#belted!

Belted. And then Belted again.

Ever since I posted this photo of me in Albania back in 2005, I have been the subject of incessant sartorial mocking from Alex and our friend Amy (my #1 and #2 blog readers, respectively).

"That strappy Limited tank top - it's so 10th grade!" howled Amy, the former New York fashion buyer. "The rolled-up jeans and Asics - all you're missing is a fanny pack!" lamented Alex, his aversion to unfortunate American travel "style" well-honed during a childhood spent amongst snooty foreigners.  

The unifying element in their respective critiques, however, was the belt: why was I wearing a belt? Not a cool, fashion-y, Michelle Obama cinched-over-the-cardigan belt, mind you, but just a no-nonsense, hold-up-your-pants belt. 

This seemed to mystify them, because apparently, belts are not cool. To hear Alex talk, in fact, belts are not even worn by women on a regular basis. I was slightly mystified, too, because it's not like I go to the closet and reach for a belt every morning in my day-to-day life. In search of an answer, I started clicking through my travel photo archives, only to find... belt... after belt... after belt?!

The belt was a travel standby in the old days, for sure:

Jesi, Italy in 2005... belted! (Also featuring sweet rolled-up jeans.)

But apparently the belt has persisted in my more recent travels, even since moving to Dubai:

Muscat, Oman in 2008... belted!

Kuwait City, Kuwait in 2008... belted!

Aleppo, Syria in 2008... belted!

Murchinson Falls, Uganda in 2009... belted!

Locked, loaded, belted - in almost every trip I have on record! And yet when I look at non-travel pictures from the same era, there's nary a belt to be found. So what I am left to infer is that the belt is some kind of subconscious travel-clothing security blanket, an assurance that no matter where in the world I am or what kind of crazy adventures await me - well, my pants? They're stayin' right where they are.

If we're being honest, my ongoing weight gain since moving abroad serves to accomplish the same thing. But carrying an extra ten pounds around my waist doesn't sound nearly as cool as being... belted!

And for my sartorial critics' benefit, one last shot of Ultimate Gubbi Travel Fashion (TM). While the belt here is obscured, the photo features my iconic rolled jeans look and members of the Ethiopian men's national basketball team, which I know will irk Alex on a number of levels. (WIN!)

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2007... rolled!

Brandon Belt has a swing that was blessed with awesomeness.