Every fall I find myself pulling out my leather obi belt. I’ve had it for over five years (I first wore it at New York Fashion Week in 2016). Since then, I’ve worn it with everything from cocktail dresses to sweaters and leather leggings. So what is an obi belt? It’s an accessory that was inspired by traditional Japanese clothing and martial art uniforms. It’s basically a wrap style belt that majorly cinches your waist and creates that coveted hourglass silhouette.

How to wear an Obi Belt

My favorite way to wear an obi belt is over dresses and sweaters. I love the contrast of a thick leather belt over a flowing dress. Obi belts are also a great way to show off your waist when you’re wearing knits. Since you can tie them as tight or as loose as you want, you can wear them over any type of knit top from thick to thin.

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How to tie an obi belt

I usually just wrap my belt and tie it into a half bow. But if you want to be creative, I found a cute video on four different ways to tie a wrap belt.