Getting the Belt

Every person’s wardrobe should have well-made, classic pieces. A trench coat, a pair of boots and the perfect white tee are just a few. Fortunately in Shanghai,if you know where to look (and read the right blogs!! eh heh hem), well-made doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. In the case of another wardrobe staple, the brown leather belt, this remains true.

I found a fantastic leather worker at 401 Jianguo Lu, a little bit east of Wulumuqi Lu. I picked out a sumptuous top-grain leather and a sturdy brass buckle (for buckles, nothing beats good ol’ brass!). And off the shifu went fixing it into our perfect belt that I can probably wear for decades. It only looks like an investment piece– all I had to invest was a little bit of ingenuity and hanging out with this sweet old Chinese man as he banged and chiseled away at his workstation. Oh, and it only cost me RMB200, which is about how much you’d pay for a plastic leather belt with a cheap metal buckle at any fast fashion store in Shanghai.