Fashion is magic and magic is all about illusions. The right color and style can make you look taller and thinner and will compliment the workouts you’re doing at the gym. And when you meet your fitness goals, what better way to celebrate than to buy new clothes?
We can’t all be a 6-foot tall model, but that doesn’t mean we can look our tallest! Good posture and a confident attitude are mandatory for every fashionista. So is stocking your wardrobe with the right clothes to help you look thinner while you wait for the scale to catch up.
Here are ten fashion tips to make yourself look taller!
1. High heels can solve any problem.
Wearing high heels will obviously make you look taller, but shoe color can be just as important as shoe height. Wearing heels that match your skin color or your hosiery will make your legs seem like they are going on forever. It’s all about forming a clean line. Avoid strappy heels, ankle boots and chunky shoes – they will attract attention to your ankles, add bulk and make you appear shorter.
2. Go high and go wide.
Flared, high waist pants give the illusion of longer legs. Flare jeans are flattering because they elongate your legs when paired with chic heels. The higher the better! Avoid three-quarter style pants or cropped shorts because their edgy cut make your legs look clunky. Choose pants that skim the top of your shoes. If you can make them touch the floor, even better!
3. Show some leg.
Wearing a skirt/dress with a slit up the side (or up the back or front for that matter) will definitely make you look taller. With all that leg on display it’s impossible to think that’s they don’t go on for days. Add heels for a bigger effect and dark tights and matching shoes for an even more powerful punch! Megan Fox looks a lot taller than 5’3″ with this super high slit.
4. Not all patterns and shapes are created equal.
Vertical and diagonal stripes are definitely a timeless trend that let you put your best body forward: they lengthen your torso and make you look even slimmer than you are. Dresses, shirts, slacks and even long sleeve cardigans with vertical and diagonal stripes are a petite woman’s best friend. Stay away from horizontal stripes, check or dots patterns, which can make you look stumpy. When picking shirts and dresses, opt for V-necks the elongate your neck and will give you “giraffe” like qualities. Tuck a V-neck into a high-waist pant or skirt to increase the optical illusion.
5. Come undone.
A great way to create a long line is to leave your jacket/cardigan/blazer unbuttoned. That’s why shorter guys never button their bottom blazer, sure it’s more comfortable, but it also makes them look taller!
6. It’s all about the accessories.
Wear a long necklace. Better yet wear a few. This is will give you the illusion of having a long neck and you definitely want as much of the “giraffe affect” as you can get. Stay away from chokers, which although they are cute, will cut your neck in half. Also throw on a hat, it adds height and the right hat can take an outfit from ok to OK!
7. Pick one color and stick to it!
Wear monochrome outfits because you’ll create one long line of color that will make you look taller. Wearing lots of drastically different colors show exactly where each body part begins and ends and can actually make you look shorter. Dark colors: black, dark grey, navy, purple, dark tan can make you look taller AND thinner. Bonus points! For a softer appearance, you can choose lighter neutrals such as cream or ivory. If wearing one color seems a little dull, mix up the textures to make your outfit pop! Bonus: if you want to look 10lbs thinner, you should use color blocking
8. You’re slimming down so tighten up!
Here’s another way to look taller that also helps you look thinner: wear tighter clothes. No one is talking about so tight you can’t sit down (or bend over) but tight enough to show off your body and create, say it with me, long lines. Baggy clothing swamps you and makes you look sloppier, wider and shorter. You’re a woman and you’re sexy no matter your size or height. If you’ve got it flaunt it, and if you’re working on it, flaunt it anyway!
9. Avoid wide belts like the plague.
Sure wide belts are cute and can add some pizzazz to your outfit, but they also cut your body in half, which we have learned is a major don’t! If you want to wear a belt to close up your cardigan (because you’re not buttoning it right?!) or to add some oomph to your high-waist pencil skirt, think thin and go with a skinny belt.
10. Stretch, stretch and stretch some more.
Since I’ve been stretching, amazingly I’ve noticed leaner legs and a longer upper body posture. Yoga and pilates can lengthen your entire body. If you spend a lot of time on your feet or you never stretch, your calves will look bigger and heavy. When you stretch them regularly, they look longer and less swollen. Improve your posture, your flexibility and the possibility of looking taller with simple, stretching exercises such as: wall stretch, touch toes, straight leg up, the bridge or basic leg stretch.
What tips do you have to make yourself look taller? Let us know in the comments!
