Fashion Lab: Belt Placement

Why did it just not work when one friend took her belt off the other night and put it on another friend in the same, low-slung position?

I think the key is somewhere in balancing the lengths. Here, from last December, is where I explained how to do length-balancing with pants. If you really want to examine the topic, this post, from last May, links to most of what I've written on the topic.





In these pictures of me, though, I think there are some other things going on:

• Scale: In general, the details (straps and so-forth) worn on the upper body should relate to the scale of the facial features. Details on the lower body relate to apparent body size. Aside from the fact that the color isn't great, do you like the wide belt on me at all? (Here's another picture of me in the same belt. I'm afraid I've shown myself to be a fashion victim.)
  
• Silhouette: My natural shape is Type 8. In both the examples where the belt is worn at the waist, the shape has somehow been transformed into more of an I.
  
• Frumpiness: Just what accounts for the frumpiness of the belt-at-waist looks? I've said once before,
  
  

  Length balancing is the key to dodging the frump factor: 50/50 is boring.

  
  From the top of the turtleneck to the belt worn at the hip is 2 1/2 "units", from the bottom of the turtleneck to the hem of the pants is 4. What's in between, especially with the smaller belt, is accent and can be subtracted from the total. For the belt at the waist looks to work, the top would have to be tucked in.
  

I think ...