So hip it hurts.

Now and again I stumble across objects d'art that make my heart skip a beat. Enter the lovingly hand-made Gypsy belt from Hurt Couture, the drop-dead-unisexy fashion accessory that promises to keep you looking fierce while feeling fearless.

Suddenly mace and pepper spray seem so tragically old school.


Let me be clear, I'm not promoting fashionable deadly weapons here, but the elegant design of a concept this bold is ironically provocative. Bare in mind the Gypsy belt's thoughtful construction includes its very own hand stitched protective pocket in which to conceal your weapon. The set-up: a 3 1/2 inch blade made of solid Zinc, finished with nickel or pewter, slid into a built-into-the-belt suede sheath. The buckle attaches via a pin to any of Hurt Couture's high-quality leather belts, each hand-cut from whole hides and ranging from a large-grommetted brown to an intensely distressed cracked white:



If anyone calls you out for wearing it past Labor Day, they will pay in fingers.

This lovely Hurt Couture handmade accessory by LA designer Erik Nelson can be found at Atelier in NYC, the Thompson Xchange @ the Roosevelt Hotel in L.A., and Pink Heart Boutique in Orlando.

Seriously. HurtCouture.com. They're not even that expensive.