Belts are positioned on the natural waist or lower depending on the rise length. They sit below the waist on mid- and low-rise bottoms, and on the waist on high rises. Dresses can be belted on the natural waist or lower on the hips. Find your sweet spots.
A narrower belt works well on a shorter torso. A wide belt enjoys longer torsos. A low contrast belt creates vertical integrity. A high contrast belt is visually punchy. Make sure that the built-in belts of coats, jackets, and dresses are correctly positioned on the waist.
Accentuating the waist can take some getting used to. Half-tucking a fluid top over belted bottoms is a good place to start. The untucked part of the top covers most of the midsection, leaving the exposed part of the belt to do the impactful talking.