Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Picking out the right shoes
• Method 2 of 4: Play with your figure
• Method 3 of 4: Note the hems
• Method 4 of 4: Contour your legs
• Tips

Many wish they had longer legs. While you can't change your genetics, there are a few tricks you can use to create the illusion of long, slim, and sexy legs. Wearing bottoms in the right colors can make your legs look longer and choosing the right hems, waistbands and shoes can also go a long way in creating that look you've always wanted.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Picking out the right shoes

1. Add more high heels and platforms to your wardrobe. The most obvious way to make your legs look longer is to wear shoes that add inches to your height. With high heels, your feet are automatically extended, making your calves look longer and more shapely.
   • Don't pull to often wearing high heels. High heels can damage your joints over time and cause chronic back pain.
2. Wear shoes that are close to your skin color. Shoes in a color that matches your skin create a long and uninterrupted line when you wear a skirt or shorts. Both the solid color and the extra length of your feet will create the illusion of longer legs.
3. Match your shoes with your pants or stockings. You can create the same continuous line by coordinating your shoes when wearing tights or pants. For example, wear black stockings with black pumps. This monochromatic look creates a clean line while the gaze travels from the top of your leg straight down to the floor without being interrupted.
4. Do not wear straps around your ankles. The horizontal bands make the viewer's eye stop earlier, making your legs appear shorter. Anklets have the opposite effect of high heels and V-shaped cuts. If you love anklets, consider wearing tights in the same color as the band to avoid breaking the line of your legs.
5. Wear high boots. Over-the-knee boots create a clean and uninterrupted look from the bottom of your thigh to the floor. Knee-high boots have a similar but less exaggerated effect. Ankle boots, on the other hand, break off your leg just above the foot. Like the anklets, they make your legs look shorter than they actually are.
   • An ankle boot with a V-cut at the top instead of a horizontal line is the exception to this rule. Pointed V-cut ankle boots can even make your legs look longer, as they extend the line of your legs down.
6. Go for a pointed point. A pointed tip elongates your feet (and your legs) in two ways: First, pointed-toe shoes typically have at least a few inches of extra room, making them actually longer than a round-toe shoe of the same size. Second, the tapered shape also creates the illusion that your feet (and therefore your legs) are even longer.

Method 2 of 4: Play with your figure

1. Tailor your clothes. A streamlined figure makes you look taller overall, which also makes your legs look longer. Ill-fitting clothes can fill your figure, making you look smaller, while well-fitting clothes can make you look slimmer. If you can't find clothes that fit perfectly, take your clothes to a tailor or learn how to adjust hems at home yourself.
2. Wear monochrome outfits. Assemble outfits that consist largely or entirely of one color. It becomes more difficult to tell where your legs start and end if your clothes are only one color.
   • While all colors are suitable for the leg-lengthening monochromatic look, the very dark colors such as black create the greatest effect.
3. Wear dark colors on your legs. Black has a slimming effect, making your legs look longer. You don't have to dress in one color to take advantage of the leg-lengthening effect of black. Black tights or skinny jeans go with everything.
4. Add vertical stripes to your wardrobe. Vertical details pull the gaze up and down, creating the illusion of extra length. This is why vertical stripes are known as a "slimming" pattern. Take advantage of it by wearing pants, stockings and skirts with vertical stripes.
   • Piping, sharp creases and vertical rows of buttons can create the same effect.
5. Go for jackets that are a bit short. Short jackets have an elongating effect on the whole when worn on a smaller body. They will also balance a longer torso, making the legs appear longer.
   • Although short coats make your legs look longer, you should stay away from short sweaters if you have a long upper body. A short sweater makes your torso longer.
   • Coats that fit only slightly rather than all the way down can also create the illusion of longer legs.
6. Wear skirts and dresses with the right cut. If you want to balance a longer torso, A-line skirts will make your waist look higher and your legs longer. Empire waists are also suitable for this body type as they create the illusion of a raised waist by shifting the focus upwards. This type of cut is also suitable for smaller figures, as the Empire waist lengthens the torso.
7. Look for pants and skirts with a high waist. The eye naturally assumes that your legs start where your waist begins. Wearing high-waisted pants makes it look like your legs start higher on your torso. As a result, they look much longer than they actually are.
8. Tuck in your shirt. Just as a high waist makes your legs look longer and your torso shorter, a long shirt does the opposite. To prevent a loose blouse from making your legs look shorter, you should tuck it in. Combine a tucked-in shirt with high-waisted pants for an extra lengthening effect on the legs.
9. Do not wear jeans or pants with a low waist. As you might guess, low-waisted pants have the opposite effect of high-waisted pants - they make your legs look shorter. If you are trying to make your legs look longer, you should omit the waist at the hip. If you don't like the high-waisted look, don't go to the other extreme. Instead, wear pants that sit on your natural waist.

Method 3 of 4: Note the hems

1. Keep the seam high. An easy way to make legs look longer is to show them off. Often wear shorts and short skirts. The shorter the cut, the longer your legs will look.
2. Wear skirts with an asymmetrical hem. A straight and horizontal hemline interrupts the look as it travels down your leg. Extend your height as much as possible when wearing a skirt by choosing an asymmetrical hem. An asymmetrical hem will soften the breakline, allowing the look to flow smoothly down your legs.
3. Don't wear skirts that fall on your calves. Since calves are large muscles, they are usually the thickest part of a person's legs. When a skirt ends at the calf, even the tallest person can look blunt. Instead, stick with skirts that fall closer to the ankles or the knee or higher.
4. Consider pants that are just above the ground and with wide legs. Wide pants that slide just over the top of your foot will make your legs look comparatively slim, while creating that long unbroken line that extends their look. On the other hand, shorter pants will break the line briefly. Likewise, pants that touch the ground are a bit too long, which makes you look shorter.

Method 4 of 4: Contour your legs

1. Exfoliate your legs with a scrub or shower gel. Just as many contour their faces with makeup, others use this technique to make their legs look longer and more beautiful. Before you start contouring, you need a smooth surface to work from. An exfoliating scrub removes the dead skin cells, leaving you smooth and clean legs without imperfections.
2. Hydrate your legs. Spread a little bit of your favorite cream on your legs. It's easier to work on hydrated legs than on dry and flaky legs. The smooth and satin-soft finish also captures the natural highlights better, creating a self-lengthening effect.
3. Apply self-tanner to your legs. Follow the directions on the bottle of your self-tanner of your choice. Just spread a thin layer on your legs and focus on the areas close to your muscles and joints. Use an applicator glove to perform this step to get an even finish and to reduce stains on your hands.
   • For a less permanent contour, you can use a bronzer or a slightly darker foundation instead of a self-tanner. When using this type of makeup, make sure to blend it well into your skin with your fingers and small circular motions.
4. Use an "instant glow" moisturizer or shimmer cream for highlights. Choose a second moisturizer with an illuminating shine. Apply it where the light naturally hits your legs: along your shins, in the middle of your thighs and around your calf muscles.

Tips

• When wearing an outfit, always look at yourself in a full-length mirror to determine if your legs look longer and your figure comes out nicely. If you're unsure, ask a family member or friend for a second opinion.
• When choosing what to wear, consider your overall body shape. For example, if you have bigger thighs, a miniskirt can make them look thicker because there is a horizontal line directly across your thighs. This length can make your legs look fuller instead of longer. Work with garments that flatter your figure as a whole, rather than just your height.