In this blog post, Mohan’s Custom Tailors — a leader in 100% custom menswear in New York City since 1972 — offers several important tips for making men look taller through careful wardrobe selections. Well-dressed gentlemen can appear taller in their suits, business casual jacket and trousers combinations, shirts, formalwear and other clothing using a series of styles, fits and design elements.
Close-Fitting Clothing
Loose fitting clothing on a man who is not tall emphasizes his frame and may make him appear as though he is unable to find clothing of proper size. Certain close-fitting clothing, including slim-fit dress pants and skinny jeans (or slimmer-cut jeans) can visually elongate your legs and make you appear taller. If you have a piece of clothing that you like, whether it is loose-fitting or it just does not accentuate your body, we suggest that you bring it to a tailor for alterations.
Direct the Eye Upwards
To give the visual appearance of greater height, you want to keep the attention of those who see you in a suit, casual clothing or other wardrobe items, moving up from your feet toward your head. We recommend that you place the brightest elements of your outfit at the top of your body, such as a bright pocket square or a brightly-colored tie. However, be careful about completing the ensemble by wearing a hat. Some stylists argue that hats can actually have a shortening effect since they put a “lid” on your body and stop the viewer’s gaze from continuing to move up.
Dress in Monochromatic Colors
Try to dress in similar monochromatic colors to create the illusion of height. Keeping a consistent color, especially dark colors, will help to streamline your silhouette and make you appear taller than you are. When you do wear different colors, which is unavoidable, try to weight the darker colors toward the bottom half of your body.
Make an Appointment with Mohan’s Custom Tailors
Please make an appointment with Mohan’s Custom Tailors for a true bespoke consultation, design and fitting for all cornerstone menswear items.
We are conveniently located in a landmark New York building, across the street from the legendary Manhattan landmark, Grand Central Station. You may contact us by phone at (212) 697-0050, or by completing the brief form on the “Book an Appointment” page of our website.