I Tried the Wacky Runway Styling Trend That Also Took Over Coachella

I’ve never been one to wear a belt. Mostly that’s because I don’t really wear pants enough to need any. But over the past two fashion months, I couldn’t help but notice how belts had gotten a little freaky. People weren’t just wearing them to hold up their pants. They were almost wearing them as pants. No, really. At brands such as Hodakova, dresses and tops and pants were made entirely of belts. At music festivals, people started to DIY the look by just layering them all on at once.

In September, Miu Miu showed models wearing chain belts layered on top of one another, as if they were necklaces. This past February, models at Schiaparelli wore multiple chunky belts around their waists in a way that felt reminiscent of a cinching corset. And then last weekend at Coachella, Jennie performed on stage in a red crocodile-embossed crop top and a pair of tiny micro shorts, accessorized with three large buckled belts that almost covered them up entirely.

The look seems to finally be making its way into the mainstream after taking over the runways, and it won’t be long before we see them all over the streets of Paris and New York—and most definitely at Coachella weekend two.

I decided to give the look a try myself and was surprised at how simple it was to do. It’s easier when you realize belts are just slightly more practical pieces of jewelry. All you need to do is layer them on like necklaces, and things start to feel natural.