Masciangelo’s 5 Step Guide to Achieving the Illusion of Height

For the height optimistic gentleman, shopping can be a daunting experience. Surely the only reasonable thing to do is to succumb to the pressures of fashion and dress accordingly? But the overly pushy department store sales clerks aren’t helping, and your height endowed peers only deter you from making the taller impression you’d like to make on the world; so you wear what the gorgeous sales lady says makes you look handsome, and avoid standing next to your height endowed peers. When you’re tired of feeling buyer’s remorse, through with taking the backseat to your peers, and ready to dominate the world by presenting a better image of yourself, follow these five steps to achieving the illusion of height:

1) Fitted Clothing: In general, wearing over-sized clothing will produce an unflattering box-like shape making you look “stalky” and short. What you want is a visual streamline; a pleasing structured visual where the eye can easily be guided upwards to the face. You want to look in the mirror and see an inverted shape of a triangle or a ‘T’ “broad at the shoulders and tapered at the ankles” (Real Style, 2011). You want a tight silhouette that hugs your body, an inseam that rests just below the crotch, and rests on your natural waist. You don’t want to raise your arms and have extra fabric swinging down from your armpits to your wrist.

2) Texture, Shape and Colour: The top half of your body should be balanced with your bottom half otherwise you’ll create a shape that is not natural. Go for a shirt that is a solid colour and compliments the pants. To add extra height wear loafers, dress shoes or boots that are an inch to two inches. Create texture with different designs and fabric with your shirts. Despite the saying that only vertical patterns slim, add a horizontal shape to contrast and create dimension.

3) Weight: Universally, everyone’s head is the similar size. So a short man’s head is bigger than his body, making him look shorter. While a tall man’s head is smaller than his body, making him look taller. To create balances find pieces that is visually simple, light, and thin.

4) Create Focus with Accessories: Incorporate hats, scarves and pocket squares into your ensemble to draw more attention to the upper half of your body.

5) Custom Tailoring: It should go without saying, but custom tailoring is well worth your buck!

Have more style related questions? Send us an email, tweet us your questions, or simply click here, to submit your fashion query. Masciangelo has more than enough years of experience under its belt, and we’d be glad to share our expert advice with you.