Fashion designer and t2 columnist Dev of Dev R Nil on how to belt it beautiful…

For him:

• The denim look is slim this season and so the belt must be narrow too.

• Even the buckle should be sleek, especially if it’s on a matte, shine or patterned leather belt.

• Unfortunately, men don’t have much to experiment with.

• A belt is worn on trousers or jeans — and some denims don’t even require belts!

• But there has always been a sort of rule for men, which is choosing your belt according to your shoe.

• It should not be a complete match but have a complementing feature, through either pattern or colour.

For her:

• Slim belts are the look for women too, although broader ones can go with dresses and tunics.

• A belt on a trapeze or a balloon dress will look great on a good waistline, and it can be just that much broader too.

• Heavier hips and busts can go for belts on denims and trousers but it’s a strict no-no for dresses. Pick up something that’s more minimalist and shouts out less. Remember, you don’t want to draw attention to your heavy horizontal line!

• If it’s the belt-shoe combo for men, it’s the bag-belt blend for women.

• The buckle is the feature look of the belt. If the belt is basic leather, you can go for a dressier buckle, stone-studded or with a hologram.

• If it’s patterned or has ornaments then keep the buckle simple.

Shop at Guess for some classy belts, at Puma for some sporty ones or on Lindsay Street for some street wear.