Whether you have man shoulders, your nailbeds suck, or you just have really bad breath in the morning, we all have things we wish we could change about ourselves. I, for example, wish I had the long, gazelle-like legs of Gigi Hadid. Instead, I have been cursed with stumpy-ass gams, which have caused me many deep internet spirals in search of the secrets of the long-legged Gods. Inevitably, this always leads me to the same exact quote, repeated by every VS supermodel ever: “Honestly, all I do is Pilates.” Riiiigggghhhtt. Naturally, I blow my paycheck on $30 Pilates classes and invest heavily in a Pilates-perfect wardrobe. All of this, only to glance in the mirror a month later and see my same old trusty stumps…but now in $100 Lulu leggings. Smh.
But, do not despair—I obvi wouldn’t even be writing this article if I didn’t have an answer for all my fellow stump-legged sisters out there. I have finally uncovered the secret to longer legs, and no, it’s not Pilates. It’s pants. And no, they’re not all high-waisted. So, take that would-have-been-wasted Pilates money, and put it towards the following new pants, all of which will make your legs look longer than Kim K.’s latest hair extensions.
1. High-Waisted Pants
Let’s start with the obvious: high-waisted pants. Every girl knows the power of the eighth wonder of the world that is high-waisted pants. Not only do they make your body appear slimmer by holding in your beer bloat, but they also make your legs appear 10 times longer. It’s simple math: by shortening your torso, you’re lengthening your legs. Capiche? So go ahead and put away your Christina Aguilera circa 1999 low-rise jeans in favor of the more current and flattering high-waisted version.
2. Wide Leg
As of late, wide leg pants have gained a special place in my heart. Flowy, kind, forgiving—what more could you ask for? Wide leg pants make it literally impossible to tell the actual shape of a person’s legs, and even more impossible to tell where the leg starts and ends. I mean, are there even legs under there at all? Nobody knows.
3. Long Hem
Ever had the fun idea to try on a pair of those cute, kinda-cropped jeans that off-duty models love to wear? If your answer is yes, and you are not in fact Karlie Kloss, then you probably quickly realized that this particular style of pants that look soooo cool and effortless on models legit just look like floods on you. Instead, opt for pants with extra long hems that cover the tops of your feet and the entirety of your heels to make your legs appear super long and exaggerated. The key here is to wear heels; you want to look chic, not sloppy.
4. Vertical Lines And Details
Ah, we’ve all heard the age-old, “horizontal stripes will make you look fat.” What everyone’s mom failed to also mention is that, on the flip-side, vertical stripes will lengthen and slim your silhouette. Pants with vertical lines, details, and creases will naturally elongate your legs. Complement a pair of striped pants with a nude heel, and I promise you’ll have legs longer than a list of Taylor Swift’s exes.
5. Clean Silhouette
Last but not least, we all know by now that black is slimming. By the same principle, a pair of dark jeans with a clean silhouette will lengthen your legs. This means no cuffs, bulky pockets or any other distracting details. So basically, no cargos. Pair your dark wash skinnies with a dark-colored bootie to create a continuous, seamless line, and voilà. You’ve stretched those legs to almost supermodel status. Almost.
Nordstrom Farrah High Waist Skinny Jeans
Images: Zara (3); Nordstrom (2)
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