When dressing for your particular body type, whether Inverted Triangle, Rectangle, Pear, etc., one must also take height into consideration. So for those of you who are not vertically challenged, but would like to appear a bit smaller, here are a few pointers to help with that task. Of course, one must know the average height for males (5'10" - 5'11") and females (5'4" - 5'5"). If this is at or near your height measurement, and you'd still like to seem a bit smaller, please read on.

For those of you who are of a Will Smith or Nicole Kidman stature, this blog's for you! If you happen to be blessed, or perhaps cursed (depending on your view), with the height of Shaquille O'neal, these tips can be applied, but they will certainly not produce as significant an effect.

While line continuity is the goal for the vertically challenged, this is not the case for those who aren't; your goal is to break up that continuity. Vertical pinstriping and the lack of a belt are the aim for shorter individuals, but not you my towering friend. You will need to pass on the vertical and reach for the horizontal stripes and sport those belts loud and proud; that doesn't mean big buckles, unless you're in Texas and the belt is accompanied by a cowboy hat and boots. The point is, you want to make yourself appear broader/wider because you obviously have length.

A great way to break line continuity, other than with a belt or horizontally striped shirts, is by contrasting your colours, breaking up solid colours with separates; keeping the darker colour on the upper body, especially if you have particularly long legs. Additionally, to give the perception of width, you should opt for jackets with flap pockets, and wider lapels paired with spread collars (English Spread, Londoner) and a wider tie/tie knot (Eldredge, Platinum Trinity, Taurus). But remember to keep with the current style, you don't want to sport a jacket today with the lapel width of the 70s, but you do want to try for something a bit wider than the current trend of skinny lapels.

Of course, patterning is a good choice for the lengthy individual; checks are a great choice. But like you, be sure that they are on the larger side. Anything that is more minimalist will only serve to draw, rather than distract from your height. Although double breasted suits aren't the current style, especially for men, they can still be worn, and will do the job of adding much needed width to your frame. Ladies, double breasted suit jackets are a bit more fashionable for you, and in keeping with that theme, even double buttoned (Sailor themed) Pencil Skirts would serve the same purpose. However, if you do choose the Sailor themed route, avoid overkill and use the skirt as a separate and not in tandem with a double breasted jacket.

Long story short, no pun intended, line continuity is not a friend of taller individuals. Break up those lines by adding these tips to your wardrobe repertoire in totality or portions, and create the illusion of added width and diminished length to your lofty frame. But never be ashamed of your height, because no matter your position, people will always look up to you!