Do you feel like you look shortened in your clothing? Try these three tips to give yourself a longer leg line, and a taller look!
If you feel like you put on outfits and feel stumpy, or just want to have a longer look, here are some simple tips to help give you a taller, elongated look!
These three really simple outfit styling tricks will have you looking taller in no time at all.
Above are 4 examples of different styles of jeans, all with elongated leg tricks!
1. FLARED JEANS: There are four elements making my legs look longer here. One, the jeans are full length to the ground. Two, I’m wearing heels with them, and they’re almost to the ground with the heels, so they give me additional inches of height. Three, the rise is higher, so I have more leg line from waistband to the floor. And four, I half tucked my shirt to show the full leg length from waistband to the floor.
2. CROPPED WIDE LEG. These jeans are not too wide, which is often a good thing if you’re trying this style but want to keep your look elongated. A lighter colored flat with an elongated toe helps elongate my look here, and showing a little bit of ankle keeps my look elongated. Again, I have my shirt tucked in to show more leg line, and the rise is high.
3. STRAIGHT LEG JEANS. These jeans hit me right at my ankle bone, which is a very universally flattering look. If you can see the narrower part of your ankle, that helps elongate your leg when wearing a cropped pant. You want your pants to hit right at that narrowest part of your leg, not higher up on the leg! Again, I’m tucking in my shirt and the rise of these jeans is higher.
4. SKINNY JEANS. Skinny jeans hitting right at your ankle bone is very flattering, and I chose a heeled ankle boot that’s similar to my skin tone AND has a very narrow shaft, so it helps my leg look longer instead of cut off and stumpy. I’ve tucked my top and the rise is higher, so you’re seeing my full leg line.
OUTFIT LINKS:
SIMILAR NORDSTROM PINK SWEATER | KUT FROM THE KLOTH JEANS (wearing size 2) | SIMILAR ANKLE BOOTS
SIMILAR WHITE AND BLUE STRIPED SHIRT | MADEWELL PERFECT VINTAGE CROP WHITE JEANS | NORDSTROM TAN LOAFERS
SIMILAR WHITE BUTTON UP SHIRT | MADEWELL BELT | SIMILAR CROPPED STRAIGHT LEG JEANS | SIMILAR SANDALS
SIMILAR STRIPED TSHIRT | GOOD AMERICAN JEANS | SIMILAR TAN ANKLE BOOTS | SIMILAR TRENCH COAT
Try these three outfit tips to make your legs look longer!
1. Choose your pants wisely.
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- Not all jean styles and cuts are going to help elongate your leg line. Here are a few things to look for:
- A higher waist pant is going to elongate your leg line because there’s more length of pant from your waist to your ankles. I’d recommend staying away from SUPER high rise, as that can make your middle section look squat, and stay far away from low rise. Choose something in the middle. It will be slightly different for everyone, so play around with different styles and see how they make you feel.
- You can choose whatever style of pants you want…wide leg, skinny, straight leg, wide leg…everyone has different preferences and body types, so choose what you feel best in.
- Make sure your pants are the right length! The most universally flattering length for skinny jeans and straight leg jeans is at or right above your ankle bone. Higher capri pants can give you a shortened look, and too long can give you a shortened look (especially if they’re bunching around your shoes). If you need to shorten your pants, I have a tutorial RIGHT HERE and HERE. A full length pant can also definitely give you an elongated look! A full length flare or wide leg pant or jean, especially with a heeled shoe, gives you a very long leg line. Just be careful about super wide leg jeans, because no matter the length, they can give you a wider look.
- Dark pants will always give you a leaner look than light pants. You can still wear light colored, but if you’re looking for a leaner look, choose black, gray, or dark wash. You can absolutely wear light wash jeans, and I do all the time, but between light and dark wash, darker will give you that leaner look.
- Not all jean styles and cuts are going to help elongate your leg line. Here are a few things to look for:
2. Your shoes matter!
- I talk about shoes all the time on Instagram stories and Get Dressed with Merrick because your shoe choice makes such a difference in your outfit.
- Pointed or almond shape shoes instantly elongate your look. Rounded toes can shorten your look.
- If you’re wearing boots, choose ones with a fitted ankle shaft. If the shaft is wide and blocky, it gives you a blocky ankle and that can cause you to look shorter.
- If you’re wearing flats or sneakers, choose lower cut ones so some of your foot and ankle shows.
3. Half tuck or fully tuck your top (or choose a shorter top)
- Half tucking or fully tucking your shirt allows more of your leg line to show in the front, and helps define your waist, which gives you some shape.
- If you carry weight in your middle and don’t want to half or fully tuck, that’s ok! Just choose a shirt that’s only a few inches longer than where your pants waistband hits. Those super long shirts will cover your leg line and make you look shorter. You don’t need a crop top, just choose something a little shorter. I have a post with a good example RIGHT HERE!
