Does long hair make you appear shorter?

**elise.autumn** · July 5th, 2019, 01:18 PM

I am 5' 10" but people regularly guess I am shorter, like 5' 7". I don't normally slouch.

A theory I have is that very long hair makes you look shorter, because your hair hits you at a lower point on your back (or butt

) than other people, maybe making your proportions appear different.

Thoughts?

**lithostoic** · July 5th, 2019, 01:20 PM

No but I also don't think bobs make the face look wider, or black pants make your legs look thinner. I think people look the way they look XD

**MoonRabbit** · July 5th, 2019, 01:23 PM

Years ago before I had long hair my partners mother said she feels that long hair makes people look shorter and it is best suited for taller women.

I'm pretty short being 5'1 with classic length. This comment is always in the back of my mind but being so small I don't really care if I look short because well I am lol. I personally don't believe it.

**elise.autumn** · July 5th, 2019, 01:30 PM

lithostoic - interesting perspective, but I'd argue that shapes and colors do affect how things around them are percieved. Think optical illusions. Also, I've heard it said that long waisted people look shorter than someone at the same height who has a shorter waist (meaning longer legs).

MoonRabbit - Yeah who cares if you are short and look short... long hair is still epic.

**milosmomma** · July 5th, 2019, 01:53 PM

I think that's exactly what you said elise.autumn, an optical illusion. I think at a glance yes it could affect the way you perceive their height but it's just a trick of the eye. I'm leaning towards lithostoic on this one. There are tricks people use (belts at the waist, hems at or slightly above the knee, tight black pants, but they're just that, a trick) and after a first glance you can see through it, same with where your hair hits your body.

ETA I have a cousin same height as me with a super short waist and long long legs and until were standing side by side she does appear taller than me. I guess sometimes you need context to put a perspective on it

**littlestarface** · July 5th, 2019, 03:07 PM

Does it? I'm 4"8" does it make me look shorter in my pictures?

**Ligeia Noire** · July 5th, 2019, 05:24 PM

I think it does. I look like a Gremlin muahahahah

**elise.autumn** · July 5th, 2019, 06:51 PM

This is a good point that illusions can be seen through. Like when you see someone who looks one way from a distance, and then you see them up close and notice many different details (could be either more or less flattering for them once you see who they really are).

**Entangled** · July 5th, 2019, 07:27 PM

I don’t wear my hair down often enough to know!

**Hedvig** · July 5th, 2019, 08:07 PM

If you wear your hair down like a cape it could, theoretically, in the way that capris are supposed to make you look shorter. But I've never seen someone look shorter because of their hair. I have noticed that thinner women with short hair seem like they have long necks. But hair that is up can give the same appearance.