If you’re unsure about the ideal length for your skirt, dress, or even a pair of longer shorts, you can take a lesson from the Golden Ratio, a proportional formula used by designers, architects, and even cosmetic dentists. We create a more balanced and harmonious appearance when we dress in accordance with this proportion since it is found in nature—from snail shells to snowflakes—and we find nature to be lovely. This formula was created for reduced hem lengths by Australian mathematician Lily Serna. How to Choose the Best Hem Length. You will need: a measuring tape with millimeter markings. The shoes you wear most often with skirts and dresses, as the effect of the heel height will vary. Calculate in centimeters the distance from the floor to your shoulder (while wearing footwear; repeat for each pair of shoes with a varying heel height). From the golden ratio 1, deduct this amount. You can determine the ideal hem length for skirts, dresses, and shorts by measuring from your shoulder to your ankle. This is your magic number. Hems should be higher with flat shoes since the golden number will be smaller with flats, while it will be larger with heels. The Golden Ratio can be used to dress to give the appearance of long legs. According to Lily, you should wear tops that end below your natural waist if, while using your Golden Number to measure yourself from the ground, the tape measure falls below your natural waist (as it did for me). Your clothes should end at your natural waist or be high-waisted if they extend past it. This relates to the bodily proportions I’ve been talking about in this part. Small legs look better in shorter shirts, whereas lengthy legs like mine necessitate longer tops. For the majority of people who do not have unusually long or short legs, tops and jackets should usually end at the hip bone, where it protrudes from the front of the body.
