Okay, so let’s be real for a sec. “Brandless CHANEL Belt” sounds kinda like an oxymoron, right? Like, the whole point of Chanel is the *brand*, isn’t it? That double-C logo screaming “I have taste and probably inherited money” (or at least worked really, really hard to acquire some!).
I mean, I get the appeal. You want that chic Chanel *look*, that little touch of Parisian *je ne sais quoi* without, y’know, selling your kidney. And who am I to judge? Rent’s expensive, avocado toast is a crime against humanity (okay, maybe not), and we all deserve to feel a little fabulous.
But a brandless Chanel belt? Is it just… a belt? A black leather (or maybe even PU leather, let’s be honest) strap with a vaguely Chanel-esque buckle? It’s like wanting the Mona Lisa but settling for a really good print from, like, Etsy. No shade to Etsy, though. They have some amazing stuff. I once got a mug that said “Sarcasm: Just one of the services I offer.” It was awesome.
Anyway, back to the belt. You can, like, totally find belts *inspired* by Chanel. Poshmark’s got deals, 1stDibs has vintage (which, tbh, might be the way to go if you want something unique and slightly less “I’m trying too hard”). Even ShopStyle is apparently in on the Chanel belt action. But are they *actually* Chanel? Probably not if you’re aiming for “brandless.”
And tbh, there’s a part of me that wonders if it even *matters*. Like, if the belt looks good and makes you feel good, does it really need to be the real deal? I mean, who’s gonna know? (Unless you’re, like, hanging out with Anna Wintour on the reg. In which case, you probably *do* need the real deal.)
Plus, think of all the things you could do with the money you *don’t* spend on a legit Chanel belt! You could buy, like, a mountain of avocado toast (okay, maybe not a *mountain*), a super cute dress to wear with the belt (brandless or otherwise!), or even, dare I say it, invest in a really good handbag (maybe not Chanel, though, unless you suddenly win the lottery).
