How to Visually Lengthen Your Legs: 5 Styling Tricks
Body shape

How to Visually Lengthen Your Legs: 5 Styling Tricks

Heels are the obvious trick, but far from the only one — vertical lines, skin-tone shoes, a high waist, monochrome, and a cropped top all help.

Palazzo Pants

This is one of the simplest ways. Go for a mid or high waistline. Legs look truly endless when the emphasis stays on the waist while the silhouette below stays loose.

Palazzo trousers with high waist — ivory under striped shirt dress and black under vest, Natali Bolgar looks for slender silhouette

Vertical Stripes

The right print is the foundation of a great outfit, and the right stripe can visually add height. Contrasting vertical stripes are a great choice and a stylish way to elongate the silhouette.

Vertical black and white striped dress with belt — Natali Bolgar look for slender elongated silhouette

Shoes in Your Skin Tone

The simplest tip — choose shoes or sandals that match your skin tone: beige or brown. They seem to extend the leg, adding centimeters. Wear them on bare legs — with a skirt, a dress, or cropped pants.

Skin-tone sandals on bare leg with mint culottes and blue dress — Natali Bolgar looks for longer legs

High-Rise Waist

Pants and skirts with a raised waistline visually create an "elongating effect." For the best result, choose current styles that don't cling to the hips or restrict movement.

Skirt and trousers with high waist — black asymmetrical skirt and green trousers, Natali Bolgar looks for slender silhouette

Monochrome Looks

Try to stick to one color palette in your outfit — this way the look reads as cohesive and harmonious, and the legs look longer!

Monochrome polka dot dress in caramel shade — Natali Bolgar look for visually longer legs

A Cropped Top

You can wear a cropped top or partially tuck the hem of your top into high-rise pants and skirts. This way the bottom half appears longer and the top shorter. This trick also highlights the hips, keeping the silhouette slim. If you have fuller hips, opt for flowing pants with a wide waistband.

High-waist trousers with cropped top — milk and pink looks by Natali Bolgar for slender silhouette

High-Rise Shorts

It's important to stick to the main rule here — a high or mid rise on the piece, and no "heavy" details, patch pockets, pleats, or darts. Menswear-style bermuda shorts also work in your legs' favor if they sit at the waist and end no lower than mid-knee.

Bermuda shorts with high rise — milk and blue looks by Natali Bolgar for slender leg silhouette

To make your legs look longer, avoid:
- belts worn on the hips;
- tops that end right at the hip line
- styles with emphasis on the lower body (turn-ups on pants, shorts, patch pockets);
- low-rise pants and skirts;
- light-colored or printed tights.

Two street looks with wide trousers and a black blazer — a leg-lengthening trick