Medium Length | Body Matrix Categories

Medium-length body types look moderate and balanced in their bone structure. They appear even as opposed to short or long. This is my guide for if you might be in the medium category and how to dress for this feature

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Features

Length takes into account your true height and your ‘vertical line’ - how tall you appear. To be medium means you appear to be between 5”4 and 5”6 because of your body proportions. You can be long or short at any height; however, you are most likely to be medium if you are between 5”4 - 5”6. These are some features to look out for:

• head in even proportion to the rest of your frame - it neither looks big or small proportionally

• medium upper leg which appears neither short nor long

• medium-length limbs

• 5”4-5”6- in true height (but you can be taller or shorter than this and be medium)

• looks moderate

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Key style words

When thinking about the lines which work best for your silhouette, these are some key words to keep in mind:

• medium

• moderate

• balanced

• midi

• simple

• classic

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How to Style

You don’t have to include ALL of the following elements in an outfit to honour your medium length, but one to three details will help to create this impression. There are also lots of other elements I could include, but I think this is a good starting point!

Medium lengths

The most obvious way to honour your medium vertical line is through even, balanced lines. This includes midi skirts, knee-length coats, trousers which are neither long nor cropped. In being medium you have a more moderate length, which means very short or very long lines will overwhelm you and feel extreme. The aim is to have your items hit key length points eg jackets and tops should end around the hip rather than the waist or below the hip, coats and skirts should end around or below the knee rather than at the ankle, trousers should end on the ankle not above or below.

“Normal-sized” items

It can be easier to think of the things you should avoid: steering clear of mini or oversized pieces means you are likely to end up with an item which is about right for you. Anything too petite will feel flimsy and strange rather than iconic, and anything oversized won’t feel so much like a statement as a mistake. Aim for pieces which feel ‘normal’ in size, they don’t feel extreme either way.

Balance it out

You can view medium as a “blend” of long and short creating these midi lengths, but you could also see it as a “mix”. You can use a mix of lines to even out the extremes and create a more middle appearance. For example, if you were to wear a mini skirt, you wouldn’t want to wear ankle boots as they too are short, so pair the mini skirt with a knee boot which is more of a long length. You can also balance it out with width - if you are wearing a coat that’s too long for you, for instance, you can minimise the impact by pairing it with something more tight to create a balance, even though you’re fixing a length issue as ultimately there is less fabric.

Mid waist

Typically, those with medium lines look amazing when their waistline is neither too high nor too low, but somewhere in the middle. The waistline shouldn’t be extreme, but moderate. The garment should subtly draw attention to the natural waist without being too strictly defined.

Celebrities with Medium Length

• Amy Adams

• Amanda Seyfried

• Ana de Armas

• Carey Mulligan

• Christina Aguilera

• Courteney Cox

• Dianna Agron

• Ellen Pompeo

• Emily Blunt

• Emma Roberts

• Emma Stone

• Emma Watson

• Jayma Mays

• Jennifer Aniston

• Kate Moss

• Kate Winslet

• Katy Perry

• Kirsten Dunst

• Kristen Stewart

• Lea Seydoux

• Lily James

• Lupita Nyong’o

• Mayim Bialik

• Miley Cyrus

• Millie Bobby Brown

• Natasha Richardson

• Olivia Rodrigo

• Oprah Winfrey

• Philippa Soo

• Rachel McAdams

• Sarah Jessica Parker

• Saoirse Ronan

• Scarlett Johansson

• Selena Gomez

• Sydney Sweeney

• Vanessa Hudgens

• Zooey Deschanel

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