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The return of this particular accessory is potentially polarising... as is expected with any sartorial relics that were basking in their heydays in the early 2000s.
Fedora hats, low-rise bootleg jeans, exposed thongs, velvet tracksuits, layered spaghetti tops, mardi gras bead necklaces, ties as belts, and larger-than-life waist-cinching belts.
All visual representations of the word 'cringe'.... until they make a comeback on the runway or the red carpet just in time for 2020, that is.
READ MORE: Welcome back to the early 2000s, because the return of the exposed thong is here
I've made the observation previously that this era of fashion is by no means subtle - when a trends returns, it does not do so quietly. Trends from past decades make their return to the streets and rails the same way beetroot salad seeps into the rest of your meal on a plate.
We saw this with chokers, platforms, kitten heel mules, chunky gold hoop earrings, lip gloss, and even statement lice bands thanks to Miuccia Prada's Spring 2019 collection.
READ MORE: We're embracing the return of a hair accessory we didn't think we'd see so soon after 2007
Like I said in this article above where I mused on the sudden return of the Alice band; "... in our four favourite fashion capitals (New York, London, Paris and Milan), new trends are suggested on the runway and the affidavits confirming their place in the fashion world are signed on the streets."
So with the conclusion of New York Fashion Week reached on Wednesday evening, can you guess what the next big thing (literally) will be this Spring/Summer season?
Well, as with any major fashion week, we're always on the look out for dominant trends and key pieces, and what the majority of collections shown at NYFW gave us was the oversized waist-belt, colloquially referred to in South Africa as a figure belt.
A few of our favourite top U.S. designers all employed this oversized buckle belt to punctuate looks modeled on the runway by models of all sizes and body types - cinching dresses, worn over blazers, or perfectly accessorising high-rise pants, shorts and skirts.
See how these designers each created standout moments with the figure belt by drawing inspo from various eras and experiences:
Veronica Beard Spring 2020
Reimagining the late '60s, and playing around with uncoordinated prints.
Carolina Herrera Spring 2020
As the quintessential accessory of joy and drama, courtesy of creative director Wes Gordon.
Zendaya x Tommy Hilfiger TOMMYNOW
TOMMYNOW is all about going large - big silhouettes, big hat, big bows, and of course, big belts!
Christian Siriano
Capturing the art of not holding back with a suit and buckle combo that exclaims "look at me!"
Michael Kors Spring 2020
Not going as big as his luxury peers, but Michael Kors is proving that size doesn't matter by ensuring that we all get in on the trend even if we prefer a slightly narrower width of (faux) leather.
Image: Getty
Naeem Khan
And according to Naeem Khan, you can wear buckle up on the red carpet too.
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