Ten Tricks to Looking Taller

Dressing to look taller isn’t a simple one-two punch of Aquanet-ing a 3-inch Snooki-pouf and stepping into 6-inch stilettos. Instead, lengthening a petite body type involves an entire conference of teams: necklines, hems, color palettes, print types, shoe shapes. They all affect how long and lean you look—even before you take heel height into account. (Good to know, because we can’t all be Victoria Beckham and wear architectural Louboutins to the dentist, now can we?) Below, our favorite other ways (i.e., more reasonable ones) for smaller girls to step into the tall person’s game:

Wear High-Waisted Bottoms

To elongate your lower half, wear shorts and pants that start up on your natural waist instead of slinging them low on your hips. (Extra points for pant hems that just barely graze the floor, maximizing leg length without overwhelming them in fabric.)

"Jojo" High Waist Shorts, $88, Anthropologie.com; "Cleofe" High Waisted Pants, $325, by Malene Birger, Shopbop.com

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1 of 11 Courtesy of Anthropologie.com, Shopbop.com

Pair Neutral Shoes with Bare Legs

They don't even have to be heels! Either way, for the ideal effect, avoid ankle straps that interrupt the leg's line, and opt for linear, pointy-toes instead of stunted round ones. (And if you're tiring of putty-like beige or standard brown, opt for this dusty mud color instead. It's my favorite.)

Suede Pumps, $557, Gianvito Rossi, Mytheresa.com

2 of 11 Courtesy of Mytheresa.com

Choose V-Neck Necklines

They will help you channel all those actresses who seem tall but really just have swan-like necks (Audrey Hepburn, Keira Knightley, Natalie Portman). Sleeveless red silk blouse, $150, marc by marc jacobs, ssense.com

3 of 11 Courtesy of Ssense.com

Go for Matchy-Matchy

Unlike with bare legs, wearing a neutral shoe with a dark pant won't do you any favors, so go for a matchy-matchy thing instead. (Again, peep toes and pointy toes help continue the line of the leg better than a square or round toe.)

Glitter Embellished Peep Toe Pump, $595, Miu Miu, Barneys.com

4 of 11 Courtesy of Barneys.com

Scale Your Accessories to Your Size

Ditch giant statement necklaces, oversize clutches and chunky menswear watches in favor of accents that won't swallow your frame.

"Cooper" Strap Watch, $195, Katespade.com; Gold Start Pendant Necklace, $315, Minor Obsessions, Barneys.com; "Cayla-evening Belle" Minaudiere, $498, Kate Spade New York, Nordstrom.com

5 of 11 Courtesy of Katespade.com, Barneys.com, Nordstrom.com

Stick with Smaller Prints

Avoid giant patterns that'll overwhelm a small figure. So instead of this season's Hawaiian tourist-y hibiscus flowers, pick Liberty prints and Laura Ashley-esque little florals. (Same goes with stripes, cartoon prints, etc.)

Floral Pleated Dip Hem Skirt, $64, Topshop.com

6 of 11 Courtesy of Topshop.com

Make Monochrome Looks

It's not just dramatic and sorta Sophia Loren-y glamorous: head-to-toe color also boosts your height by turning you into one long Crayola crayon.

"Brett" Silk Blouse, $198, Equipment, Piperlime.com; "Daniya" Tailor Pants, $245, Theory, Shopbop.com

7 of 11 Courtesy of Piperlime.com, Shopbop.com

Opt for Vertical Stripes

This one's simple: Vertical lines lengthen even the blockiest figure.

Vertical Striped Sundress, $154, Only Hearts, Shopbop.com

8 of 11 Courtesy of Shopbop.com

Pair Black Tights with Black Shoes

Just by adding matching tights, heel-averse girls can lengthen the look of their frames even when plodding around in flats.

Matte Opaque Tights, $52, Wolford, Barneys.com; "Alvin" Smoking Slippers, $150, Sam Edelman, Loft.com; "Billy" Shootie, $177.95, Frye, Endless.com

9 of 11 Courtesy of Barneys.com, Loft.com, Endless.com

Choose Column Dresses

For petite women, long dresses can work wonders—provided they're fitted and streamlined. (We like simple, solid colored Calvin Klein-y columns the best.)

"Kassie" Drape-Back Gown, $296, Rachel Zoe, Bergdorfgoodman.com

10 of 11 Courtesy of Bergdorfgoodman.com