Whether you have your fingers (and toes) crossed that your growth spurt is just delayed, or you fully embrace your frame no matter the size, there are always ways to enhance what you’ve got, even if height isn’t necessarily one of them.
Although everyone wants to be over six-foot-tall or have the perfect six pack, we are not all blessed with the right genes. Sure, we can work hard at the gym to get the body of our dreams, but height is a different matter altogether. If you don’t see yourself wearing heeled boots like Bono or wearing shoe lifts, how can you really look any taller without, well, wearing stilts? Here are 10 style tips that every man should know, whether you are 5’2 like Kevin Hart, or 5’8 like Robert Downey Jr. and Zac Efron.
1. Always match your shoes to your pants
Shoes are often underrated when it comes to pulling together an outfit. Whether you own two pairs or 200, what’s on your feet matters – especially when you are wanting to elongate your figure.
Firstly, your shoes should have a low contrast to the pants you are wearing. So, if you are wearing dark wash jeans, you should opt for dark navy sneakers over a pair of bright white ones. Just as women use nude heels to elongate their legs, by eliminating a distinct shift between pants and shoes, you are giving the illusion of having longer legs.
Secondly, the shape of your shoe makes a difference. Squared toes are a no-no as they abruptly shorten the line created by your pants. Stick with a classic almond toe, or a slightly pointed toe to further elongate the length of your legs.
2. Embrace the importance of blazer buttons
Blazers are no longer just for white-collar workers, they are the perfect finishing touch to any outfit, especially if you are of shorter stature. But it’s vital that you get a blazer that not only fits you, but keeps you in proportion. Most blazers have longer lapels to accommodate larger chests and longer torsos, so it can be challenging shopping for a blazer that has shorter lapels perfect for your torso.
The best way to tell if a blazer is right for you, is by the location of the top button. If the top button is just above your bellybutton, you’ve found a winner. The higher up the top button, the shorter and smaller the lapels are making it all proportionate to your frame.
3. Ditch the belt
Belts are great for keeping up ill-fitting pants, but they can also break up an otherwise great outfit. Smaller frames should steer away from outlandish belts that are too wide and too contrasting to the rest of the outfit. If belts are a necessity for you, make sure to opt for plain black with a very simple buckle.
Keep your pants at your natural waist, not at your low waist like a 90s rapper. By lifting your pants up, you’ll not only look like you have longer legs, but your pants will support and define your bottom more.
4. Use shoe lifts
Yes, shoe lifts are still an option. There are some discrete options available and they can provide additional comfort to your regular shoes. But, if you are against shoe lifts on a regular basis, you shouldn’t rule them out for special occasions. If your significant other or date is wearing heels and you want to compensate for the height difference, shoe lifts are nothing to be embarrassed about. If women can wear heels, men can wear lifts!
5. Ditch the short-sleeved shirts
When you have shorter arms, short-sleeved shirts can give you an unflattering boxy look, so reach for long-sleeves instead. Long sleeves are less boxy, and by rolling them up to just below your elbow, you’ll instantly look more polished than your t-shirt-wearing counterparts.
If you are still a fan of your graphic tees, just layer the look with a long-sleeve denim shirt over. By rolling up the sleeves you’ll not only look more fashion-forward, you’ll look more proportionate because of the addition of vertical lines of the denim overshirt.
6. Play around with layering
Just like with layering a denim shirt over a t-shirt, or a blazer over a button-down, by keeping the interest close to your face, you are drawing attention away from your height. Layering collars under sweaters also works well, just make sure to tuck in the shirt underneath, otherwise it will ruin the optical illusion.
7. Keep it slim
Regardless of your weight or body shape, slim-fitting clothing will always look best on shorter figures. Slim-fitting jeans and pants are particularly great at defining your legs, while opting for slim-fitting button-ups are great for cinching in your waist and figure. Loose or ill-fitting clothing will only make your frame look even smaller, so show it off on your own terms.
8. Shop in the petite section
Shopping for clothes in general can be draining, let alone when the pants are constantly too long and the long-sleeved shirts extend well past your wrist. Instead, do your research and see which stores and brands offer a petite section. This will make shopping for jeans and blazers particularly helpful.
9. Get it tailored
When in doubt, befriend your local tailor. Whether they tailor a shirt that you just had to have, or they custom-make the perfect blazer for you, tailors are your secret weapon. Sure, not everyone has the time to get items tailored, but with tailors in your local shopping centre, all you need to do is buy that pair of jeans and take them straight to the tailor. LookSmart will hem pants in less than an hour or it’s free, so they’ll be done before you need to pay for parking!
10. Don’t forget to experiment
Style rules can be helpful, but sometimes you just need to go out on a limb and try something new! Try on different prints, buy that light pair of chinos you’ve been eyeing off. Sure, not everything will look as good on your body as it does on the hanger, but experimenting is the sure-fire way to determine what looks good and what doesn’t.