From the Feet UpShoes
One way to elevate your stature is by wearing
height-increasing footwear or apparatuses such as lifts,
thicker insoles, elevator shoes, and shoes with thicker
soles. These can all easily add a few inches to your
height.
Shopping tip: When shopping for shoes, try sticking to
bulkier styles so that your feet don't look too small.
Shirts
Avoid wearing blazers and cardigans with more than three
buttons because they will draw unwanted attention to
your shorter upper body. Also, make sure that your
blazers and jackets fall slightly below your buttocks,
as this will make your body look slightly more
elongated. While you should try to avoid double-breasted
suits, if you do choose to wear one, do up all the
buttons (including the lower ones), as this will give
you a longer look.
Also, when wearing a sports jacket, make sure there's as
little contrast between your jacket and trousers as
possible, to maintain the natural vertical lines. Center
and side vents also add the effect of a prolonged
vertical line.
In terms of sweaters and T-shirts, V-necks can help make
your torso look longer. Turtlenecks, on the other hand,
can make you look stumpy, as they conceal your neck.
Look for formfitting shirts in order to avoid excess
fabric when tucking them in and opt for point collars
instead of spreads. Finally, keep in mind that tucking
in your shirt can place the emphasis on your legs and
torso, which might make you look shorter.
Shopping tip: Shortening the length of a shirt is
generally easier than reducing the length of its
sleeves, so make sure the shirt fits properly around
your shoulders and body, first and foremost. If it does,
then you can have the overall length and the sleeves
adjusted.
Pants
Do not wear your pants too high; you should wear them
just above your hips. Also, avoid wearing low-rise pants
(even if they are the trendier alternative), as they
tend to make legs look shorter than they already are.
Furthermore, avoid any kind of puckering around the
hips, from tucking in your shirts or having full
pockets, as it will make you look wider and hence,
shorter.
Your trousers should break on your shoes slightly more
than average, to help make your legs look longer by
covering your socks properly.
It's also suggested to shun cuffs altogether. If you do
decide to wear them, have your tailor hem them slightly
narrower than normal (that is, 1¼ inches instead of the
usual 1½ to 2 inches). Finally, keep in mind that pants
with no pleats or a single pleat are more flattering
than multiple pleats.
Shopping tip: If you can't find any pants that fit
properly, you can always have them custom-made or visit
a specialty store near you.
Accessories
When it comes to accessories, shorter men should avoid
bow ties. Instead, they should wear narrower ties;
solid, and regimental and diagonal patterns work best.
Also, choose the less intrusive
four-in-hand knot over the bulkier Windsor variety.
When buying a belt, remember that you can have it
adjusted to any length by simply adding more holes. A
belt that doesn't have holes is even easier, as it's
fully adjustable for a perfect fit.
Finally, keep in mind that suspenders can emphasize your
natural vertical line, so avoid them.
Shopping tip: Again, you can find many stylish
accessories in special catalogs, at local specialty
stores, or in the boys' section of larger department
stores. If you're having trouble finding socks that fit,
you can always give the socks in the women's department
a try.
just look good
Just remember that the key is not necessarily to look as
tall you can, but to look as good as you can. The proper
fit and the right styles can make you look great,
regardless of your height.
Until next time, keep on stylin'. |
