HEIGHT: Height cannot change (with the exception of the elderly) but some things can deceive or mislead an observer: High heels, Long hair, Hair styles that add height to the head. Hair that is shoulder-length and longer can make a person appear shorter. Upswept hair on a woman or a man's style that brushes the hair upward such as a flattop or spiked style can appear to add height because the observer's eye is naturally led upward.
If you are unsure of someone's height in feet and inches, wait until the person is standing near an object, such as a door frame, and visually memorize where the top of his head is against the object. When he is gone, measure the distance from the floor to the spot where the top of his head stopped.