How to Look Taller and Thinner if you are Petite
If you are petite, you can make yourself look taller. Because you can't surgically add height to your small frame, you need to create the illusion of height and slenderness with your clothing, shoes, accessories and haircut or style. The colors you choose for your clothing, along with the textures, impact your appearance and your ability to look taller and slimmer than you are.
Things You'll Need
- Clothing with vertical lines
- Accessories to create vertical lines
- Color-coordinated shoes
- Clothing and outfits in similar color families
Instructions
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Visit a salon to have your hair cut so that the sides are shorter. These pieces will frame your face and create the illusion that it is higher than it actually is, which makes you look taller.
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Style your hair up when you are getting ready for your day. An updo elongates your neck, making you appear taller than you are. When you style your hair up, keep the line slim and avoid "chunky" styles.
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Choose clothing with vertical lines -- this applies to prints and accents on the clothing as well as accessories. Narrow belts will make you seem a little taller. Look for ribbed patterns, a column of buttons or a long scarf to help you create more of a vertical line.
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Wear clothing that has no patterns, such as plaids or checks. Clothing with these designs overwhelm your small frame.
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Choose pants and slacks with no cuffs --- these cut your line short. Instead, choose longer pants that flow and touch the top of your foot.
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Buy clothing that has small shoulder pads. These give you a longer vertical line.
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Buy fine, smooth fabrics that make you look more lean and taller. Chunky knits and textured fabrics -- think tweed -- make you look heavier than you are.
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Match your shoe color to your clothing color. Or, choose shoes that are in the same color family as the outfit you are wearing.
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Wear heels. Heels give you additional inches, which is critical when you want to appear taller.
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Practice "tone on tone" dressing. Choose clothing and accessories from the same color family. If you are worried you will look boring, look for clothing in different textures in the same color family.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid hair extensions and wide, puffy hair styles. These make you look shorter and heavier.
Avoid capri pants and calf-length shorts. Because you are petite, these styles cut you at mid-calf and widen the appearance of your legs.
Go for "streamlined" looks when buying or selecting clothing.
Your high heels don't need to be 3-inch stilettos. A simple 2-inch pump or wedge heel will add the additional height you are seeking.
References
- Photo Credit George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
