It seems one of the main goals we women have with our outfits (after looking stylish) is to look taller and thinner. Taller and thinner go hand in hand. The taller you look, the thinner you look. And vice versa. It’s a visual illusion. One way of how to look taller and thinner is to wear a column of color.
What is a Column of Color?
A column of color is when you wear one color shoulder to hemline. This creates one long unbroken vertical line. Dressing in a long vertical line is one of the best ways to achieve the goal of how to look taller and thinner. To extend the column even further you could wear shoes and/or a hat in the same color as your outfit. The color for your column can be any color. Many wear a column of black on a regular basis, but any color will work.
The Simplest Way to Wear a Column of Color
The easiest way to wear a column of color is to choose a solid color dress or jumpsuit. A long solid color maxi dress or jumpsuit will make you look taller and thinner because of that solid unbroken vertical line. A shorter dress works also, and especially well if you wear shoes or boots the same color as your dress.
Do Shoes Need to Be the Same Color as the Column?
Your shoe color doesn’t have to be the same as your outfit. But if you choose a shoe in the same color that helps elongate you. If you wear a color other than the column color, a good choice is a tan or nude color. If you’re wearing a contrasting color in your shoe, that will make you look shorter and therefore not as thin.
Why Does a Column of Color Make You Look Taller and Thinner?
When wearing one color it creates a vertical line. If you wear two very different colors like a white top and black pants, your vertical line is broken. This visually cuts you into two parts and therefore makes you look shorter and wider.
How You Can Add Other Colors to Your Outfit and Still Have a Column
You may be thinking that wearing one color is boring. A one color monochromatic outfit can look fabulous! But don’t worry, you can add other colors to your outfit — if worn such that you still have a column of color. A column of color is an unbroken line of one color. That line is how to look taller and thinner.
There are 3 ways you can add color to your outfit and still keep your column.
- Inner Line of Color —Wearing a top and bottom in the same color creates a column. You can then add a color on the outside of your column. For example, If you want to add a second color in a blazer or cardigan, that would still allow your column to remain intact. I call this an inner line or inner column of color.
- Outer Line of Color — An outer line of color is when you wear a bottom and an outside top piece in the same color. For example, a black blazer and black pants create an outer line of color or an outer column of color. You can then add a different color inside the column, like a white or other color blouse.
- Colorful Accessories — For a pop of color, you can add a different color accessory. For example, you could add a colorful scarf or a red handbag.
My black column of color is accentuated with a pop of red.
Examples of an Inner Column of Color
Example of an Outer Column of Color
Wear Various Textures to Add Interest to Solid Color Outfits
If the thought of wearing one color head to toe seems too simplistic or boring to you, then you might try adding a variety of textures to add interest. A combination of smooth and texture adds an extra bit of sophistication to an outfit. In this photo, I’m wearing white jeans, smooth cotton shirt and a heavily textured fluffy sweater. 
A Column of Color Can Include Patterns and Prints
This may come as a surprise but there are 3 ways a pattern or print will work in a column outfit.
-
Softly Contrasting Pattern or Print Same Tones & Shades as Column Color
If you choose a softly contrasting pattern or print in the same color as your solid, then it keeps the vertical line almost as well as a solid. To qualify for a pattern or print that works in a column, the pattern or print should be in all shades and tones similar to the column color. It won’t be the same if the print also has other colors or if it has high contrasting shades like light pink and dark red. In this photo, you’ll see I’m wearing shades of gray head to toe including my boots to create the longest line to make me look taller and thinner.
-
Print Background Same Color as the Column Color
If the background of a print is the same color as your column color and there is a large area of background visible between the parts of the print, that will work within your column.
Photo by Melody Jacob on Unsplash -
Same Print or Pattern Shoulder to Hemline
If you wear the same print or pattern shoulder to hemline, that print or pattern will create a column. It will be one unbroken line of the same print or pattern so therefore it will make you look taller and thinner.
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash
What is a Modified Column?
A modified column, as I call it, is a column of color that is broken but then continues. This is not quite as slimming and lengthening as a full column, but it still achieves our goal of how to look taller and thinner. It’s more slimming than simply wearing one color on top and a different color on bottom.
An example is a white top and pant with a closed tan vest over it. For this to be effective in slimming, the white top must show in the neckline. Another example is black skinny jeans, black camisole and with a burgundy sweater. Again as long as the black shows at the neckline this would be a good modified column.
I hope this fashion advice helps you look taller and thinner. And, most importantly, makes you feel your best and your most confident self! You go girl!
Comments are closed.