Master Your Hemlines

A hemline acts like a giant visual arrow pointing at your body. Wherever a piece of clothing ends is exactly where the viewer's eye stops. If a hem hits a wide area, it visually widens your entire frame.

Skirts and dresses must end at the narrowest parts of your leg. Aim for just above the knee, right below the knee, or right at the ankle bone. Avoid hemlines that slice straight through the thickest part of your calf.

Perfect pant length comes down to the "break"—the fold where the fabric meets your shoe. A slight, single fold looks tailored and elongates your legs. Excess fabric pooling around your ankles makes you look shorter and sloppy.

Your jacket's hem creates a sharp horizontal line that dictates where your torso ends. A jacket ending at the widest part of your hips will widen your bottom half. To look taller, choose cropped jackets that end at your waist, or long coats that hit below the knee.

Sleeve lengths impact your overall silhouette just as much as pants. Long sleeves should end exactly at your wrist bone to keep the look crisp. Short or 3/4 sleeves should end at a slim point like the elbow or forearm, never the widest part of your bicep.

Grab a skirt, dress, or jacket from your closet that always feels "off". Stand in front of a mirror and fold the hem up or down to hit the narrowest part of your body to see the instant transformation!