Belt Shift
Great style should show no sign of effort. Within the prep uniform of chinos, oxfords and penny loafers, your style exists between the lines. It’s the very definition of sprezzatura—elements of your style that appear to be happy accidents. Anytime we consider folding small quirks into our own style, we consider its authenticity—being cognizant of the half tucked polo’s origin, the American icons that owned the shorter inseam, or in this case, the nonchalance of a shifted belt.
“It takes a great deal of experience to become natural.”
Sure, Michael Bastian ran every model down the runway with his d-ring on his hip this season; but that’s not why it should occasionally be gracing your waist. Fay Vincent, Yale’s baseball captain, was sporting his belt shifted during his rivalries with Harvard as far back as 1963. It is not fashion that makes you well dressed, it is understanding. Your closet should be stocked with authenticity just as much as it is with pique polos.