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Things have been handbag-centric in my world lately so I thought I’d switch things up a little and give my fancy belts some love. It’s been almost 6 months since I splashed some of my hard-earned cash on my Celine Triomphe Belt so I figured it was an appropriate time for me to spill some tea on how I’ve found the belt now that I’ve had a chance to properly use it. Was it a purchase out of necessity? Err, no. Was I running low on belts? Um, not really. Purely a splurge purchase for no apparent reason!
Celine belt, Ally Shoes kitten heels* (use ‘VIRGINIA40’ for $40USD off all heels), Arket tee (sz S – current season colours linked), The Curated Modern Blazer* (sz XXS), The Curated bag* (watch my review here), Nobody Denim jeans, Ray Ban sunglasses
While designer belts have been popping up a lot more in recent times, you can actually trace the popularity of the iconic Gucci belt back to the 70s. One of the major pros of designer belts is their ability to straddle the classic and trendy. And their ability to elevate outfits? Second to none. I compare the 4 designer belts in my collection in the YouTube video I’ve linked below, and in that video I don’t overwhelmingly champion the cause of belts, the main reason being that despite what the internet says, I don’t think they represent great value for money, but there is a valid argument that they’re generally more affordable than designer handbags and shoes.
With the addition of the Celine belt to my collection, I can confidently say I’ve reached belt peace with my belt collection. I chose the thicker 2.5cm width version of the belt (it also comes in a thinner 1.8cm version) which means it strikes the Goldilocks balance of not being too thick or thin. All the other belts I own are 3cm in width so the reduction in width, while subtle, is noticeable to me.
It took me a while to settle on the belt, as I was spoilt for choice. Here were the candidates in the mix:
L to R: Small Triomphe Belt in White; Medium Triomphe Belt in Black; Medium Triomphe Belt in Tan; Small Triomphe Belt in Tan (worn with Arket tee (sz XS), Anine Bing skirt (sz XS), Everlane Mac Coat* (sz XXS) and R.M. Williams boots – read my review here)
Ultimately, it came down to the two below – the Medium Triomphe Belts in Black or Tan. My belt collection is made up of black/chocolate brown belts and I so desperately wanted to love the tan to add some variety to my collection. Ultimately, I found the tan to be too warm, and couldn’t pass up the versatility of black. (It only took 4 visits to the boutique to make my decision!) Size wise, I went with the size 75 and it has enough holes for me to wear with my high waisted denim as well as belting my blazers and cinching in my dresses.
While I did purchase the belt in-store, I did want to make a note of saying that I find it a more pleasant experiencing shopping online, particularly for luxury items. I’m becoming less patient for the in-store shopping experience – it’s all too fussy and inefficient for my liking. I understand the whole hard-to-get vibe that designer houses are channelling as of late, but when I know what I want and I have my own purchasing considerations in my head, I don’t want any more noise added to the mix. The 1:1 customer to sales associate ratio gives you none of that space. I think if you know what you want, just save yourself the time and buy online (which typically offer free returns anyway). Of course you can’t avoid the inefficiencies if you’re trying things on in person and need the sales associates to get the things for you – but considering I had already gone through that rigmarole with my past visits, I would have preferred if it was a more efficient experience.
Design of the Celine Triomphe logo
The Celine Triomphe Belt was released back in 2019 following the reissue of the Triomphe Bag when Hedi Slimane released his first collection with the brand. The Triomphe logo goes back to the 1970s when Celine Vipiana came up with the design after her car broke down in front of the Arc de Triomphe. In a story with some strong meet-cute vibes, Celine was inspired by the Arc de Triomphe’s ornate chain detailing (which forms the central part of the Triomphe clasp) and incorporated the two Cs on either side which became the house emblem.
Thoughts on wear & tear after 6 months
It’s been almost 6 months of wearing this belt regularly that I feel comfortable now sharing my thoughts on how the belt has performed when it comes to wear and tear. First, let’s talk leather, which on the black version at least, has a shiny finish – not quite patent, but definitely not matte. It’s also features a thicker piece of leather, as opposed to the flatter traditional calfskin belts in my collection. In terms of durability, the leather has held up well. I’m quite impressed there are no marks or scuffs to show any signs of wear. The hardware on the other hand, is a different story. It’s a shinier gold finish, as opposed to a brushed vintage finish, and on close inspection, there are some minor scuffs and marks on the buckle. In fact, I noticed these after my first few wears of the belt (which I also touched on in my YouTube video linked above) but I’ve received a few tips from some of you to use a jeweller’s cloth to buff these out (which I’ve yet to try, but it’s on my to-do list).
I was a little disappointed about this at the beginning, considering it’s the priciest belt in my collection, but to be honest I’m not as fussed about it now. The shinier finish of the hardware means that fingerprints are also easily left on the buckle, which gives you an idea of how revealing the hardware can be. But I use the cloth that comes with my glasses and that’s enough to give it a bit of a spruce up now and again.
The verdict
Despite the hardware quirks, this belt has been one my more successful splurges. There’s no denying the classic beauty of the Triomphe logo that makes the belt instantly recognisable while at the same time, the black belt has proven to be versatile with its subtlety. I wear it everywhere and it’s the perfect way to elevate the simplest of outfits. Belts really do wield that magical power!
While I don’t consider it represents good value for money, I suspect that’s not one of your main considerations if you’ve got your eye on this belt. It’s so obviously a splurge purchase and it really comes down to how attached you are to the label and whether you can see the belt integrating with your existing wardrobe (which, I have no doubt, it will!).
Outfit inspiration
If you follow me over on Instagram, you’ll be well acquainted with how I’ve managed to style this belt both for work and off-duty. Here’s a selection of outfits that showcase the belt’s versatility:
L: Celine belt, Everlane blazer* (sz 0), Arket tee (sz S), Nobody Denim jeans (sz 26, petite), Gucci loafers, The Curated bag*, Ray Ban sunglasses R: Celine belt, Everlane blazer* (sz 0), Sezane striped top (sz XS), Nobody Denim shorts* (sz 26), Gucci loafers, Celine bag (also here and here – review here), Ray Ban sunglasses
L: Celine belt, The Curated blazer* (sz XXS), Arket tee (sz S – current season colours linked), Nobody Denim jeans (sz 26, petite), Celine bag (watch my review here), Ally Shoes boots* (use ‘VIRGINIA50’ for $50USD off – review here), Ray Ban sunglasses R: Celine belt, The Curated blazer* (sz XS – review here), Arket tee (sz S), Frankie Shop trousers (sz S – style also available here), Celine bag (review here), Sarah Flint pumps* (use ‘SARAHFLINT-BAWHATVEEWORE’ for $60USD off), Ray Ban sunglasses
L: Celine belt, The Curated coat* (sz XS), Arket merino top (sz S – current colours linked), Nobody Denim jeans* (sz 26), Sarah Flint boots* (use ‘SARAHFLINT-BAWHATVEEWORE’ for $60USD off), Tory Burch tote (review here); R: Celine belt, Lilysilk blouse* (sz M), Nobody Denim jeans, Birkenstock mules (also here and here), Celine bag (watch my review here), Ray Ban sunglasses
L: Celine belt, The Curated blazer* (sz XS – review here), Country Road dress (sz XS – sold out), Celine bag (review here), Sarah Flint flats* (use ‘SARAHFLINT-BAWHATVEEWORE’ for $60USD off); R: Celine belt, Onte knit* (sz S), Nobody Denim jeans (sz 26, petite), Everlane sandals* (sold out, similar here), Patagonia bag (similar here), Ray Ban sunglasses, Arms of Eve earrings*, necklace* & bracelets*
L: Celine belt, Sezane cardigan (sz XS), Arket tee (sz S), Nobody Denim jeans (sz 26, petite), Gucci loafers, The Curated bag*, Ray Ban sunglasses R: Celine belt, Joseph Fashion blazer (sz FR 36), Arket tee (sz S), Frankie Shop trousers (sz S – style also available here), Tory Burch tote bag, Ally shoes* (use ‘VIRGINIA40’ for $40 off your first pair of heels – comprehensive review here), Ray Ban sunglasses
I hope you found my Celine Triomphe Belt review to be helpful. As always, thanks for stopping by!
SHOP THE CELINE TRIOMPHE BELT
P.S. Check out my Celine bag reviews here and the rest of my daily outfits here.
