How to Customize Wrestling Belts

To a wrestler, a belt means many things. The greatest wrestlers win championship belts that show everyone else who is No. 1. Just like any clothing accessory, however, a belt also makes a fashion statement. No matter where you are in your wrestling career (or even if you're just creating a cool Halloween costume), a custom wrestling belt will complete your outfit. With some planning and craft supplies, you'll have a belt that will help you get the attention you deserve.

Things You'll Need

  • A leather belt
  • Rhinestones and sequins
  • Glue
  • Cotton swabs
  • Tweezers
  • Acrylic paint
  • Shears
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Instructions

    • 1

      Decide the message you will send with your wrestling belt and how it fits in with the colors and style of your ensemble. If you are a heel (a bad guy or gal), you'll probably want a dark-colored belt, such as black or maroon. Come up with possible elements you might include. For example, your name spelled out in rhinestones or notches on the belt for each opponent you have defeated.

    • 2

      Design your belt using the elements you've chosen. Make some rough drawings, and narrow down your selections until you like its overall design. Consider widening or slimming the front of the belt, but remember that you can always trim the leather with shears; it's much harder to put the material back once you've cut. (You'll probably want to use leather because it is durable and leather weightlifting belts can be found in most sporting goods stores.)

    • 3

      Shape the belt to your custom width, if necessary. If you're changing the color of the belt, do that before you start decorating it. According to Fiebing, makers of leather dye, you should first test the dye on a small section of the belt. Further, you must strip the protective surfaces applied by the tanner to "make the leather receptive to dyes."

    • 4

      Apply the sequins, rhinestones and any other pieces of material you would like to add. M&J Trimming recommends that you affix rhinestones using a cotton swab "to dab a small amount of glue, proportionate to the rhinestone size you are using, to the surface of where you want to apply the rhinestone." Use tweezers to place the rhinestone on the belt, as they'll give you more control than if you used just your fingers.

    • 5

      Paint the rest of your design on the belt. How-To-Arts-and-Crafts advises you to "use water-based acrylic paints on leather" as "they are more flexible than other paints." Allow the belt to dry and apply another coat of paint if you want the colors to be more vibrant.