Everything Y2K is having a moment again, and this summer one accessory is stealing the spotlight: the belly chain. From beach holidays and music festivals to sunset cocktails, the delicate waist-grazing chain is back where it belongs—drawing the eye to the midriff. The revival feels perfectly timed. The return of low-waist trousers, bumster jeans and micro skirts has once again turned the waist into fashion’s focal point.
But while it may be trending again, the belly chain is hardly new to India. Jewellery designer Nitya Arora of Valliyan says, “Belly chains were known to be worn by Indian women. It also has had a wellness aspect in India and has been worn for holistic health reasons based on Ayurveda.” In several South Indian communities, she adds, the waist chain is also passed down from mothers to daughters as an heirloom.
Bollywood has been championing the look for decades. From Kareena Kapoor Khan pairing waist chains with low-rise lehengas in early-2000s films to Deepika Padukone and Kiara Advani styling delicate kamarbandh-inspired chains with modern saris and resort wear, the accessory continues to move fluidly between tradition and trend. “Crop tops and sports bras that show your belly have come back in such a big way,” Arora says.
It’s also finding new meaning beyond nostalgia. New-mum celebrities like Rihanna have worn belly chains during pregnancy shoots and appearances. Whether worn over a micro skirt at a summer concert, layered on a beach sarong, or paired with a modern sari, the belly chain’s comeback is less about nostalgia and more about attitude: confident, body-positive and unapologetically Y2K.