Belts Belts are both functional and decorative. They serve to define the waistline, to change the apparent location of the waistline, and to cover a waistline seam. Belts should be scaled to a person's size and figure type. Almost any woman can wear a smooth narrow belt that blends with the color of the garment. A thin, long-waisted person looks wonderful in large belts with bright contrasting colors or rough textures.
Wide belts add horizontal lines and draw attention to a small, neat waist.
A wide belt that contrasts with the garment emphasizes the hips and bustline, and shortens the distance between bust and hips. Wearing a belt higher than the natural waistline makes you look like you have a shorter waist. If you are short-waisted, but tall and thin enough to afford the horizontal line of a belt, match the belt to your blouse color rather than the skirt or pant color. A belt worn below the natural waistline gives the effect of a lower waist. A roughly textured belt, like buckskin or macrame, is sporty, while a finer grained leather denotes a dressier look.