MANILA, Philippines?Want to look like you lost 10 lbs in a cinch without diet and exercise? Or look instantly curvier without surgery? Or then again, suddenly look 10 lbs heavier without understanding why?

Sure, accessories make the outfit but they can also create optical illusions that can work for or against our body frames.

I give you, The belt. Other than helping to hold your pants up, it enhances your frame?if styled the right way. If Feng Shui?s got it down to a tee, why shouldn?t you: It?s all about placement.

So when choosing a belt for a certain outfit, consider these things first:

Belts easily become the focal point of any ensemble. Emphasis is drawn to where it is placed: waist, upper hip or lower hip. If done strategically, they can flatter one?s body instantly and vise-versa. Like jewelry, buckles provide visual interest so place them where you want to draw attention to.

Consider your body type and wear your belt accordingly:

Inverted triangle? narrow hip with wider shoulders? To balance off your body?s proportion, place the belt right on or below the hipbone.

Choose big, wide styles with texture and even better, color, to help visually fill in inches your hips are missing and take attention away from your wider upper body.

Rectangular/ boyish type? Straight all over, lacking curves? Waist belts are a must to create an hourglass figure. Wide or skinny belts, for as long as they?re worn right on the waist snuggly, will instantly create a smaller waist.

Pear-shaped/triangle? Narrow shoulders with wider hips? This is the trickiest. Avoid wearing belts right on the hip as they only emphasize, if not add to the width. Instead, wear belts (curve-shaped are best to form to the curves of the body) slightly above the hipbone or on the waist, which move focal point to upper body.

Have long belts shortened to avoid overlapping which also adds unflattering inches. The objective is to look hip and not hip-py.

The standard belt size that?s most flattering to all body types is about 1.5 inches unless they?re chain style. Regardless of style, make sure to fit them first to see how they fall on your hip; if the design will be compromised if altered or if the belt hole easily rips or deforms which reveals its quality.

So the next time you fail to hit the gym or stick to your diet? Have no fear, your handy-dandy belt is here!