Students buy into the Gucci belt trend

The iconic Gucci belt, with its two shiny, golden metal “Gs” intersecting on thick black leather, has become a popular staple in the “going out” wardrobe of some St. Joe’s students.

But it’s not a cheap staple—unless you get a fake one.

When bought directly from Gucci or an authorized retailer, the belt sells for between $350 and $550, depending on the width of the belt and size of the logo.

A belt embellished with pearls is $700 and comes in men and women’s sizes and in several colors, including black, brown and light pink.

Danielle Pheloung ’19 and Brigette Pheloung ’19, twins who run their own fashion blog entitled “Double the Look,” said the trend is attracting buyers who normally wouldn’t be willing to spend that kind of money on an accessory.

“So many groups of people are buying it, and not just the typical Gucci buyer,” Brigette Pheloung said. “There are lots of people who don’t own one designer thing, and they’re getting this belt.”

Jenn Jacobs ’19, who bought her Gucci belt directly from the Gucci website before the hype, when the price was cheaper but there was still a waitlist for purchasers, said she feels a sense of pride that she was able to buy it with her own money.

“Everything I have that is designer, I’ve bought,” Jacobs said. “So, it’s me investing in myself, for the most part. I like to buy them for myself, and it shows all the work I’ve been able to do for it to pay off.”

The twins said the reason for the belt’s popularity is its quality and ability to transform an outfit.

“It literally makes every outfit look better,” Brigette Pheloung said. “I’ve never seen an accessory that makes an outfit look better.”

Jacobs said another reason for the sudden craze over the belt is its appearance in popular culture, especially in hit songs.

“I had known about it and heard about it from songs and stuff like that,” Jacobs said. “I definitely think that it’s influenced some of the craze.”

Other high-end designers make monogrammed belts, too. Why Gucci over those? Brigette Pheloung said it’s because of the belt’s superior design and buyers’ satisfaction with how it makes their body look.

“I think Gucci is the only one who has really figured out how to make the belt look flattering,” Brigette Pheloung said. “They make it the perfect thickness. The double G logo is the perfect size. Dolce and Gabbana had done it, too, but they hadn’t perfected the length, the width, the thickness.”

“The GG is very chunky,” Danielle Pheloung said, “which is flattering on someone’s waist. It’s slimming.”

Competing fashion brand, Chanel, makes a similar monogrammed leather belt that costs between $850 and $1,025.

According to the Pheloung sisters, who also own a  Chanel belt they share, the Chanel is of lesser quality than Gucci’s and just doesn’t work the same kind of magic.

Those kinds of prices are more typical of other Gucci products, with most bags and clothing items selling for well over $1,000.

This is why people are jumping on the Gucci belt Sam Fiocchi ’19 said.

“They can say they have a Gucci item without having to buy a $1,000 bag,” Fiocchi said.

Danielle Pheloung said a belt is even more ideal than another item because it’s very visible. Buyers want people to know they’re wearing Gucci.

“It’s in your face,” Danielle Pheloung said. “It’s not like a bag, where it’s to the side. The GG is in the center of your body.”

For students who cannot drop hundreds of dollars on a belt or find the idea absurd, there are more affordable options.

Independent sellers on resale websites like Poshmark sell used Gucci belts for a bit cheaper.

For a cheap dupe, websites like Etsy and Amazon sell replicas for as low as $25.

According to Brigette and Danielle Pheloung, Urban Outfitters and Free People have also created a similar, affordable leather belt with two intersecting gold circles.

“It doesn’t look like it,” Brigette Pheloung said, “but it represents it.”

Some of the dupes are especially realistic, according to Danielle Pheloung.

“When someone’s wearing it, I actually have to do a double take,” Danielle Pheloung said.