Some men have a BIG problem being small. Maybe it’s because a tall man is likely to earn £100,000 more over a thirty-year career, or maybe it’s the worry of spending your life as an armrest. Whatever the reason, a lack of height can be a real issue.

While, like ageing and grey hair, some men embrace it, the notion of being below average in a line-up is just not an option for some. Yet while nothing short of a miracle will take you from Danny DeVito to Shaquille O’Neal overnight, there are some tricks you can play on people’s eyes using your wardrobe to give the illusion of height.

Orthopaedic shoes and Cuban heels aside, here are a few style tips to make you appear taller.

Posture

Believe it or not, hidden in the body is an extra inch – all you need to do to unlock it is stand up straight.

Alongside eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting eight hours sleep every night, posture is the most natural way to increase height.

If you’re unsure how to achieve (and maintain) good posture, then imagine a thread running through your body, holding your head up. Keep that image in mind throughout the day – make sure your head’s held up high, your back is kept straight and your chest pushed out.

Keep Colours Constant

A tonal monochrome outfit streamlines the body and makes it appear taller by not breaking up the vertical line that eyes naturally follow.

The technique of wearing a single colour in different shades (which just so happens to be a key trend this season) allows people’s eyes to scan up and down the body quickly without stopping. And the darker the colour the better, until you reach black, which will actually shrink you, so settle for navy or charcoal.

Wear Fitted Clothes

Fit is everything when it comes to wanting to look taller. We’ve all seen that exaggerated picture of the man in a baggy suit; not only does he look like he raided his dad’s wardrobe, but as though he is too small to buy clothes that fit off-the-peg.