- Work on your posture:
This should go without saying. Make a conscious effort to stand up straight and you will gain a comparative advantage over those around you who are not. A tip I heard some time ago which stuck with me was to walk around like you’re carrying a cape; it may sound odd but it works. While you’re at it work on strengthening your core in the gym, to make sitting and standing up straight more comfortable.
- Dress in monochromes:
Wearing similar colors avoids breaking something called the body line, preventing the visual distraction which comes from wearing contrasting colors. The effect is a lengthening of the silhouette, creating a more streamlined appearance.
- Wear shorter jackets and pants:
Overcompensate in terms of fit when it comes to your tailoring. Choose shorter jackets than the norm, and make sure that your trousers do not break on the end of the legs. This will make sure that you don’t look like you are swimming in your clothes or find it hard to find grown-up clothes which fit you, and essentially helps in creating the desired unbroken body line as it leaves more of the body showing.
- Be smart with your accessories:
To look taller, use accessories which bring attention to the top part of your body. This means socks that are close in color to your trousers, and thin, unassuming belts (go beltless if you can). Upper-body accessories such as hats, scarves, and even pocket squares draw attention upward, keeping people’s eyes away from assessing how puny your frame actually is. If you get the opportunity, class it up with suspenders; they’re not only a great accessory, but they also provide a vertical effect which helps with making you look like a longer individual.
- Shoe lifts:
The one method which doesn’t rely on illusion, but probably would incite the most ridicule if you were caught participating in. Inserts come in a range of sizes; the most I’ve seen anyone wear is three inches, but at that point you will probably look positively disproportioned. Instead, invest in inserts in the inch or inch-and-a-half range, and bask in the boost in confidence you get from drawing closer to everyone else’s eyeline. Avoid getting caught by keeping your shoes on as long as possible or only taking them off in the safety of the darkness.
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