This blog post & shop widgets use affiliate links.
Items that were received as PR product are marked with an asterisk *
Click here to read the disclaimer about affiliate links and PR product.
Given the recent addition of the Loewe belt to my wardrobe, my designer belt collection has EXPLODED! (I’ve gone from one to two, so a 100% increase is pretty big statistically speaking). For the best part of four years, my Gucci belt was the only designer belt in my collection, and given how much I’ve enjoyed wearing it, I figured it was time to give it a friend. I’ve made it no secret that I was hesitant before adding my ubiquitous Gucci belt to my collection – my main worry was whether I would get enough wear out of it given the hefty price tag – but it has proven to be one of the best luxe additions to my wardrobe as throwing a belt over whatever it is I’m wearing has become synonymous for me when getting dressed. Hi, I’m Virginia and I have a habit of belting everything. Have we met?!
There have been a few designer belts on my radar and I’ve been on the hunt for a reversible belt for a while – Fendi, Valentino and Bottega Veneta to name a few – but I’d always do a double take when I came across the Loewe belt. The delicate and intricate logo of the four Ls is beautifully subtle, and I particularly love how the gold hardware pops against the smooth black leather. So it was happy days when I finally added the reversible version of the belt to my collection.
Shop Luxe Reversible Belts
Since it’s been some months since the expansion of my belt collection, I figured it was time to share a Gucci & Loewe belt comparison if you’re mulling over adding either of these to your wardrobe.
A snapshot of each belt
My Gucci belt is a dark brown mens belt with antique brass hardware (you can read my detailed review here) – it’s a wearable 3cm width (the ultimate Goldilocks width – not too thin, not too thick) – and it works great as both a hip and waist belt. Size wise, I opted for a size 85 (I’m a typical size AU/UK 8/US 2-4) and I paid a visit to the cobbler to punch in three more holes so that I could style the belt comfortably on my waist and hips. The buckle is cast in the signature marmont logo which was first introduced by Aldo Gucci in 1933.
Shop the 3cm Gucci Belt
My Loewe belt is a smooth leather belt that’s black on one side and navy on the other. The fact that it’s reversible makes it a real winner for me (and helped me to justify the price!), and because I wear a lot of navy and black, it was a no-brainer. While I was toying with the idea of adding a thinner belt to my rotation, I ultimately went with what I knew and opted for the 3cm width as it’s proven its wearability to me. Size wise, I went for a size 80 in an attempt to spare myself a trip to the cobbler given I had to have a couple of holes punched into my size 85 Gucci belt. The size 80 fits great on the hips, but it’s still a tad loose on the waist so I’ll again need to pay a visit to the cobbler once lockdown restrictions are lifted to have one and perhaps two holes punched in. The buckle is cast in the signature anagram emblem which was updated in 2014 shortly after Jonathan Anderson came on board as creative director. The new logo was inspired by the work of German-born typographer Berthold Wolpe.
Shop Loewe Belts
Styling the belts
It’s a given that I love wearing both belts with denim and my work trousers but I particularly love how the Loewe belt looks when I use it to cinch my blazers and coats. The Gucci belt also works really well for this purpose but I prefer the minimal look of the Loewe and how it makes less of a statement. That’s not to say the logo on the Loewe belt isn’t prominent, but the thin and dainty lines on the logo makes these less of a stand out.
Now that I’ve got both of these two belts, I’ve given myself the option of choosing between a classic belt that’s a bit extra and a minimal belt that’s more pared back. And with two belts, I’ve got three colour options – chocolate brown, black and navy. While subtle, these are differences that I really notice when I put together my outfits. Both belts have iconic logos (admittedly one more prominent than the other), both are the same width, both have gold hardware and both carry pretty hefty price tags. While there are lots of similarities, the subtle differences in the belts make these great additions to my wardrobe. Would I recommend expanding your luxe belt collection? Absolutely!
L: Gucci belt (review here), Sarah Lloyd blazer* styled with Everlane tee, Everlane jeans*, Celine bag (review here), Tony Bianco mules (sold out, similar here), Ray Ban sunglasses; R: Gucci belt (review here), Everlane jumper* (sz XS), Dr Denim jeans* (sz S), Marks & Spencer mules*, Celine bag (review here); Ray Ban sunglasses
L: Loewe belt, Sarah Flint Perfect Dress Bootie*, Toteme coat, Marle top, Nobody Denim jeans, Sarah Flint boots* (review here), Celine bag (review here, dupe here), Ray Ban sunglasses; R: Loewe belt, Toteme coat (new season version here), Everlane knit* (sz XS), Everlane jeans*, Sarah Flint heels* (review here), Celine bag (review here), Ray Ban sunglasses
I hope you found my Gucci and Loewe Belt comparison helpful. As always, thanks for stopping by.
P.S. Five ways to style the classic navy pant suit and you can read all my designer handbag reviews here.
