How to Make Your Legs Look Wider When They're Thin

Co-authored by Jordan Stolch

Last Updated: January 16, 2023

Do you sweat through the summer because your thin legs make you too self-conscious to wear shorts? Are you unsure how to make your slender calves appear shapelier and your thighs and hips look thick? This article will teach you how create the illusion of wider legs by choosing clothes and accessories that emphasize your curviest parts.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Dressing Thin Legs for Women

1
Try on a pair of padded leggings to add some extra shape. Today, there are so many easy and simple ways to style yourself exactly how you'd like. You can create the illusion of more shapely legs with one quick purchase—padded leggings. These are super popular these days, and can give you exactly the shape you're looking for, immediately.
2
Look for skirts and dresses that end either mid-thigh or mid-calf. These lengths are going to hit your leg at its shapeliest points (the widest part of your calf muscle and the widest part of your thigh). When your hem is at the widest part of your leg, it gives the impression that the rest of your leg will continue to fill out underneath the skirt.
- Consider pairing shorter skirts with tall boots. This way, you only reveal the wider section of your leg.
- The straight lines of an A-line skirt can accentuate any curves in your legs. Just try not to choose one that flares out too much, or your legs can look lost in the middle of all that fabric.
- A maxi dress or skirt will cover your legs entirely, but make sure they are fitted at the waist and above so you don't like you're being overwhelmed by a dress that is too large.
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3
Wear straight-legged or boot-cut pants. The flare adds a little weight and structure to your leg and disguises a slim calf. Make sure the pants are fitted at the thigh--if they're loose all over, they'll overwhelm your figure and can actually emphasize your thinness. A straight-legged or cigarette pant that isn't skin-tight around your calf can create the illusion of a shapelier leg.
- Avoid leggings, jeggings, and super-skinny pants, as they are meant to make the leg appear slimmer.
- If you just can't resist leggings, try layering with leg warmers or tall, thick socks. These will add a little bulk to your calf.
4
Play with bold patterns and bright or light colors. Tights or pants in lighter shades like off-white, pale blue or gray or bright colors like red or yellow will add dimension to your legs. Big, bold prints can make your leg appear wider--try florals, Fair Isle, plaids, or horizontal or diagonal stripes.
- Dark colors like black and navy, or denim in dark washes, have a slimming effect and should be avoided.
- Vertical or pinstripes will only make your leg look slimmer, so stick to the patterns that make your legs look shapely.
5
Choose shorts with narrow leg openings and end mid-thigh. Shorts with wide legs or legs that billow out can make your legs look tiny--all the negative space can highlight how your legs are not filling out your shorts. The middle of your thigh is probably the thickest part of your leg, and you can create the illusion that your thighs are just as thick all the way up.
- Shorter shorts will usually hit your leg right where you want, at the widest part of the thigh.
6
Wear boots that are fitted in the calf. There shouldn't be a lot of empty space at the top of your boot, as this will emphasize the narrowness of your leg. If you can't find knee-length boots that don't make your legs look like matchsticks, opt for a mid-calf boot instead. It's easier to find a snug-fitting boot for this thicker part of your leg.
- A slouchy boot, like a Peter Pan style, is meant to fit a little loose, so it may not look unusual if they are a little baggy around your legs.
- Try padding out your boots with leg warmers or thick, tall socks.
7
Watch out for heavy, chunky shoes. If you are clomping around in a heavy shoe, your ankles are going to look even more delicate. Lightweight flats and sandals with cuffs around the ankles will balance or even camouflage narrow ankles.
- A high-heel will cause your calves to flex and emphasize the muscle.
8
Draw the eye elsewhere. If you're self-conscious about your legs, force people to look at something other than your skinny stems. Wear an embellished top, attention-grabbing lipstick, a gorgeous necklace or chandelier earrings.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Dressing Thin Legs for Men

1
Wear straight-legged pants with a flat front. Pants that are slightly fitted in the thigh and follow--but don't cling to--the line of the calf will look clean and sharp without calling attention to narrow calves. Pleated pants may add some volume, but can puff up and look strange when you sit.
- Skinny jeans or tapered pants will make your legs look like toothpicks and should be avoided.
- Flared or boot-cut pants may disguise a skinny calf, but they tend to look sloppy on men.^{[1]
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2
Choose clothes that are tailored or fitted, but not tight or super baggy. Though you may think that baggy or big clothes are disguising your thin legs, it's actually calling attention to them. If it looks like you can't fill out your pants or they're two sizes too big, it just makes your legs appear smaller.
- This goes for accessories, too. A huge belt or belt buckle may overwhelm your lower half. Instead, try an eye-catching pattern on your shirt or tie to draw attention away from your legs.
3
Wear light colors and horizontal stripes. Pinstripes are a no-no since they'll only make your legs look longer and skinnier. Dark colors have a slimming effect, so choose jeans in a lighter wash and try light gray, beige, or khaki trousers instead of black.
4
Choose fitted jackets that hit at your hip. A long jacket can make your legs look extra long and skinny, and a shorter jacket won't look proportional and can even appear childish.

Expert Q&A

Question

Are light colors less slimming than dark colors?

Jordan Stolch
Image Consultant & Style Advisor
Jordan Stolch is an Image Strategist, Style Advisor, and the Founder of MiKADO - a concierge personal styling firm. With over a decade of experience, Jordan specializes in helping people eliminate the confusion and insecurities associated with how to dress in order to build a powerful image and use clothing to their strategic advantage. Jordan trains entrepreneurs, business leaders, and corporate executives in the foundations of "power dressing", from some of the country's preeminent companies such as Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, Berkshire Hathaway, Universal Music Group, Starbucks, and Disney. She works with clients both in-person and virtually, teaching them how to take the confusion out of style so they can operate at a higher level. Jordan earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Waterloo and studied Merchandise Marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIDM).

Jordan Stolch

Image Consultant & Style Advisor

Expert Answer

No—light colors can definitely make you look as slim as dark colors, as long as the fit is correct. If the fit is incorrect and there's too much fabric, then the light color won't enhance the optical illusion of the fabric.
Question

What are the thickest leg warmers I can get?

Community Answer

You could try layering two or three pairs of thinner leg warmers to make them look thicker.
Question

I have one leg that is thick and the other is thin. How I can wear jeans and other pants?

Community Answer

I had a friend who also had this "problem." She wore pants and jeans a size bigger, taking in the waist and booty areas.