternatively, I'd recommend going for a neutral tone like black, brown or tan which will complement the widest variety of shades. That way you can get a lot of wear out of them and the beauty of belts is that they're one of the most affordable types of accessories. Kate particularly loves pairing hers with thicker coats and this is where the extra structure can be most needed.
In the past she's gone for chunky black buckle belts that will fit neatly over the top whilst Zara tends to always reach for slim belts like her Ascot one. Whichever width you prefer, leather and suede accessories bring textural contrast and you can easily adjust the fit to ensure your belts sit at the perfect point when worn with different pieces.
Earlier in October in Belfast the Princess of Wales cleverly used an old favourite Ralph Lauren belt to subtly conceal the point where her ruffled white blouse was tucked into her Emilia Wickstead tartan skirt. There were no handy belt loops on the waistband so the positioning was immaculate and it made everything feel put-together.
Although it looks so chic, styling belts with separates like this can take a bit more time and I'm personally more into the idea of throwing on a belt with thicker fabrics and looser silhouettes. That way you still get the cosiness and comfort, as well as a waist-defining shape.
