6 Things That Are Making You Look Shorter

(Image credit: Getty Images ¦ Design by Katja Cho)

published 23 September 2015

Note that the headline here says "shorter," not "short"–because being Martin Freeman-size isn't a bad thing at all, but feeling squatter than you actually are is. Here, we give you six faux pas that are literally bringing you down.

Your shoe vamps are too high

How to look taller 101: Create a long, vertical line with as few visual interruptions as possible. (The end.) Higher-cut vamps hide the front of the foot shorten the leg line, while skin-baring styles extend it à la swimsuit models who get on their tippy-toes as they exit pools.

Your skirts aren't short enough

Suck it, middle school hall monitors. If you're going to go short, go as short as you can without getting charged with public indecency. If you're going long, go floor-length or just a hair above—half-assing it with a midi or awkward ankle-length hem chops up The Line. Bonus tip: Roll up too-long shirt cuffs to expose some extra wrist and forearm because flopping fabric = Dooneese.

You're making people look down

Left Salma wants you to look at her belt and shoes. Right Salma wants you to admire her lip color while trying really hard not to acknowledge what's going on in that keyhole. Either way, Right Salma is successfully guiding your gaze upward so you can't tell she stands only 62 inches high.

Your bags are too big

It's all about scale, this one. Besides being bad for your back, proportionally dominant bags can dwarf petite bodies. See how much more correct Kate's lunchbox looks next to her frame?

Your hair is too long

Takeaway #2: Show more skin—all over. An updo or short cut draws attention to the neck, which is like a lightening rod for the face. Too much hair is just plain distracting.

You're not making hooves with your pants

First, NEVER GIVE UP YOUR CULOTTES. Second, if your trousers cover your heels without dragging on the ground, 1) it will look like your legs run from your waist all the way to the floor, 2) you could be wearing platform Skechers and no one would know, and 3) hooves. *clomp clomp*

Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at Marie Claire. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.