TIPS FOR LOOKING TALLER

 While the printed dress is flattering, because both the body and sleeve is fitted, the pattern is so busy it is hard to focus on anything else. I want to stress again, that none of these outfits are inherently wrong, and this before-and-after is to highlight clothes that help you look slimmer and taller.

 Fitted dresses or wrap dresses that accentuate your waist are some of the most flattering dresses out there. They help highlight your body and give your outfit definition. Slits can also help you achieve this effect.

 While I love dresses with volume or looser options, they tend to not help you look slimmer or taller. So decide on your goals for the outfit when selecting your dress.

 woman wearing a wrap dress with v-neck. v-necklines help draw the eye down- which has a lengthening effect and helps you appear taller

 Vertical, vertical, vertical. Are you tired of hearing me say it yet? While, I’m not saying you should ditch every neckline and only wear v-necks, they are a great option to help slim your frame.

 They create a visual point towards the floor which draws your eye downward. See the image above for a visual representation.

 It does not need to be a plunging neckline to have this effect. Leaving a few buttons undone on a shirt, or having even a small v-neck will help.

 Dressing for your proportions is incredibly important. You never want to cut your body up in half, because you will always appear shorter this way.

 You want to cut your body up into thirds, or if you’re really skilled in style into sixths.

 This can be 1/3 on top, and 2/3rds on the bottom- which is an ideal proportion to look taller and slimmer.

 And while the alternative, 2/3rds on top, 1/3rd on the bottom helps less with appearing taller, it is still an ideal proportion to work with. And you can add a pair of heels if you want to make this proportion more slimming.

 I love a great statement sleeve or puff sleeve, and they certainly have their place. But, they can also be a major distraction to keeping your looks streamlined and vertical.

 Because they create a horizontal detail at the top of your look, they can distract your eye and eliminate that length we want to create.

 Longer sleeves, and 3/4 sleeves also create vertical space in your outfit, which can help your eye travel vertically.

 So, these tips are all about using fashion styling techniques to give your body length and create a vertical illusion. However, not every outfit you wear will fit into these tips. And that is totally ok.

 Shapewear is a totally acceptable alternative to give your outfit a little slimming boost. They are especially helpful to smooth out bulges in silk dresses or light fabric pants that can highlight curves and bulges more easily.

 Longer necklaces achieve a similar effect like the v-neck does. It draws your eye down, which helps keep your outfit vertical.

 It can be an easy jewelry addition if you like these types of necklaces. Avoid anything with a large pendant or statement piece that will stop the eye from continuing down the outfit.

 The fewer breaks you have in the outfit, the easier your eye will travel down the outfit vertically. Nude pumps (or shoes) help your legs look long and continue that nude tone down vertically without a stopping point.

Environmental Factors That Effect Height

 Similarly, matching your shoes to your trsouers or pants can help keep that line long and reduce any visual breaks. Bonus points if you use a pointy toe!

 So cropped trousers can be your friend when trying to dress taller and slimmer. However, you have to use them carefully and really pay attention to where the trouser hits.

 If it is cropped too high, you will get too much calf skin showing and that will create too much of a break between your pant hem and your heels. And if you don’t have enough space between your pant hem and your shoes, it will appear like your pants are too long for you and shorten you.

 So what is the magic number? I like to shoot for between 1” and 2” between the top of my shoes and my hem. I would also opt for a higher rise pant to create the illusion of longer legs.

 black skirt suit with graphic tee, logo tights and combat boots, showing how a mini skirt can help you appear taller

 I save this tip for last because just like crop tops, mini-skirts are certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. But they do make you look taller.

 Opt for a high-waisted mini-skirt that hits a few inches above your knees (4 in or more is best). This will lengthen your legs (even if you don’t wear heels), and give focus to your long bottom half.

 Opt for a high-waisted mini-skirt that hits a few inches above your knees (4 in or more is best). This will lengthen your legs (even if you don’t wear heels), and give focus to your long bottom half.

 I have a lot of people mention their weight as a roadblock to their style, and that is a very complicated relationship to overcome. I have styled many body types, and have always found that weight is not a determining factor for good style.

 So, I wrote this post to hopefully help you narrow in on some mistakes you might be making, and give you a bit more confidence in your look.

 Styling tips to make you appear taller or slimmer, are NOT about being a different shape than you are, rather it is about using more precision to highlight your shape and give your more confidence.

 If you're on the short side, it's natural to have a little insecurity about your height and sometimes wish you were taller. Luckily, a few tweaks to your wardrobe can help. High-waisted pants and skirts, combined with form-fitted tops, can help elongate your frame. You can also add accessories that call attention to your upper half, like bigger hats and scarves. With a little tweaking, you can make yourself tall. Sit up straight and tall so you feel confident in your own body. The better you feel about yourself, the more confident and tall you'll look.

 Opt for full-length, flared jeans. If you don't mind the flare style, look for jeans with a flare around the leg rather than straight-leg varieties. This draws attention to your bottom half, making your legs look longer.[1]

 Make sure that the flare jeans do not drag on the floor as this can make you look shorter rather than taller.

 Go for high-wasted, form-fitting dresses. If you like to wear dresses, consider dresses that cinch at the waist just above the hips. This makes your body look well-proportioned, lengthening your frame overall. Avoid dresses that are long and loose as this can make you look like you're drowning in them, drawing attention to your height.[2]

 For example, go for a dress with a pencil line skirt that cinches at the waist. Take a pass on the baggy maxi dress.

 Pick high-waisted pants or skirts. A higher waist helps make your legs look longer, stretching out your figure overall. When selecting pants or skirts, look for ones that are meant to be buttoned and zipped at the waist. Bottoms that fall at the hips are much less likely to lengthen your frame.[3]