Five Ways To Look and Sound Bigger

At a recent workshop, audience members asked public speaking coach and veteran public relations executive Rosemary Ravinal how they could appear taller than they are, particularly when they pose for photos next to people who tower over them. “That started me thinking about ways that attitude, mindset, energy, and vocal dynamics combined with wardrobe styling can help someone “grow” taller,” she says. “Society has historically favored tall and deep-throated individuals as leaders and authority figures. You and I know that you’re perfect just as you are, but there are hacks to look and sound a little ‘bigger’ when you speak in public.”

Ravinal shares these hacks in this new Media Information Bureau column.

By Rosemary Ravinal

Self-acceptance is the first step to claiming your personal power. Yet the elusive qualities of charisma and executive presence benefit from aspects of personal appearance such as height and posture. Simply put, there is an ingrained bias towards people who are taller and have deeper voices.

Vocal tone and pitch influence perceptions of authority. The human voice is an instrument of power; and people with deeper speaking voices have had historical advantages. Even today, research shows that individuals with lower pitched voices are favored to achieve higher social rank, economic status, and influence.

Short of walking on stilts and digitally altering your voice, there are a few things you can do to think and act big when you speak in public.

Choose clothes that make you look taller

Wardrobe stylists recommend wearing monochromatic outfits to look taller. This means dressing in the same color, preferably darker tones, from top to bottom, including your shoes. Wearing different colored tops and bottoms divides a person’s body into sections. The same color or tones that are within the same range create one solid vertical line that lengthens your appearance. This applies to everyone: opt for attire in a single color for a cohesive look and the illusion of an elongated frame. Fashion experts also recommend well-tailored garments with the proper sleeve and pant lengths. Avoid anything baggy, or, conversely, anything that fit you two sizes ago.

Improve your posture

Stand up straight, shoulders back, chest slightly puffed out. An expansive posture will let more air into your lungs and help you speak more energetically and deeper. With good posture, you will take up more space and exude confidence. Sit up straight, too. Keep your shoulders from slouching, particularly on video calls. You can look bigger if you frame yourself at waist level with the top of your head a hand’s width from the top of the shot. This also allows you to use your hands to convey more meaning.

Tap the lower register of your voice

A deep, projectable voice is desirable in the speaking arena because it can command a room. Gender stereotypes aside, deeper voices carry more gravitas. Before the age of microphones, orators were lauded for their pitch, timbre, and resonance.

Men naturally tend to have lower voices than women because of the effects of testosterone on the body and the vocal cords. But vocal capacity can be developed with practice, as actors are trained to do.

To make your voice sound fuller, practice diaphragmatic breathing, that is, engage your belly. Stand straight and inhale deep through your nose feeling your ribs expand. Speak as you exhale to achieve a richer sound. Voice coaches recommend that you avoid forcing your pitch lower and concentrate on resonance instead.

Do you have an upcoming speech, industry conference, experts panel, podcast, media appearance, or job interview? Rosemary can help you create and deliver your messages with clarity and confidence.

Schedule a 15-minute complimentary consultation with Rosemary Ravinal by clicking here or on her photo.