Look Taller

Being short sucks. Not only is it difficult to see over people at music concerts, but it turns out that taller men get paid an average of $6,000 more a year just because of their height.

Unfortunately, for most of us, wishing that drinking milk will make us grow taller isn’t going to happen at this stage in life. There are surgical procedures that involve breaking your legs and using a stretching mechanism to allow new bone growth, but it’s extremely painful and costly. Your best bet is take make the best of what you have.

Here’s a few simple tricks to deceive the eye and appear to be two to three inches taller than you actually are.

  • The most important thing is to have good posture. Having a hunch in your back isn’t going to help at all in maximizing the height you already have. Stand tall and you’ll look tall.
  • Thicker sole shoes are fine, but don’t buy platforms. You’ll look like a ridiculous short man in heels.
  • Dress in similar colors clothes from head to toe, so that your body isn’t broken up into blocks. Pay particular attention to your belt. It should be the same color as your pants. The monochromatic palette will keep you looking long and lean.
  • Get your shirts and pants tailored to fit. Anything loose will make you look wider. Tailored fits have a slimming effect and will add height.
  • Like to wear patterned shirts? Make sure to go with vertical detailing to help you look taller. Horizontal lines make you look wide.
  • Wear cuffless pants to elongate your legs. Stick with straight-leg styles. Wide-leg styles will create an uneven balance between the top and bottom of your body.
  • Upswept hair really does give you an inch or two, but stick with short styles. Long hair tends to hide your neck and shoulders, making you look stumpy.

Wondering how you stack up? According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average height of American men is 5 feet, 9 inches, and the average height of American women is 5 feet, 4 inches.