Most women have one thing in common: We all want to look taller and slimmer. And while you cannot change your height, and it is more or less hard for you to shed some pounds, there are easy ways to achieve a taller and slimmer look instantly. It is all about the clothes you wear. Try any of the following tips and notice the difference when you look in the mirror:

• Go for the right fit, not the size tag of a garment. Try on different sizes, as all brands have their own size charts. Buy the size that fits you best, not the size you wish you were. A piece that is too tight will always make you look heavier than a piece in the next bigger size that fits you right.

• Wear heels. Don’t worry, there is no need to walk around all day in 5-inch stilettos and get swollen feet that hurt (although they would surely make you stand tall!) A 2-inch heel will give you extra height while being comfortable to wear for most women in their daily life. You will get the longest line by wearing pointy toes in the same color as your pants or hosiery. Avoid ankle straps that cut your leg line.

• Your pants have to be long enough to cover at least half of your heel. A straight leg or slight boot cut elongates your legs. Don’t wear French pleats or cropped pants. Your pants should fit snugly, but not too tight. Check for unwanted excess fabric in your butt area making you look shapeless.

• Accentuate your assets. Emphasizing your best features distracts from the ones you don’t like that much and makes you look slimmer overall. If you have a slim waist, wear a belt around it or a shirt with a cinched waist. Got nice legs? Wear a knee-length skirt. If your arms are slim, go sleeveless or try cap-sleeves.

• Wear garments with vertical lines. It is true, they are elongating and slimming. It doesn’t matter if the lines are created by seams, pinstripes, topstitching, prints or anything else. They all have the same effect. Vice versa, horizontal lines add unwanted volume to your silhouette.

The above is general advice that works for every body type. There are a lot more tricks you can do to look taller and slimmer, but they all depend on your particular shape, and listing them all would make this a book rather than an article. A garment that is slimming on you may have the opposite effect on your friend. Contact the author to see how you can get your personalized fashion advice specifically tailored to your unique shape.