One Thing In Common: Belt Buckle Cuff Bracelets
There's THAT one from Phoebe Philo. But there are also others.
Growing up in rural, upstate New York, it was never very easy to buy the actual things we wanted (ie, the OG version spotted in a fashion magazine or on tv). Our local mall’s offerings left much to be desired, shopping online was nonexistent at the time, and the J. Crew catalogs we’d obsessively pore over and dog-ear were more akin to styling guides than mailers we’d could ever purchase from (too expensive for our budgets funded by babysitting money and a fair, but negligible weekly allowance).
This cultivated a scrappy, almost desperately hopeful resourcefulness that often sent us running to Salvation Army or Marshall’s, our parents’ closets, even the craft closet to suss out some kind of makeshift version of what we eyed on the pages of magazines. Not THE thing, but some facsimile of it that hit all the same notes in terms of idea and aesthetic. Sometimes we even liked our homespun or secondhand version more; we could be on-trend while wearing something completely unique from everyone else.
As self-conscious, angsty youths surging on teenage hormones, it sometimes felt like an act of survival to employ this line of thinking for the sake of looking cool. Nowadays we still apply it, but instead from a more confidently-rooted place of curiosity and determination (and yes, always a little bit of that youthful wistfulness, too). We see something we immediately fall hard for, but instead of buying that exact thing for any number of reasons: a) it’s not available yet, b) it’s too expensive to ever be an impulse purchase, c) everyone else is going to have the same one, d), e), f)…etc., we commence a personal quest for something like it.
An example: After obsessing over this insanely cool hands-gripped-tight belt we spotted during the Khaite Spring 2024 runway show, we scoured ebay and Etsy for something similar. Instead of waiting out the several months for the Khaite version, we found this vintage wraparound coil necklace with hands that clipped down as adjustable closures—for a song! We’re talking under $100 for something that also happens to double as a belt. We get compliments every time we wear it, but the dollop of cream had to be spotting this similar version (and this!) come down the Chloe Fall 2024 runway during Paris Fashion Week, WHILE WEARING IT.
Very often it’s more the idea of the thing, versus the exact thing itself that calls us. And then of course there’s the thrill of the subsequent hunt: the unpredictability and surprising discoveries from what you dig up, the sheer variety of what’s out there, and—if you’re sourcing vintage or secondhand—the embedded histories, not just with regards to the previous owner, but the item and the era it hailed from.
More recently, we made the immediately regrettable mistake of opening an email from Phoebe Philo showcasing a silver belt loop cuff bracelet that almost made us walk into oncoming traffic. We already knew the price would likely be out of our comfort zone ($2,400, which honestly isn’t terrible for Philo, but still a little too steep for a regular Tuesday), plus the style, as sleek and modern-feeling as it looked, seemed like it could have been inspired from something older.
We’re not completely abandoning the possibility of someday owning Phoebe’s version, but in the meantime, we put our lusting little hearts to work to see what else was out there.
Not as icy-sleek as PP’s, but the rugged, worn-in aesthetic of this open-back cuff has its own everyday charms.
Gucci, Gucci. Definitely the more polished of the bunch—and we’re kind of into the green alligator leather brand.
Another designer take on belt-loop trend—also the most literal—this version by Louis Vuitton exudes a straight up rock ‘n’ roll vibe (or bondage?).
Even though it’s giving fancy napkin ring, we’re really, really into this one for the intricately-patterned engraving and its Art Deco-era provenance. (Bonus for its adjustability!)
Even though this is probably the furthest in semblance to the PP original, this fanciful Victorian relic has serious personality. We see ourselves wearing it, and gesturing with our hands—A LOT—while speaking Definitely a conversation starter all on its own, no?
Like we said, we may still ante up and splurge on the Phoebe cuff someday, but in the meantime, it’s fun to explore what else is already out there in the world.
Thanks for reading. Next newsletter shares a bit of wisdom from the insanely untiring Vera Wang. Queen!!!
Good one...love the snake choker soooo much.