Not everyone is blessed with height.
Vertically challenged people, especially men, are always trying to add height by wearing tall shoes. But how much taller do shoes make you? And are there any special shoes to make you taller?
Read on to find out.
Do Shoes Increase Height?
Of course! All shoes have soles which means that they increase your height. However, how much height they add will depend on what shoes they are, and how thick their soles are.
1. How much height do shoes add?
Using a shoe to make you taller will depend on the type of shoe you are wearing.
On average, shoes will add between 0.5 to 2 inches of height.
Sneakers with thinner soles can add about 0.5 inches, while sneakers with thicker soles can add up to 2 inches of height. Boots with thick soles can add up to 2 inches of height.
Some sneakers, like the Converse Run Star Hike, add about 2 inches of height.
The statistic above applies to both men’s and women’s shoes.
High heels usually add up to 75% of their sole’s thickness to your height, since they slope downward. This means that a four-inch pair of heels will add up to three inches of height.
Platform heels and flat wedges will add even more height.
2. How much height do sneakers add?
Again, determining how much height sneakers add will depend on the type of sneakers.
On average, sneakers will add between 0.5 to 2 inches of height, depending on the sole thickness. For example, the Nike Air Max 720 adds about 1.6 inches of height while the Adidas Ultraboost, another popular sneaker, adds about 1.26 inches of height.
Other sneakers with thinner soles, like Vans, add about 0.7 inches of height.
Taking the averages into account, you can always judge how much height sneakers add by looking at the thickness of their soles. The thicker they are, the more height they add.
The sole thickness, however, does not reflect how many inches it will add to your height.
For example, shoes with 2 inches of sole thickness may only add about 1.6 inches of height because the soles will “sink” slightly once you step on them.
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- Tallest Adidas Shoes (Ranked By Height)
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- Tallest Basketball Shoes (Ranked By Height)
3. What shoes make you taller?
There are special types of shoes that ACTUALLY add more height than regular shoes and can help you look SUBSTANTIALLY TALLER. They are called elevator shoes.
Also known as lift shoes, elevator shoes are shoes with a super thick layer inside the insoles and the outsoles. Not only does the thick layer increase your height significantly, but it can also help absorb impact and provide comfortable cushioning for your feet.
How much height do elevator shoes add?
Generally, elevator shoes can add between 2 to 5 inches of height.
However, unlike high heels shoes for women, which are designed to emphasize the slender shape of women’s legs, the entire structure of elevator shoes lifts the man up.
With less emphasis on moving the weight to the balls of the feet, wearing elevator shoes is much more comfortable than the high heel style, long-term.
Wearing elevator shoes is a great way to discreetly add height without anyone noticing. This is because the outside appearance of elevator shoes looks similar to regular, everyday shoes.
Not limited to dress shoes, there are plenty of options for you to choose from, from mesh-leather sneakers to canvas sneakers which resemble popular Converse sneakers.
In fact, there are plenty of footwear brands, like Chamaripa Shoes, which are solely focused on creating top, professional high-quality elevator shoes for men.
But before investing in a pair of elevator shoes, here are some important things to consider:
How many inches should my elevator shoes be?
While elevator shoes can add between 2 to 5 inches of height, you should aim to wear elevator shoes that add no more than 3 inches of height. The reason is simple, you don’t want friends and family to realize that you are trying to look taller.
Alternatively, you can aim to reach the average male height in your country.
For example, if you live in the United States and you are 5 feet 7 inches tall, then ideally you should wear elevator shoes that add 2 inches of height because the average height for men in the United States is 5 feet 9 inches. You don’t want to overdo it.
In addition to figuring out how many inches you want to add to your height, you will also want to think about how and where you will use your new shoes.
Fortunately, there are plenty of elevator shoe styles to choose from.
You want to select the right pair of shoes for the right occasion.
A pair of elevator sneakers would be ideal for casual wear, whereas a pair of formal Oxford shoes that add height would be perfect for the office or during an important social event.
So if you’re looking for a smart and discreet way to add more height, then consider investing in a high-quality pair of elevator shoes. They add more height than the average sneakers.
And before you know it, you’ll be walking around with confidence filled to the brim.
4. How to add height to shoes?
If you love your current shoes and don’t feel like replacing them with new ones, then you may ask the question: how do I add height to my shoes and make them taller?
The best way to add height to your shoes is to insert height-increasing insoles, also known as shoe lifts, which can add between 1 inch to 3.5 inches of height.
Shoe lifts are removable insoles that you insert inside your shoes to help you look taller.
Moreover, height-increasing insoles give the illusion of natural height.
Your friends and family may notice that you are a little taller, but with a modest height increase, they may not realize that you are actually wearing height-increasing insoles.
ERGOfoot Height-Increasing Shoe Lifts (buy on Amazon)
Shoe lifts, like the one above, have four layers which can substantially add a few inches to your height. They also have an air cushion function, making them very comfortable to wear.
However, while the manufacturer claims that shoe lifts can add up to 3.5 inches of height, they add at most 1.7 inches of height in reality. This is because of your body weight.
The soft cushions will decrease in height once you step on them, so please keep that in mind.
Bottom Line
Now you know how much taller shoes make you.
By calculating how much height shoes add, you can easily add more inches by wearing the right type of shoes. Whether you want to wear elevator shoes or add shoe lifts to your sneakers, you will look tall, cool, and stylish at the same time.