Remember The Belt? I had bought it while living in Israel when I became friends with a leather artisan. I selected the leather strap, the buckle, and the spacing of the holes; he assembled it to my specifications. I hoped that choosing the longest strap available, the sturdiest buckle, and the smallest hole spacing wouldn’t result in a belt that was too small for my girth. But, it was.
Now that I’ve lost some weight, and the Problem of Pants is becoming much more troublesome, I’m working to stitch and alter my clothes until I can afford new ones. Re-enter The Belt. A year and a half ago, I declared the belt as a progress goal — hoping that I could someday buckle it, even just to the first hole. Well, a few weeks ago, feeling utterly frustrated by the Problem of Pants, I pulled the belt out and cinched it up. To my surprise, it not only buckled, it buckled at the fifth hole.
Before picture here.
After:
