Charmed
CHARM BELTS ARE all the rage again. But you don’t need to drop mad loot on this look. Instead, you can customize your baubles to better match your personal brand by making this season’s hot accessory yourself.
1. Measure your waist, double that, and add 15″ to calculate the length of chain you’ll need. Get a chain with large links; we used a 6mm curb chain (available at any jewelry supply store). The larger the links, the easier it will be to clasp the belt and attach the charms.
2. On one end of the chain, put a self-closing circle clasp. You will want one that is large enough to fit the chain link through twice. We used a 37mm clasp.
3. Now it’s time to add charms. To estimate the number of charms you’ll need, divide your waist measurement by three, and add two to that number. You may want more charms if they’re small or if you want a fuller look. Your charms can be old pieces of jewelry, key chains, or purchased from any jewelry supply store. You’ll need the same number of jump rings as charms; for large charms, you’ll want larger, thicker jump rings (ours were 7.5mm). Begin by attaching the clasp to one end of the chain, either using a jump ring or by just sliding it through the chain. Next, slip a charm onto a jump ring, slip the jump ring through the chain just next to the clasp, and close the ring using flat-nose pliers. Then add a charm every 3″ until you reach the circumference of your waist. Finally, add a charm to the other end of the chain. Feel free to play with the charm placement; if you are using small charms you may want to place them closer together, or continue the charm placement past your waist measurement.
4. To wear, wrap the belt around your waist once and clasp the chain at this point. Wrap a second time, a bit looser so that the chain can drop a little bit, and secure chain through the clasp again.
By Callie Watts
Photographed by Lanna Apisukh
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2019 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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