Shorter businesswomen wishing to appear taller can experiment with vertical lines, fashion styles and, of course, pop on a pair of enormous high-heeled shoes in order to gain a few inches, but short of wearing platform shoes and styling their hair into ridiculous quiffs, the shorter male office worker is at something of a loss.

Although the average height of both males and females in Japan is on the rise due to increasingly western-style diets, Japan’s men are still a little on the short side. And that dents their confidence. Thankfully, though, a footwear designer in Japan has recently launched a special line of business shoes that, through a slightly elevated heel and a discreet inner-sole, reportedly add an extra 7 cm to any man’s total height.

Check out these little beauties. Even with those kinda funky heels we think you’ll agree that they’re just barely on the right side of normal:

magic in-sole brown

Realising that men’s shoes with fake bottoms and extra-large heels were both impractical and embarrassing for the discerning businessman – especially in Japan when removing footwear in public is far more common than in the west – the Nara Prefecture-based Kitashima Shoe Company engineered its new shoes to add height while looking exactly almost like a regular shoe from the outside as well as having a fancy innersole that’s barely discernible to the casual observer.

On sale via Sankei’s Net Shop for 15,540 yen (US$190) in sizes 23.6 – 26.5 cm, the “Business Up Shoes Slip-on”, as they’re somewhat awkwardly branded, feature a “magic in-sole” that provides comfort and extra lift to the wearer, making them seem taller.

magic insole proper

Made from genuine kangaroo leather, these shoes are tough and durable and suitable for business wear, while the raised in-soles are soft and flexible and are designed to look like a natural part of the shoe. But it’s not just the inner-sole that conjures the height and confidence-boosting magic.

Here’s a breakdown of the entire shoe, complete with a special science-y cross-section shot:

magic sole how it works

“Designed to trick the eye, when the shoe is removed, the inner sole appears much lower down inside than it actually is,” the expert shoemakers assert. “The heel section also provides great shock absorption, meaning that you won’t feel the strain.”

Viewed from behind, we have to admit that these aren’t half bad. The heels are a little chunky, admittedly, but the design is certainly subtle and we certainly wouldn’t spot a colleague wearing them from down the hall and gather our friends to point and laugh.magic sole in action

But without a handy dotted red line of our own to compare the height of people’s shoulders, honestly speaking we’re struggling to see much different between the before (left) and after (right) shots. Those hoping to slip a pair of these wonder clogs on and loom over their co-workers at their next meeting may be sorely disappointed.

magic sole see the difference

Oh well, if only wearing a pair of these new shoes makes those on the shorter side feel a little less self-conscious, we suppose there’s not much harm to giving them a whirl. And since they’re available in a choice of two colours, they’re sure to go nicely with pretty much any business ensemble…

Coming up next on the RocketNews Shopping channel, Crystal and Brad will be introducing you to a fantastic new home tanning solution as well as rib-cage-crushing underwear that’ll help conceal your post-holiday flab. Don’t go away!

Source / images: Sankei Shop via MSN Japan