How To Look Taller

It's a fact - the world we live in glorifies tall people.


Tall people on average, make more money, get the best view at the concert, look better in clothes, make millions playing basketball for a living and generally, have it easier in life.




If Adam hadn't taken a bite at that apple and we were all still naked and stuck in Garden of Eden, all hope would be lost for the vertically-challenged portion of mankind. But because he did take a swipe at the forbidden fruit, we now have the phenomenon we call clothes at our disposal. Yes, while adopting the right posture is the most immediate, effective and optimal way to increase your height immediately, it's no myth that dressing correctly can make you appear taller. And although the following will not get a 5'6" man mistaken for being 6 feet tall, I'm sure most people will agree that every added illusory inch of height is a Godsend. But please remember - in 99% of cases, breaking your legs is not the answer. 








Hi, Heels


Rather than being an advocacy of cross-dressing, wearing man-heels can add valuable inches to your stature. A few go overboard by wearing crazy 4 inch heeled boots a-la Prince, but all that does is just end up making one look insecure and desperate. Instead, employ subtlety - a standard dress shoe heel will already bump up your height by 2 inches. Look for shoes that do not have a large heel, but rather, extra padding in the insole such that it wont appear as if too much of your newfound height is coming from the heel itself. 

High heels - IMO still the exclusive territory of the fairer sex.

That being said, I must say that there's really nothing wrong with being below average in height. As many will agree, confidence comes from within, and how you carry yourself is ultimately the most significant determining factor when it comes to your level of attractiveness - a confident short man can easily be much more attractive than a tall gangly man who doesn't carry himself with the same grace as the former. 

Furthermore, wearing excessively large heels/lifts may end up running you the risk of looking desperate and insecure. All I can say is, if wearing heels/lifts really makes you feel better, then proceed. But do so with caution. 

                                          

Fit


I've said it thrice and I'll say it again, the most important factor in how good your clothes look on you is F-I-T. Not the color, not the decorative detail, but how the piece is cut, how its shaped, how well it conforms to your body. 


A well fitted pair of trousers and a form-fitting (not body-hugging) shirt works in the same way as vertical stripes do - they create a slimming silhouette, which in turn makes you appear leaner and longer. On the other hand, wearing two-people-can-fit-in-here baggy clothing only serves to make you look like a little boy who got lost and ended up in his father's wardrobe. 


Look for trousers with minimal break at the ankles and for shirts that do not have overly long bunched sleeves. The length of the trouser leg and shirt sleeve should measure such that there is no bunching (accumulation of extra material) at the ends. 

Vert


Vertical stripes carry the advantage of creating a streamlined optical illusion of elongation. In other words, wearing vertical stripes can make you appear slimmer and taller. Veer on the side of smaller vertical stripes with minimal in-between spacing as opposed to large stripes, such as to not look like you just stepped out from the set of the latest Godfather spin-off.  

Mono


Another way to work illusory magic with your audience is to dress in monochrome - ie. wearing a similar/identical shade all throughout your outfit. For example, black trousers paired with a navy blue shirt, white linen slacks with a white shirt. The idea behind this method is that wearing the same color avoids a break/sectioning of your body, thus drawing attention away from the length of shorter individual sections of the body and making the human eye view the person as a whole instead. Opt for darker monochrome shades to appear leaner and longer. 

I'm telling you - it's the clothes

A High Head of Hair


I have a friend (Hello there Sean) who sports a 6 inch hairstyle. A 6 inch tall hairstyle to be exact (think Fonzie and think hairspray). Sean himself isn't extremely tall (171cm, was it?), but he appears a good few inches taller than he is, by virtue of his hair. 

This isn't Sean.

While to some, having "good hair posture" may be a rather comical way of breathing the air up there, I don't believe that taking on a slightly and of course, subtly augmented hairstyle will do you much harm. If anything, it'll help you stand out in a crowd. Oh, how I love mildly unfunny puns. 

On a somewhat related note, if you're a minor - start drinking milk and loading up on the protein before its too late. Caucasians are generally larger than Asians, and I infer that a major reason for this is because the Asian diet is notoriously high in carbohydrates and low in calcium and protein - hardly the best diet for optimal growth. 


If you're no longer at the age of vertical expansion, keep your head up. Height is undoubtedly an advantage, but its not everything. Building your confidence, charisma and being well-groomed can do way more for you than a couple of extra inches will. 


Just ask Sean.

Till next time, this is Straight Eye for the Straight Guy.