7 Easy Fashion Hacks to Make Your Legs Look Longer

Learning how to make your legs look longer isn’t just for those who are short. Most of us can benefit from appearing taller, especially those with average height or long torsos and shorter legs.

Whether you have short legs, are petite, or simply want to appear taller and slimmer, here are some tips ranging from basic to advanced to help you achieve an elongated look.

1. High-rise pants and skirts

The simplest way to elongate your legs is by wearing high-rise pants or skirts.

This creates the illusion that your legs start higher up at your waist, adding extra inches to your height.

However, this technique is best suited for those with a normal or long torso.

Instead, opt for full-length pants that graze the ground when worn with heels.

Here you can see both choices, side-by-side:

3. Shoe choice and vamp

Shoes play a crucial role in elongating the legs.

To create a continuous line from your hem to your feet, pay attention to the shoe vamp — the upper part that covers your foot.

Lower vamps, such as those found in ballerina flats, are generally more elongating than loafers or high-vamp shoes. 

Pointed-toe shoes, especially when they match the color of your pants or skin tone, work wonders for elongating the legs.

Avoid ankle straps or shoes that create a harsh division between your legs and feet.

Instead, go for pointed-toe heels or slingbacks in a shade that blends with your pants or tights.

Here you can see how the straps visually cut off my feet from my legs, making them appear shorter:

4. Choosing the right pants

Baggy or wide-leg bottoms, especially in light colors, can shorten the legs.

While oversized styles are currently trending, they can be unflattering on shorter legs or curvier hips. 

Opt for darker-colored pants with a more tailored fit to slim the silhouette. 

If you love the look of wide-leg pants, pair them with pointed-toe heels or platforms hidden beneath the hem for added height.

Just be sure to balance out proportions by wearing a slimming top.

5. Match tights and shoes

If you’re wearing tights, matching their color to your shoes helps create an uninterrupted line.

For example, wearing dark tights with dark shoes will give the impression of longer legs. 

By contrast, high-contrast footwear will visually shorten your legs.

You can see how a tiny detail can make a huge impact:

6. Avoid long jackets and tops

Long jackets or tops can shorten your legs by creating horizontal breaks in your figure.

Instead, opt for shorter jackets or fitted tops that highlight your waist.

Cropped pants paired with long tops are especially unflattering if you’re trying to look taller.

Although I’m still wearing the same cropped jeans, the proportions here are more flattering: 

Ideally though, I would swap the cropped jeans for full-length pants:

As you can see, wearing the floor-skimming red pants with red shoes, I look taller overall and more proportional: 

7. Avoid color blocking

Wearing high-contrast colors between your top, bottom, and shoes can cut your figure horizontally.

To elongate your silhouette, try tonal dressing — wearing shades from the same color family.

This creates a streamlined, uninterrupted line that helps the eye travel smoothly up and down your figure.