Going To Waist

The ubiquitous belt, quite obviously, no longer is a skinny piece of leather doomed to nought but a life of drab utility. Belts in a variety of fabrics and closures--from needle point and antiqued metal to stretch ropes with hooks to sueded leather with tie thongs--now are being wrapped around shirts, sweaters, suits and sports jackets when not performing the prosaic function of filling the loopholes in your trousers. The raison d'être for the belt-over-garment look is this: Today's slim, body-conforming fashions appear even slimmer when cinched with a handsome accessory at the midsection. So, stylishly gird your loins--there's an exciting new waist land to check out, as our comely explorer is seen doing here.