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Writer's pictureKevin Kenealy

Top Men's Wear Strategies You Can Follow to Appear Taller

Updated: Oct 18, 2023



These men’s wear looking taller strategies are not for everyone because of the expense

and being realistic. They are a guide to help you look taller along the way. Here they are

for anyone’s use and well-intentioned assistance.


1. Basic Color Strategies


Stick to similar color lines to keep your look along smooth lines with little contrast. By

maintaining your apparel with a basic consistent set of colors, particularly darker colors,

it will help you create a taller person visual to observers.

Wearing varied colors is okay but go with darker tones or colors when it comes to pants.

This will draw peoples view of you to your shoes to start with, and then go up from

there.


2. Dress in Vertical Look Apparel to Appear Slimmer and Taller


For years it has been stated that clothing that comes in vertical patterns slims a person

down making for a taller look, and horizontal patterns makes a person look heavier,

which can make them look shorter. This is employing the same strategy mention earlier

where how you look, slim and taller, or heavier and shorter, is partly predicated by

where people start their eyes on your body when they see you and where they end up.

Vertical strips in apparel like suit jackets, pants and dress shirts are the easiest way to

look taller naturally and not appear to be overemphasizing it.

.

3. Dress in Well Fitted Apparel


Poorly fitted clothing on short guys focuses attention on his smaller frame. It gives an

indication he is slovenly and too tiny to locate well-fitted apparel. Stop this nonsense.

When trying on men’s clothing, give heed and buy clothing that fits right, not the other

way around. Guys wear clothing all the time that is too big and shorter guys are no

exception to this occurrence.


Stay away from sport coats that have too much material around the shoulder area, even

if the sleeves are long enough for you. Do not buy pants that have a lot of material from

the inseam down. Buying ill-fitting and wearing clothes that are too big makes you look

like the boy at the end of the movie “Big” walking down his street in a grown man’s

clothing instead of a grown full-size man wearing clothing that fits.


4. Employ Less When It Comes to Cut Length of Shirt Sleeves


Know that shorter men should not desire the same clothing fit and cut as other guys

when it comes to suits, sport coats, pants, and shirts. For example, shirts and

accompanying jackets should display less shirt sleeve at the end of jacket sleeve so

that proportions are better balanced for guys with shorter arms.


Clothing components that intersect and overlap impact visual look significantly. The

collar on a shirt and the lapel on jacket are one set of components to consider. Keep

these narrower to enhance a slimming and taller effect.


Shorter collar points that point down can help. Steer away from extremes or crazy long

collar points that point away from the neck instead of angling down.


Stick with slim neckties, especially if you are short waisted. But do not go with a super

skinny necktie if you have a body with super wide frame because it will look not look

good.


Look for brands that carry apparel that emphasize looks that are vertically oriented and

follow the tips mentioned here while doing it.


5. Dress in Apparel that Draws Other People’s Eyes Up, Not Down


Dress yourself so people look towards your head by employing eye catching apparel

choices on the upper part of your frame. Wear nice bright tie and a popular pin in your

lapel. It will draw eyes up to the upper portion of your body. Do not go crazy with too

many bells and whistles with the dress details or it will all become too distracting.

Do not wear a hat to look taller unless it is a piece of your ensemble you wear

consistently. People have pointed out that hats can make a person look shorter

because it stops the look a person presents at the top of their head.

Stick to the basics, go with vertical at every turn and keep to a couple of additions at a

maximum to enhance your look and improve how tall you appear.


6. Dress Correctly to Give Yourself a Taller Look


Put on a Sports Coat or Suit Jacket—When you dress in a sports coat or a suit jacket

it enhances your shoulders which helps the appearance of looking taller. Make the most

of this technique every chance you get with matching slacks that come with the suit or

pants that are a color shade that matches the sports jacket.


Wear Trousers at the Correct Position on your Waist – Leg lines that are longer help

people look taller, so to achieve this physical attribute from your trousers, wear your

pants higher on the waist. This entails wearing slacks up on the body’s waist, not on the

hips. When you wear your pants on the hips if you are short your legs will look even

shorter. Pants worn on the waist do not require that you wear a belt. Employ

suspenders and use pants that do not have belt loops for the best look.


Take a Pass on Wearing Short-Sleeved Shirts and Shorts – Tall people have longer

legs and torsos and short men are short because they have shorter legs and torsos.

Wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirts when your short and stocky or short and built

will make you appear even shorter because they will make your legs, and arms appear

comparably smaller. To combat this and still look great, consider wearing light fabric

pants and thin long sleeve shirts with the sleeves rolled up past the wrist. Styling up with

a cool look will make you look taller and it is always in season.


7. Increase Your Height with Height Enhancement Tools


Working with vertical stripes, collar lines and other strategies are great methods to use

to give the illusion of looking taller. However, you may consider increasing your height

with the tools available today. There are ways to increase your height but be sure to use

them sparingly. When you are short you can wear a shoe with a ½ inch to ¾ inch heel

to increase your height. Do not fall for the companies offering height enhancing shoe

products for short guys. The shoes look gawdy and draw eyes to the heel part of the

shoe so it ends up being obvious you are short and trying to look taller. Go with formal

shoes when formal look is required and go with well-designed heeled boots for relaxed

times. Skip wearing dress shoes and workout shoes with built up heels. They look bad

and they are easy to trip and fall in


You may consider wearing heel inserts. They will make you taller, but they are not easy

to wear and are not comfortable. Bear in mind when you take your shoes off with inserts

installed, they may bring on embarrassment you want to avoid. Do not install inserts into

shoes with large heels. When you wear them in shoes with bigger heals you will lean

forward naturally as if you were skiing downhill.


8. Shop in Clothing Store’s Youth Section for Young Men


These days there is fantastic apparel located in they youth department in stores around

the country. There will be clothing lines available in these stores that men cannot wear

due to style or size problems. However, there are several companies making and selling

youth clothing lines that are fine for adults to wear.

The largest hurdle to overcome is clothing lines in the Youth/Young Adult section may

be the finding clothing that fits the around the stomach or chest. Men that wear youth

clothing lines wear L or XL. But the problem is now with recent youth weight gain,

clothing is being made for husky young men and not taller ones.


9. Pay for Custom Clothing or Purchase from a Men’s Store with an On-sight Tailor


Find a local custom clothier to make clothing for you that fits and gives you a taller look

or find a local company that offers a clothing line for shorter men. Stores offering clothes

for short men are experts at working with shorter men to build them a wardrobe that

helps them have a taller appearance with enough variety to have a selection of different

looks at any given time.


Lastly, maintain a look that speaks comfortable and relaxed. You must feel good in your

wardrobe, so it is not forced where you end up looking and feeling uptight. Consider

upgrading your clothing wardrobe a bit at a time over months, not all at once. Retain the

taller strategies that help and stop using the ones that do not.

Looking taller through style choices and techniques is nice, but being a well-dressed

man needs to include being positive and standing tall with good posture. Be yourself

and enjoy presenting your new style with confidence and grace.



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