Summer trend alert: embellished belts

Is there anything more fabulous than a great accessory? An instant pick-me-up for even the most ho-hum outfit that requires no forays into the caverns of the dressing room?

Well, this season, one of our fave accessories finds itself front and center ... and it's more fabulous than ever: the belt.

The humble belt has been around as long as ... well, as long as clothes (the ones we wanted to stay up, anyway), but this season it's gotten an ultra-glam makeover to make a fashion statement all its own. A few trends to look for:

Prints. Forget about your old standard "I know it's dull, but it goes with everything" black leather waistwrapper. This year, we're seeing patterns from classic houndstooth to crazy paisley to fabulous-anywhere animal prints, like this hottie from Another Line.

Unique Closures. No, we're not talking about the kind that lets you put a bad relationship behind you. We're talking about look-at-me buckles, jeweled clasps, and striking hardware, like on this Donna Karan Gold Conch Belt.

Embellishments. From tough-girl studs to girly-girl sparkles to painted-on artwork, this season's belts, like this Fossil Painted Leather Engraved-Buckle Belt, are fancier than ever.


So if your summertime wardrobe could use a little va-va-voom, buckle up and add some fabulous belts to the mix!