I honestly used to hate shopping for swimsuits because being on the shorter side is just such a struggle when it comes to proportions. Every time I tried on a regular one piece I felt like I looked about five years old or like I was wearing a costume that was way too big for me. It is so annoying when the waist of the suit sits at your hips and you just end up looking like a little box. I spent forever trying to find those cute vintage styles with the low cut legs because I thought they were more modest or whatever but man was I wrong. They literally cut my body in half and made my legs look like stubs. It wasn't until I finally got brave enough to try a high cut style that everything clicked for me. I remember looking in the mirror and actually seeing legs for the first time in a swimsuit. It is a total game changer for us short girls because it completely rewrites the rules of where your body starts and ends.
The total magic of the high hip bone cut
If you are worried about showing too much skin I totally get it because I was terrified at first too. But the thing is that when the leg hole of the swimsuit is cut high up toward your hip bone it creates this amazing diagonal line that just keeps going. It tricks the eye into thinking that your legs start way higher up than they actually do. I always look for a suit that hits right at that bony part of the hip because it stretches out your whole silhouette. It is basically the oldest trick in the book for models but for some reason nobody tells us regular short people about it. You do not even have to be super thin to make it work either because that high cut just gives you this really lean and athletic energy that is so much more flattering than those old school straight across cuts.
Why you should avoid those horizontal stripes at all costs
I know those cute navy and white sailor stripes are everywhere in the summer but if you are short you really have to stay away from them. Horizontal lines just pull the eye sideways and make you look wider and shorter than you really are. I learned that the hard way after seeing some vacation photos where I looked like a little striped balloon. Now I only go for solid colors or maybe some very small vertical ribbed textures. A solid black or deep red high cut suit is like a secret weapon for creating a long vertical line from your neck all the way down. It makes you look way more sophisticated and honestly much taller than you actually are in real life.
The hidden benefit of a deep V neckline
To really sell the whole legs for days look you have to pay attention to the top of the swimsuit too. If you wear a high neck suit with a high cut leg it can sometimes look a bit like a wrestling singlet which isn't exactly the vibe we are going for. I found that a deep V neck or even just some thin spaghetti straps help to break up the torso and add even more length to your frame. It creates another vertical line that works with the high leg holes to make your whole body feel much more balanced. It is all about creating as many long lines as possible so that your height isn't the first thing people notice when you walk onto the sand.
Don't be afraid of the cheeky back view
One thing people don't realize is that the back of the swimsuit matters just as much as the front for looking tall. If the back has a ton of extra fabric or a very low cut it can look a bit heavy and saggy which just drags your whole look down. I usually look for a slightly cheeky cut because it follows the natural curve of your leg and keeps that high line going all the way around. It feels a bit daring at first but it actually looks way more natural and fashion forward than a suit that looks like it is trying to be a pair of shorts. It just keeps the whole silhouette feeling light and airy which is exactly what you want when you are trying to add some virtual inches to your height.
Pick the right accessories to keep the illusion going
Once you have the suit figured out you have to be careful with your shoes and bags or you might ruin the whole effect. I always stay away from those chunky ankle strap sandals because they act like a literal stop sign for your legs. I usually just go for some simple nude colored slides or even just go barefoot as much as possible. A huge oversized beach bag can also swallow you whole so I try to stick to a medium sized straw tote that doesn't look like I am carrying a suitcase. It is all about keeping everything in proportion so that your outfit doesn't overwhelm your small frame. When you get all these little details right you will be shocked at how much taller you look in your vacation photos.
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