Belts over cardigans and shirts

I have pinned several pictures of the fairly recent trend of wearing a belt OVER a cardigan.  See the picture below if you aren't sure what I'm talking about.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/177962622748645384/

The problem I have is that it doesn't always look this cute when you try it with your own wardrobe on your own body.  The woman in this picture has a lot going for her that we all don't.  She is tall, slender, and has on a patterned dress that makes it easier to hide any imperfections (and I use that term loosely because most imperfections we see are in our heads) in the tummy/waist area.  

I put together an outfit the other day that looked great laid out on the bed, but once I put it on I suddenly felt like I was going to be fielding questions about when I was due and whether I was hoping this one would be a boy.  Yeah, it made me look a little preggo.  At the very least it made me feel that way.  The horizontal stripes combined with a belt worn high, plus the fact that I have a wide rib cage gave that effect.   

 I was bummed.  Could I not pull off the belt worn over a cardigan look well unless I was one of those people who has a tiny bone structure, no fat on their body, and a long slim torso?  See the picture below for the perfect example of that.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/177962622749438423/

But I found something that worked for me.  I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but it worked for me.  Ready for it?  I buttoned a few of the buttons right under the area where the I was wearing the belt.  

Check out the difference.  

                          

 
The lesson I learned? Don't be afraid to get ideas and inspiration from others (I love Pinterest and I have few mom style blogs that I follow too); you can find me on Pinterest here, BUT don't be afraid to take the styles others have tried and change them up a little to work for you and your body type.  And don't be afraid to say, "Hey, I don't like this style on me, and that doesn't make me any less beautiful".  Style is fun, but not if you compare yourself to others.  There's no room for that in motherhood.  We all know how terrible it is to compare your abilities as a mom to others, so why are we comparing our bodies and our fashion sense to others?  Get inspiration, not pressure.  Be you and find styles that make you feel as beautiful as you are.  Because YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

What style adjustments have you tried that made an outfit work for you?