Tinder joked that it would verify daters’ height. Should height even matter in finding a partner?

I was thousands of miles from home, in a country where I knew only a handful of local phrases, but the concern in his Tinder message was universal.

"Disclaimer," my match wrote. "I'm 1,80 m should you be considering shoe choice."

"I have no idea what that is in feet!" I responded. "But I'm wearing flats anyway."

It turns out that 1.8 meters translates to 5 feet and 11 inches. Why was a man who's nearly 6 feet tall worried that his date might tower over him? At 5-foot-4, I'm around average height for an American woman; the average American man is 5-foot-9. (He said I "photograph tall.") In Portugal, where I was Tinder-swiping on vacation, the average man is slightly shorter (5-foot-7 to the average woman's 5-foot-3). Even if I were taller and choosing to wear heels, would that ruin our evening? Would he feel emasculated, and would I feel it was my responsibility to avoid such a plight?

I should hope not. I had plenty of concerns about meeting a stranger from the Internet - mostly tied to my personal safety. Being taller than my date (naturally or due to footwear) wasn't one of them. Besides, Lisbon's uneven cobblestone streets were hard enough to navigate in flats! I could not fathom heels.

My match's "disclaimer" made me laugh. Height is a thingin online dating - a thing many people care about and some lie about. Some women put their height requirements for a guy in their profile. And sometimes, bizarrely, a person's height is the only thing in their bio, as if that's all you need to know about them. As other outdated gender norms in heterosexual relationships are toppling, why do so many daters still want the man to be taller than the woman?

I've dated men who are shorter than me, those who are my height and those who are taller - and a man's stature has never been the reason a match didn't work. I do care, however, when someone lies because they think it might make a better first impression. It always has the opposite effect.

When Tinder announced on Friday that the popular dating app was developing a "height verification tool," my first reaction was: Hallelujah! Finally people would stop lying about their height.

"Say goodbye to height fishing," the news release said, coining a term for the height deception that's common on dating apps.

By Monday, it became clear Tinder's announcement was just an April Fools' joke. Still, there's a grain of truth in it. Do daters really deserve a medal for telling the truth? Is the bar really this low? In short: Yes.

Yes, in most heterosexual couples, the man is taller than the woman - but that's partly because, on average, men are taller than women. And there are certainly exceptions. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, for starters. Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas. Pharrell and Helen Lasichanh. You probably know a couple in your own life to add to this list.

Height is associated with masculinity, attractiveness, higher status - and with one's ability to provide for and protect their family. Daters might not be consciously thinking about this as they're swiping left and right. An informal 2014 survey of students at the University of North Texas asked single, heterosexual students to explain why they preferred dating someone above or below a certain height. It found that they "were not always able to articulate a clear reason they possess their given height preference, but they somehow understood what was expected of them from the larger society."

But height can affect whom they choose to date. A 2005 study, which looked at a major online dating site's 23,000 users in Boston and San Diego during a 3½-month period, found that men who were 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-4 received 60 percent more first-contact emails than those who were 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-8. Meanwhile, tall women received fewer initial emails than women who were shorter or of average height. (Of course, it's unclear whether this pattern is unique to the users of this website or these two cities.)

When I think about daters' preference for the man to be taller, I'm reminded of all the other ways in which relationships are changing that we still haven't quite adjusted to. We expect a man not just to be taller than his partner, but to make more money than her, too - even though, in 40 percent of households with children, women are the sole or primary breadwinners. We have dating apps that require women to make the first move (Bumble, one of Tinder's top competitors), but we still expect the man to Pop the Big Question and drive a heterosexual relationship forward. Intermarriage is rising steadily - in 2015, 17 percent of U.S. newlyweds had a spouse of a difference race or ethnicity - but racial discrimination is still disturbingly common on dating apps.

Dating apps encourage singles to make quick judgments based on scant information in a profile - information that can be wrong or out-of-date. The real verification happens in person, where people can be physically small with large personalities or tall and exceedingly dull.

As my Tinder date and I walked through the Lisbon streets, we talked about the pros and cons of being single while most of your friends are in relationships and the many ways we've seen good things end. By the time we said goodbye, I was surprised by how much fun we'd had. He wanted to see me again, but I wasn't sure. There was another distance I was thinking about - one not measured in feet but thousands of miles.

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Created on Tuesday, 08 September 2015 07:00 | Written by Jason Vondersmith

Erica Hand towers over competition as international champ

Playing basketball and volleyball while growing up in Woodburn, and not having anything to do with pageants, Erica Hand never envisioned that she would attach the title “Queen” to her name one day.And she is “Queen,” as the reigning Miss Tall International.

“I’m Queen Erica, Miss Tall International,” she says.

Oh yeah, royalty? “I’ve known this my whole life,” she says, jokingly, “people are starting to realize it.”

Hand, 36, works as an instructional administrative assistant for the math and sciences career technical program at Portland Community College-Southeast Campus. She entered adulthood very aware that her height — 6-foot-1 — set her apart from other women and, on the urging of her mother, Hand joined the local chapter of the decades-old Miss Tall International organization. She was reluctant at first to become involved, but after a relationship ended, she joined last October “because it was a social club.”

One thing led to another: Hand heard about the Miss Tall Portland contest, which involved a nomination at a house party, and she became the title holder in 2014 because of her involvement in activities. At the Tall Clubs International convention in Sparks, Nev., in July, judges evaluated contestants from the United States, Canada and Europe, and Hand talked about being from Portland and all the bridges in the city and how bridges bring people together. In addition, the contestants performed a skit, competed in an evening gown competition, and answered questions from the emcee.

The questions?

“How would you define success?” Hand says: “Having family, friends, a job that I love, and being able to travel and have a good life.”

And, “You were just hired to play a character at Disneyland, which character would you pick?” She says: “I would be Cinderella, because she lives in a big castle, and she’s somebody that little boys and girls can look up to. When I think of Disney, I think of Cinderella, the ultimate fairy tale.”

Hand won over the judges, and became Miss Tall International.

In the coming months, Hand will be treated like a queen. She’ll be the guest at a Las Vegas club gathering in September, and then in Chicago in January and possibly Boston and Arizona.

“The club flies the queen out to do publicity and promotions, maybe TV and radio,” she says. “I have my own handler. One of the rules is the queen doesn’t touch money. That’s super cool.

“In Reno, we’d have dinner and I’d come out in my crown and sash and everyone would stand up and start clapping. My sister would roll her eyes. I was loving it.”

There have been other women from Portland who have reached the highest honor of the Miss Tall world — Holli Jennings in 2009 and Jane Baldwin in 2007, recently.

The funny thing is, Hand was one of the shorter women in the contest. “I look at the pictures, and there are women towering over me. I felt so petite,” she says.

Growing up tall was just a fact of life for Hand, the daughter of Philip and Kathy Hand of Woodburn, who always had to find bigger pants and shoes for their daughters. Her parents were tall, her sister, Kristen, was tall.

“Nobody was small in our house,” Kathy Hand says. “She fit in. When you’re of Scandinavian heritage, they don’t make you small.”

Erica adds: “Growing up in high school I was always the tallest person, and all the class photos you could always see me towering over everybody else. I’ve always enjoyed it.” The only little issue was trying to find a taller fellow to date.

Hand, a 1997 Woodburn High graduate and 2003 University of Oregon grad, has heard all the comments: Do you play basketball? How’s the weather up there? What size shoe do you wear?

People would tell her, “Gosh you’re so tall.” Her response: “Oh really? Thanks.”

She has always been proud of her height. It’s a small club to be in the same class as other tall women and Hand really felt at home as part of the Tall Clubs International, because “it’s a way to get together and support each other” through activities such as wine tastings, bike rides, museum tours, house parties, concerts and movies. Women are 5 feet 10 and taller, men 6-2 and taller.

Hand was just elected social chair for the Portland club.

Her message to other tall women?

“Stand up tall and embrace it,” she says. “I think it’s getting more and more normal, as people are getting taller and there is more awareness. It’s more acceptable.”

Sheryl Lutz has been named the new Miss Tall Portland. She lives in Portland. And Mr. Tall Portland, Robert Hicks, attended Benson High School and lives in Portland.

For now, Hand stands on top of the Miss Tall world.

“I tell people I won and they say, ‘What? That’s so funny. Erica Hand, what?’ Because that’s so not me. That’s what makes it fun.”

Her mother says: “We’re very proud of her. I hope it gives her opportunities to meet new people and see new things.”

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On August 18 TLC aired the final episode of “My Giant Life,” a reality show that followed four exceptionally tall women over a period of a several months. Episode 5 was a conversation between the 6’6” or taller women who agreed to be vulnerable enough to share their feelings, very personal moments, and the trials and tribulations of a life heads about most. Besides updating the audience about their lives, Lindsey, Haleigh, Coco, and Nancy discussed how the taping of the show impacted them and answered questions from the moderator.

As interesting as the show was, so were the many comments on its Facebook page and how they have changed over the past five weeks. The show has brought out haters, rubbed salt into open wounds among tall women and bridged a gap among people of all heights. It also created a heated conversation among the tall community on the Tall Clubs International Facebook page.

The first controversy focused on using the word “Giant” in the title of the program. Tall people hate being considered giants or giraffes. Even the ladies on the show weren’t keen on the title. As Coco said to her friend while taking a yoga class, “I’m not big, I’m tall.”

The next problem was the angle of the camera when the women spoke directly to the camera. As they talked about their specific lives, it appeared that they were sitting on small chairs and the camera was on the floor, angled upward. Viewers were quick to voice complaints about how the shots made the ladies look like giants among the Lilliputians.

As the weeks passed the storylines uncovered the raw emotion that ran just below the surface for each of the women. Buying long enough pants, “trying on” furniture to find sofas high enough and deep enough to be comfortable, and knee-bruising airplane seating were just a few of the trials that viewers experienced along with the ladies. Both Nancy and Haleigh let us tag along as they tried to find a prom dress and a wedding dress that covered their ankles and high heeled shoes without expensive alterations. Coco went on a blind date only to have the man turn and run after seeing how tall she was.

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To this woman of service, Raleigh was just a big small town

By John Drescher
May 25, 2018 09:45 AM

Jo Anna McMillan never held elected office. She wasn't a CEO or business executive. She wasn't on TV or going viral on the internet. She wasn't a religious leader, at least not an ordained one. She didn't play any of the roles we often associate with influence.

But McMillan, who died recently at 57, had a deep impact on this community of Raleigh through one generous encounter after another.

Jo Anna was always organizing an effort to help someone. To feed a family who'd just lost a loved one. To build a Habitat House. To help the teachers at her children's public schools. To organize a day of community service for her church. To encourage the young people in a children's home in Haiti run by a Raleigh-based group. To support the elderly church women who longed to remain a part of their faith community. To acquire 1,200 books for her teacher-daughter's elementary schools. She never stopped reaching out to help.

Jo Anna and her husband, Doug, have five children, and Jo Anna was passionately devoted to her family. But somehow she made time for other people and their families. She was a compassionate leader with restless, persuasive energy who crossed racial and economic lines. She had a lot she wanted to get done - and, as her many friends could attest (my wife and I were among them), you couldn't say no to her.

Reggie Edwards calls herself the chief encouraging officer at The Encouraging Place, a faith-based group that focuses on racial reconciliation. Jo Anna helped arrange child care so that women could attend the group's summer programs.

"She's a people person and she's a do-er. She was known for getting it done," Edwards told me, adding that Jo Anna "had the biggest heart in Raleigh."

Her brother Laurence Lilley in his eulogy said Jo Anna was a gangly, bespectacled, insecure teenage girl who eventually grew into a confident, 6-foot-tall woman who played varsity basketball at UNC. But she never forgot what it felt like to be on the outside.

She learned servant-leadership values from her parents in the small town of Williamston in eastern North Carolina. She believed in looking after people, like they did back home.

Lilley credits a summer job at Camp Seafarer, after Jo Anna's junior year at UNC, with lighting a spark in her about working with kids, which led to other types of service.

"In a small town, she saw that people help each other," he told me. "If something was going to get done, people were going to have to get together to get it done." To Jo Anna, Raleigh was just a big small town.

In North Carolina, we spend a lot of time these days thinking about how to save our small towns and rural areas. But maybe they will help save us. Not in the economic sense. But in another way.

Maybe the sense of community in places like Williamston and Clinton and Lillington and Warrenton will nourish us as more and more of small-town North Carolina consolidates in our larger cities.

Eric Johnson, who works at UNC-Chapel Hill and is a community columnist for The News & Observer, is a curious soul who travels around the state to see what's going on. As Johnson travels to our smaller communities, he sees people working to make a difference and succeeding.

"To overcome the perception of civic life as one extended shouting match," Johnson wrote recently in The N&O, "we need to elevate the good work happening all over the state."

Our state has two lives. There is a public life that it is debated and recorded as important decisions are made that affect the lives and futures of millions of people.

But there is also the day-to-day life we each lead — how we decide to spend our days and how we treat each other. Jo Anna McMillan's life of service reminds us that these personal interactions collectively help define us as a community. That should give us hope. We can do this, as Jo Anna often said. In this age of division, stalemate and rancor, maybe we are better than we think.

Drescher, opinion/solutions editor, is at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; 919-829-4515; @john_drescher.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article211784439.html#storylink=cpy

Generally speaking, unless you are able to afford the luxuries of the first class cabin, air travel isn't exactly the most comfortable part of going on vacation. This is especially true for those of us who are taller than average.

With more and more airlines looking to maximize profits by minimizing the space allotted to each traveller, your searches for Hawaiian holiday deals and South Africa vacation packages might be over before they even begin.

Thankfully, hope is not lost for the tall traveller! Below are three tips to help make airline travel not only possible, but enjoyable.

1. Go for Extra Legroom

The amount of space that each passenger is given on a flight is referred to as "seat pitch." This is the distance between one row of seats and the row directly in front of it. While this doesn't specifically refer to the amount of legroom you'll get, knowing the seat pitch of the aircraft you're travelling on will give you a good idea about how much space you can expect have.

Skytrax has published a handy seat pitch guide so travellers can see how much room they will get on an international flight with any given airline. Also, most airlines offer the ability for travellers to book a seat with extra legroom. Unfortunately, those seats usually come with a heftier price tag.

If you're not in a position to spend the additional cash on extra legroom, don't be discouraged. The best thing you can do is arrive at the airport well before your departure time and speak to the airline agent at the gate desk. If you ask nicely and explain your situation, they will most likely change your seat assignment to accommodate your height.

2. Travel at Unpopular Times

While the thought of travelling in the early hours of the morning might not be overly appealing, taller travellers should absolutely look to book flights that are scheduled outside of peak travel hours.

When a flight is scheduled at an unpopular time, it is less likely to be full. This means that you might just be able to swing an entire row to yourself. Just make sure to double check your seat assignment ahead of time. If the airline you are flying with allows you to switch your seat to another one within your designated class for free, you should definitely take up the offer!

3. Don't Neglect Your Neck

Once you have your legroom squared away, you've really only won half the battle. Making sure your neck is comfortable, especially for long haul flights, is just as important as making sure you have enough space for your legs.

Fortunately, the solution here is a simple one: invest in a good quality neck pillow. While most airports will have several shops offering a variety of neck pillows to choose from, they will most likely be over-priced. You will be better off purchasing the right pillow ahead of time to ensure you'll be as comfortable as possible.

Tower of Power: Tall Women, Shorter Men and High Heels of Dominance

Heels in Hollywood have gone from symbols of submission to power as women on the up-and-up barely give shorter guys any pause.

The hottest accessory for women on the red carpet this season, along with killer stilettos, is a table-turner of a trend: having a shorter man hanging on their arm.

The days of female arm candy appear ancient when you observe multitudes of couples in which the ladies are virtually towering over their powerful men in Louboutin and Jimmy Choo 5-inch-plus spike heels.

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Rumeysa Gelgi stands at 7 feet and 0.09 inches tall. The 17-year-old likely has Weaver Syndrome, according to Guinness World Records, but that doesn't stop her from enjoying her unique height: 'I like being different from everyone else.'

A Turkish teenager has dreamed of breaking a record and she has. She's one of the tallest people in the world. Rumeysa Gelgi, 17, a native of Safranbolu, a town roughly 120 miles north of Ankara, holds the title for the tallest female teenager, according to a Guinness World Records news release. Doctors believe Gelgi has Weaver Syndrome, which explains her tall stature.

The high school student towers over her siblings and even parents. She stands at 7 feet tall and 0.09 of an inch and just to be sure, a doctor measured Gelgi three times in one day.

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A Turkish woman from the Black Sea province of Karabük, who is 215.16 centimeters (7 feet, 0.7 inches) tall, has been named the tallest woman alive by Guinness World Records.

Rümeysa Gelgi, who was previously named the tallest (female) teenager alive at the age of 18 in 2014, claimed a second title when she was officially remeasured by Guinness this year.

The previous record-holder was China’s Yao Defen, who stood at 7 feet and 7 inches before she died in 2012 at the age of 40.

Born with Weaver syndrome, a rare condition that causes accelerated growth, Gelgi uses a wheelchair for most of her mobility. But she can use a walker for short periods of time.

“I am, of course, proud. Being the tallest woman made me feel special,” she told the Demirören News Agency on Oct. 14.

“Every disadvantage can be turned into an advantage for yourself, so accept yourself for who you are, be aware of your potential and do your best,” she said.

She also said that her height makes people intrigued when they pass her on the street, but most people are kind and supportive when they meet her for the first time.

One of Gelgi’s hobbies is swimming, and she enjoys meals with her family. Gelgi’s family said they are very proud of the world title she received and even more proud of the awareness she spreads.

It’s fascinating to see that the tallest male, Sultan Kösen, at 251 centimeters, is also from Turkey -- a rare occurrence in Guinness World Records history.

The last time the two holders shared the same nationality was in 2009, when China’s Bao Xi Shun (236.1 cm; 7 ft 8.95 in) and Yao Defen (233.3 cm; 7 ft 7 in) held the tallest male and female records, respectively.

Craig Glenday, the editor in chief of the Guinness World Records, also congratulated Gelgi.

“It’s an honor to welcome Rumeysa back into the record books. Her indomitable spirit and pride at standing out from the crowd is an inspiration,” he said.

“The category of tallest living woman is not one that changes hands very often, so I’m excited to share this news with the world,” he added.

Vegas comedian puts down roots in Enumclaw with new children's book

Krista Kay's new book, "A Head Above The Rest," is partially based on her journey in accepting her height.

By Ray Miller-Still Wednesday, June 24, 2020 10:10am

Comedian Krista Kay opted to not wear heels to her senior prom - she didn't want to tower over her date, she said.

Her height, a whole six-foot-five, has always been the first thing people notice about her.

"I was taller than literally every other kid in my class growing up," the new Enumclaw resident said in a phone interview. "It was pretty difficult."

Growing up in a small South Dakota town didn't help, either; "No one was tall," Kay continued. "I thought I was the only tall girl, ever."

But as she matured, Kay turned her insecurity about her height into a strength - and with her new children's book, "A Head Above The Rest," she hopes she can help other kids learn that lesson, too.

Published October 2019 and illustrated by Scotty Roberts, "A Head Above The Rest" is all about teaching kids to recognize that their differences make them unique, and that those differences should be celebrated, not denigrated.

"I have worked on myself to accept being different, because, of course, we can't change our height. It's one of those situations where you always have control over your perspective," Kay said. "I wanted to write the book to teach that lesson to kids at a younger age. If anyone is different in any type of way… if there's any insecurities around something that you don't have control over, I just wanted to empower kids to take control of their perspective."

One way Kay first changed her perspective was to put her height to use by playing basketball at Northern State University in South Dakota, where her skills and physical advantage helped her get placed on the top 10 list for most blocked shots in the country.

After enrolling in a master's program for counseling, Kay went pro, playing with Australia's Ringwood Hawks for one season in 2012 before getting her degree two years later.

For three years, she worked as a therapist, but decided in 2017 she wanted to branch out into comedy, thinking her education and experiences would lend themselves readily to such a career.

It was during this shift that her height gave her another unique opportunity - to star on TLC's documentary show, "My Giant Life," which features women who are at least six-foot-six (meaning for the first time in her life, Kay wasn't the tallest person around).

The show followed Kay as she moved from South Dakota to Las Vegas to start her comedy career. As a part of the show, she lived with her co-star Lindsay Howard, who towered over Kay at a whopping six-foot-nine.

It was around this time that Kay started writing "A Head Above The Rest," but it wouldn't be for another two years before the project came all together.

Although already having a TV credit lent her weight in the Vegas entertainment scene, it wasn't long before Kay decided she wanted to switch it up, and when COVID-19 shut the whole strip down, it was time for her to move to small-town Enumclaw and continue her career here (Kay's boyfriend already living here didn't hurt, either). She's been living here for about four months now.

"Vegas is really uncertain with the whole entertainment business anyway, and the things that I do can be done anywhere, anyway," she said. "It's just appealing to be back at a slower pace… Enumclaw is beautiful."

But just because she's no longer performing in Vegas, doesn't mean she's left all her entertainment skills behind.

In order to being a little joy to some kids stuck inside during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kay has been hand-delivering books to her readers - in a giraffe costume.

"It's pretty cool to see the kids' face" when I deliver the book in costume, Kay said. "I'm just trying to create something where people can still celebrate and have a surprise or something like that, even though they're stuck in their houses."

Once Kay is through finalizing her move to the Plateau, she hopes to get in touch with local venues for shows.

To learn more about Kay, or to book her for an event, head to http://kristakaycomedy.com/.

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Does height help businesswomen? Experts offer their take

By Meg Fry

Linda Wellbrock has all the attributes needed to run the Leading Women Entrepreneurs Program.

She is well-spoken, well-educated and well-versed in the ins and outs of nearly every business situation.

She's also just a hair under 6 feet tall.

Without shoes.

There haven't been any landmark reports indicating how much height helps a woman's drive to the top of the business world in New Jersey, but an unofficial NJBIZ survey of female leaders around the state can come to only one conclusion: Height certainly helps.

Just ask them. We did.

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Volvo will share crash-safety data to help make other cars safer

by Jake Holmes | March 20, 2019 3:30 PM PDT

Volvo wants to help reduce injuries and deaths from car accidents, regardless of manufacturer, so it is embarking on a new initiative to share information with other carmakers. Volvo announced Wednesday at a press conference in Sweden that it will share its data on crash-test safety with other automakers for free. It was announced along with Volvo's plans for in-car cameras designed to counter intoxicated and distracted driving.

The data-sharing move comes in the 60th anniversary year of the automaker's decision to equip all cars with three-point seatbelts as standard. Back then, Volvo decided not to charge other companies to use the technology. Three-point belts thus quickly spread worldwide, which Volvo Cars CEO Håkan Samuelsson told journalists "has probably saved over one million lives, not in Volvos only but in all brands."

Volvo has a huge trove of crash-test data that it can share, and it's thanks in part to those three-point belts. In 1966, the company began studiously examining crashes involving Volvo cars to see whether seatbelts made a difference (spoiler alert: they reduced injuries by 50 percent). Then in 1970, Volvo formed the Accident Research Team, which is on-call 24-7 to visit any crash site involving a Volvo within a one-hour drive of the company's headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden. For Volvo crashes further afield in Sweden, the company draws on insurance records, medical data and surveys sent to the involved drivers to build up even more information.

"And that provides in-depth information, which is a world of information … of the injury mechanisms and the occupants' different needs for protection," Lotta Jakobsson, senior technical specialist at Volvo Cars Safety Center, told journalists.

Jakobsson emphasizes that Volvo won't be sharing raw data points, but rather interpretations and analyses other companies can use to make their cars safer. As well as the altruistic goal of helping improve car safety, the sharing initiative is intended to help Volvo learn from what other companies are doing: "I also want to learn something," Jakobsson said.

The announcement goes hand-in-hand with Volvo's launch of Project EVA, which stands for Equal Vehicles for All. Jakobsson says that carmakers don't test with a very diverse set of dummy sizes and designs, and as a result, women, as well as people outside of average heights and weight ranges, tend to fare much worse in car crashes. Project EVA's goal is to focus specifically on addressing that deficit by recognizing that computer models and dummies need to represent more body types.

"People are different, nobody looks exactly like that," Jakobsson said, pointing at a nearby crash-test dummy.

For one specific example of how the company has already addressed this, she cites Volvo's WHIPS anti-whiplash seat design introduced in 1998. Volvo data showed women, and especially tall women, were significantly more likely to incur whiplash neck injuries in crashes than men. (Why? "Still there's no good answer for this," Jakobsson said, though she says it's believed women's necks are more flexible.)

As a result of that data, Volvo's WHIPS seats specifically focused on cutting down those whiplash injuries -- and data showed a 30-percent reduction in whiplash claims as a result. And that's exactly the type of safety improvement Volvo hopes it and other carmakers will be able to make as a result of Project EVA.

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Waitress bullied at school for being 6ft 7in snapped up by London modelling agency

Stephen Moyes
9 Jun 2020, 23:39 | Updated: 9 Jun 2020, 23:39

A WOMAN bullied for being 6ft 7ins tall is riding high after being scouted as a model.

Naomi Lovell, 22, gets unwanted sexual attention due to her striking stature, but is now celebrating towering over her peers.

At 6ft 2in aged just 13, she has grown up being jeered - with strangers even tapping her legs to 'check if she is on stilts'.

Her beanpole stature meant her love life hit the buffers, and Naomi has never had a boyfriend.

But the red-head cafe-worker, of Doncaster, Yorks., is now head and shoulders the happiest woman around after landing modelling gigs.

Naomi told how she has finally had the last laugh: "I was bullied in school for my height. Even teachers would comment on it.

"I was always picked for netball - even though I was rubbish at it - just because I'm tall.

"I do remember feeling like I was being used for my height.

"It affected my self-esteem and in some ways robbed me of my childhood as everyone always assumed I was much older and would treat me like an adult or expect me to be really mature.

"I've even had perverted men messaging me on Instagram, it makes me sick to my stomach. They have fetishes about tall women and always ask if I'm married.

"But I feel like I've really gained confidence since joining the modelling agency, they specialise in taller or unique looking girls.

"They asked me onto their books almost as soon as they met me, it was a real compliment, I finally felt beautiful."

Naomi's family look up to her, with mum, Karen, 58, a retired midwife, 5ft 7in, dad, Nigel, 51, a railway engineer, 6ft 2in, and sisters Bethan, 25, a student, and Amanda, 28, a warehouse worker, both 5ft 9in.

Naomi has been snapped up by London modelling agency Uglys, with photoshoot sessions boosting her confidence.

She said: "I had always been told that I should be a model with my long legs and height, but because I always felt like the odd one out I never really believed it.

"My mum organised a makeover session for me. And the photo agency in charge took one look at me and offered me a place on their books right away.

"It was such a good feeling. Although I was so nervous doing a photoshoot it was one of the first times I remember feeling really beautiful."

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See The 6-Foot-2 Amazon Model That Caught Beyoncé And Tina Knowles' Eye

She wants you to never "bow down" to those hating on height.

Not many people can say they’ve modelled for Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Knowles Lawson.

But when you have confidence (and a walk that won’t quit), you'll find yourself gracing the runways of New York and Paris Fashion Week - and making a debut at the Wearable Art Gallery honoring Beyoncé and Gloria Carter.

Meet Cole Woods: a 6-foot-2 fashion model, based in Los Angeles, whose life experiences would not have been possible if she paid the haters any mind. 

Growing up, Cole was always taller than other girls - which created several obstacles. From the struggle to find clothes that fit to dealing with rude comments, Cole had to make the best of her height in order to blossom into the person she is today. 

Constantly taller than the boys, Cole found herself pushed into the world of basketball. She not only excelled in the sport but was drafted to play professionally. 

Now she’s going viral thanks to an open letter she posted on Instagram that crushes the idea that being a tall woman is something to slump your shoulders about.

Despite her now 50K followers, Cole was surprised to learn there were so many others going through the same experience. 

“After I posted the ‘open letter’ to tall girls and women on my Instagram, I received so many positive responses,” Cole shared with BET Style exclusively.

“When I was writing it I didn’t even consider just how many other tall girls/women with the same experience were already following me! It has been very uplifting and it has really made me want to push myself even harder to reach platforms where I can continue to be an advocate/ambassador for those ‘taller than tall’ women.

“I just strive to be the type of woman that I’d like to see more of in the forefront of the media. A strong, intelligent, confident African-American woman that young girls and women can be proud to look up to.”

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We Talked To 69 Tall People About Shopping For Clothes That Actually Fit

By Olivia Muenter | 12 hours ago

Even though it's supposed to be fun, for many people, shopping and finding clothes that actually fit is an emotional, difficult, and frustrating process. In a fashion industry where sizing is inconsistent and largely exclusive to people with bodies that don't fit into a standardized mold, shopping for clothing can be downright depressing. For individuals over 5 feet 9 inches, shopping can be an especially frustrating process. According to a 2016 report from the U.S. Department of Health And Human Services, the average height of an American woman is around 5 feet 3.5 inches. While vanity sizing and a generally complicated history of sizing in the U.S. has made standardized sizing more confusing than ever, generally speaking, most women's clothing caters to those who are close to this average height. Naturally, this leads to sleeve lengths, pant lengths, and dresses which are almost always designed for a person who is 6 or more inches shorter than a tall woman.

Regardless of height, though, shopping can be a difficult process for any woman (or person, for that matter). In an effort to get to the bottom of people's biggest frustrations with shopping, learn their best tips, and share their favorite places to find something that fits, Bustle surveyed more than 400 people of many different sizes and body types about shopping, sizing, and how they feel about it all. This included getting the perspective of 69 people who self-identified as tall. Of those 69 people, 8.7 percent fell into a size 00-4, 31.9 percent fell into the size of 4-8, 43.5 percent identified as size 10-14, and 15.9 percent identified as 14-18 or above.

What They Think About Shopping & Sizing In General

Almost 90 percent of those surveyed noted they had never used a sizing app, which ultimately reflected a larger trend we saw in the survey - that, regardless of their size or body type, the vast majority of individuals don't know their measurements at all.

Less surprisingly, those surveyed who identified as tall noted that length is a reoccuring problem when it comes to tops, bottoms, and dresses.

Nicky Bates, a Detroit-based marketing and development associate, is 6 feet tall and a size 16/18. Bates tells Bustle that finding plus size clothing that is also the right length is a particular struggle.

"Most of my shirts with longer sleeves are 3/4 sleeve length on me, but were made to be full length. I'm a triathlete so I swim a lot and have chubby/muscular biceps and broad shoulders. In most shirts, I have to go up a size to fit my arms and shoulders even if the size down fit the rest of me," Bates says.

Some people surveyed mentioned other work-arounds for problems like these, with one suggesting "going a size larger to get more length in shirts then tucking/tying them in the sleeves, waist, etc. to fit."

What They Think About Shopping In Store Versus Online

Of those surveyed, only 2.9 percent said they shop either in-store only or online only. Interestingly, despite online shopping have far more access to niche sizing for tall people, more than 53 percent of those surveyed said they shop mostly in store and sometimes online. Alternatively, almost 41 percent of those surveyed said they shop mostly online and sometimes in stores.

When asked in the survey about their favorite places to shop in store, one person who identified as tall simply wrote, "Makeup stores lol, clothes shopping can be overwhelming and I need to be in the zone and not annoyed with people."

This quote perfectly highlights the general frustration that many people can feel with shopping in stores that often don't have sizes that work for their bodies. When clothing that fits you isn't available, sometimes it's easier to avoid the IRL trying-on process altogether.

But as Dallas-based Customer Service Agent Madison Hunnicutt, who is 6 feet 2 inches and a size 16, tells Bustle, shopping online also presents it's own unique set of problems when you're tall.

"I would say my height is definitely a unique factor when it comes to shopping, especially online shopping. Because you never know when you order something, if it is going to actually fit they way it should," Hunnicutt says.

Hunnicutt's description of the problems of shopping online might explain why so many tall people still opt to shop in store and see the items in real life while shopping.

Bates tells Bustle a similar story about shopping online.

"My size makes me really hesitate to shop online. Sometimes I'll fall in love with a pattern or how it looks on the model and be really disappointed when it doesn't fit," Bates says. "If I do it in store, I just won't buy it, but if I order it online, I'll think that maybe it'll fit one day and it'll sit in my closet forever, unworn. Once I've found something I love (a brand, a dress/shirt style, etc.), I tend to just stick to that. It makes me hesitate to branch out in terms of fashion because often I feel like I couldn't 'pull off' a look because I only see people much smaller than me wearing it."

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Few relationships in a woman's life are as love-hate as the one she has with her high heels. We love them because they look great and make legs appear longer and leaner, helping petite women appear taller and tall women statuesque. The hate, however, comes when the pain begins.

High heels are the No. 1 culprit of foot pain for women, according to an American Podiatric Medical Association survey. Nearly half of all women wear heels, and 71 percent of heel-wearers say those shoes hurt their feet, the APMA reports.

"With many types of heels, like very high stilettos, foot pain is hard to avoid," says Dr. Matthew G. Garoufalis, a podiatrist and immediate past president of the APMA. "But it is possible for women to find a happy mid-point between great looks and great pain."

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So many of us need to have a car to get around. You may use yours to commute to work, take your children to school or even just run errands every once in a while. As a tall woman, it's important to find the best car to suit you and your commitments.

If it's time to get your next vehicle, don't assume that you're limited to the largest model on the lot that's within the budget. There could be options that are better for you as a taller driver, or particular features that you need to note. Here are some of the items you could think about before you choose your next car.

Try the height-adjustable driver's seat

It is just as important to be able to adjust the seat up and down, as much as it is to see how far it moves backward and forward. The seat height can affect where your seatbelt will rest on you: the shoulder part should lie flat across the chest between your shoulder and neck, with the lap part sitting snugly across your hips.

Check the headroom

You should ensure you have enough headroom once your seat is in the position you want it to be, which is particularly important if you have a longer torso. Also consider the angle and location of head restraints, as some people may find it difficult to find a car where these don't push against the back of your head, but are still placed correctly.

If your perfect car is just out of your budget, or will need some work, you could consider getting a loan from brands such as loanpig.co.uk. Choose the amount you require and for how long, and see what options are available.

Consider the sunroof

You might believe a hole in the roof might be good for headroom, but the opposite may be the case. That's because there needs to be space for the sunroof panel tracks and mechanical parts required to open it, plus the shade. These components mean you may lose one or two inches of headroom. This may not matter in some models, but in those with lower roofline, this could make a big difference.

Look at the steering wheel adjustment range

It's a lot easier to get a comfortable driving position when there's a broad range of adjustment available in the steering wheel. You may find telescopic adjustment is more important than tilt, particularly in cramped cabins. Some models will have a better range than others, so make sure you try this out when looking at different vehicles.

Think about door openings

You also need to think about how you get behind the wheel of your car, so take note of these when looking around. You may find vehicles that have enough space for you up front, but a tight door opening can make it awkward to get in and out. You could also find that, once seated, your head is level with or behind the B-pillar, so you may have to lean forward in some to see any oncoming traffic at junctions.

What is it like being exceptionally tall?

People exceptionally tall only, 6' 2" (1.88 m) is a normal height in Netherlands. [6'7" = 2.00 m]

Dawniece's Answer

Dawniece Trumbo, 6'2" creative extraordinaire, fine artist, teacher, stylist & reinvention queen (and Tall Woman of the Month for February 2008)

First, I love this question, but there aren't many female responses. So, I'm adding my experience to the bucket.

Second, this is my first Quora posting, so I am super excited (finally something I am well versed in). Please be nice!

My 31 years have been interesting to say the least. Barefoot with a fresh blowout, I stand at a solid 6'2"...which, I believe, places me in the top .005% of women's height. Now, tack on the fact that I am also African American, a raging extrovert, living in the middle of Iowa, with a love for heels and big hair…

Let's just say, I wasn't created to blend in.

And I never know what attribute to attribute all the stares (see what I did there, hehehe).

I'll try not to rehash prior answers too much, but if I do, I'll try to share some unique anecdotes.

1. It's one thing to be tall, it's another to be proportioned funny and tall. I have extremely long legs, arms, fingers, and feet (they'd be appropriate for someone 6'5"). However, my torso is wee...like the bottom of my ribcage and the top of my hips are one finger space away from touching. Oh, and apparently, my head's big.

This fact has made for some interesting clothing experiences, especially when I was young. I was made fun of for wearing high-waters (I was sheltered, I didn't understand jean length etiquette). I wore petite tops, until I figured out they exaggerated my proportions. And cutesy matching sets were a fail all around (unless I was trying to make it a capri and 3/4 sleeve fix).

Now I just bite the bullet, order stuff online and wish for the best. Though my adult default is pretty dresses, fabulous shawls, and boots to hide the short pants.

2. Everyone (grown men in particular) thought I was older than I was. I was a tall kid (almost 6' by 8th grade), and because of this, I was forced off of the age-appropriate softball team, I was given way more responsibility than I was ready for, I was continually mistaken for a boy in middle school, and I was constantly hit on by grown men when I was still a pre-teen (even being underdeveloped with a baby face). My youth was traumatizing, especially since I was a sensitive and super self-conscious kid (I just wanted to be smart and personable).

3. People can’t help but strike up conversation...even if I’m trying to be low-key and invisible (not possible). Always, “how tall are you”, “I wish I had some of your height”, “I’m jealous, you can eat whatever you like” (lies!), “did you play basketball/volleyball/sports?” (I was awful! Super uncoordinated until college), “are you an athlete at ____ college?” (I’m almost 10 years removed from that age range, but thanks!), “do you model?” (I’m actually too tall and too big to pull that off mainstream, but thanks!)…and, my current fave, “are you a power lifter” (Hahahaha!!!)

4. I am constantly told that I am intimidating, and when I walk in a room I await "the size up" (watches me walk in, looks up to the top of my head, looks down to check for heels, then looks up again with slack jawed disbelief) from strangers.

5. Regular tall guys (6’-6’4”) tend to respond the strangest...especially if I'm in heels. I've had some of the oddest interactions with complete strangers in that height range. I think I must throw them off a bit. Here’s a handful of tales:
There is the tendency for guys to walk up to me, stand a little straighter, and randomly yell out a height...like we’re playing some amusement park guessing game. (Not sure how that is normal behavior.)

Then there is online dating, where I clearly state how tall I am...but once they arrive to the date, they tell me that they thought I was joking (why would I make that up?), or will literally argue with me until I have someone take a photo and show them that I am not as giant as they think. (Apparently, no one understands how tall a 6'2" woman really is, until they meet one.)

In grad school, I was challenged at a house party. The host didn't believe I was only 6'1.5" (I gained a half inch when I was 27, thanks Pilates), so he stopped the music and had an attendee measure us in the middle of the get together. I was right...and his ego inch came crashing down in the form of a tantrum (apparently his coaches lied to him).

One evening I, unfortunately, met the acquaintance of a bodyguard for 50 Cent who ran his hand over my throat to see if I had an Adam's apple, while we were debating over a TV channel in the hotel bar.

And then there are the inappropriate pick-up lines: "We'll aren't you a tall drink of chocolate milk", "I'll climb that tree", "Mmmm, I like ‘em tall", etc. (Seriously, who does that work on?) I could go on and on...but I won't.

6. Tallish ladies are interesting bunch too. I call them "cute tall" girls (5'7" - 5'11" - tall enough to catch attention, but not tall enough to incite intimidation). A lot of the time, a "cute tall" will come over to me and relay how excited they are to not be the tallest girl in the room; or how they were the tall girl growing up; or how they are used to being the tallest one all the time; or how they "feel short", etc. I just try to withhold my eye roll.

But when I meet a truly tall sistren (any woman >6’), we form an immediate connection in acknowledgement of “the struggle”. Though I will admit a pang of territorialism when a guy or a girl 6’5” or taller enters the same room I am in (I’m supposed to be the tallest person in this room!). *Cue “cute tall” hypocrisy*

7. I’ll end this list on lucky #7. Being tall and working in corporate America is a win. Half of the BS I hear my female friends go through seems crazy to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been outright disrespected by chauvinists and dudes with a Napoleon complex – but I know that when I see it. The subversive and passive sexism or the catty woman-on-woman bouts are almost unheard of in my personal experience. I chalk it up to looking like I won’t take any sh*t…which is true. Positively though, I stand out without trying, and that’s a plus when you’re on your networking and ladder climbing grind.

So overall, I love being tall and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Sure, my lower back hurts sometime, and nothing is built for my stature, and I can’t wear vintage, and I encounter many low-confidence dudes. BUT I receive effortless attention, and I’ve learned to wield it to my benefit.

**Update 10/1/15**
Oh my gosh! Quora Peeps, you guys are awesome!!! Thank you for welcoming me with open arms!!! Woot!!!

**Update 10/4/15**
A photo was requested to put my height into perspective. Here you go:

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When I was 12 my mom took me shopping for pantyhose at Younkers department store in my Iowa hometown. I had a piano recital coming up, and a recent growth spurt meant the tights in the children's section no longer fit. On the back of the hosiery packaging there was a matrix chart: height on one side and weight on the other. You were supposed to find the box where your height and weight intersected, and the color code would tell you which size to purchase. As I dragged my finger along the package to find my size, I felt a wave of panic. At 6'2", I was off the matrix. A total freak.

It was an objective confirmation of how I already felt. I was the tallestperson in my junior high school - bigger than all the other girls, all the pre-growth-spurt boys, even all the teachers. And there was nothing I wouldn't have given to be just an inch or two shorter. I try to remember that feeling now, when women I don't know approach me and say things like "What I wouldn't give to be your height." I've spent my entire life hovering almost a foot taller than most women. And while it's often been a source of insecurity, the older I get, the more comfortable I am with myself. I'm far less comfortable with the feelings my body seems to bring out in other women.

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By Rachel McCarthy James Jan 24, 2018, 9:32am EST

Height is practically a prerequisite for wearing clothes professionally: Models are on average 5 feet 9.5 inches. ”When I was a size 2 or 4, [it] was really easy to find high-end items at a great discount,” says Falasha, a Switzerland-based fashion blogger, “especially items used for models or styling. Size 6 and 8 are much harder to find higher-end.” But women who are model tall but not sample size have a harder time finding stuff to fit them — especially if their torsos are long, and especially especially if they’re tall and plus.

And often enough, they can only manage to find anything at all online. Tall women are a specialty market, as those over 5 feet 8 inches make up only about 10 percent of all women, and so they are not a priority in brick-and-mortar retail. Even stores that carry tall sizes generally restrict their selection (save a few pairs of long-inseam jeans) to regular and perhaps petite sizes, offering tall clothes online only. “I prefer to shop online because I hate going to stores, trying on things that don’t fit, and leaving completely demoralized,” says Ashley of Salt Lake City, adding, “I see you Anthropologie Sale Room, with all your petite blouses”

Old Navy, which offers one of the wider ranges of tall clothing styles, says that a focus on online marketing makes it easier to reach tall customers. “Our online store provides a tailored experience for extended-size customers, allowing them to filter products for specific fit needs,” says Loretta Choy, senior vice president and GM of Old Navy’s women’s and men’s divisions.

But even when they reach them, there can be further complications. “Returning clothes to online-only brands is always a hassle and, even if I know my measurements, it’s almost always a crap-shoot,” says Luisa of Salem, Virginia. She prefers to seek out retailers in person.

“I can go into a Torrid or a Lane Bryant, try things on, and adjust sizing as needed without having to wait weeks or spend extra money on sizing options,” she says. Most don’t feel that they have the option. “I can’t just go to any store and buy pants,” says Melanie of Bristol, Virginia. “Most stores don’t carry pants in lengths that fit me. Dress pants are even worse.”

Trying to know how to dress for work is always a trial. “What looks like a professional dress when you buy it quickly looks unprofessional at work. Especially fabrics that ride up combined with heels draw a lot of unwanted attention,” says Falasha.

A modest skirt cut for a 5-foot-6-inch woman can turn into a mini real quick on a 5-foot-10-inch body. “Because I’m so tall, clothes often look inappropriate or sexy on me when I’m not even trying,” says Shannon of Los Angeles. “I cannot wear short dresses to work. Especially if they are tight.”

Athletic clothes can be just as difficult. Ashley, a dance teacher who works in elementary school, struggles to find athleisure that provides enough coverage for “wiggling in front of kids. I end up wearing nice leggings but need to cover up with maternity tank tops and cardigans and am basically in my pajamas and humiliated.”

Tonya of Chicago notes that even when she does find a reliable option, it could still disappear. “Both Victoria’s Secret and Lululemon carried pants extra long, but they both stopped over a year ago and I am bummed,” she says. “I discovered Long Tall Sally last Christmas and am now a loyal customer.”

Long Tall Sally targets women 5 feet 8 inches and taller, and emphasizes the need for an all-around fit. “Long Tall Sally never just adds inches to a hem or sleeve,” says Camilla Treharne, creative director at Long Tall Sally. “Jeans are more than just a ‘longer leg.’ A 6-foot woman needs a longer rise, deeper yoke, adjusted knee positioning, [and] a 34-inch, 36-inch, or 38-inch inseam.”

Retailers beyond specialty brands seem to be getting the hang of designing jeans for taller women, at least. “Not only do we offer multiple lengths in our core denim styles, we account for how anatomies differ between shorter and taller people such as the position of the knee,” says Jill Guenza, global vice president of women’s design at Levi’s. “We make adjustments within the pattern and in finishing to account for these differences, which has a big impact on how the jeans hang on the body and ensures that finish features like shading and holes are in the right place.”

But inconsistent sizing makes it difficult to find the right fit consistently. “I have shouted out to the universe and still haven’t received a clear answer of why women’s jeans cannot be sized as men’s are — a simple waist size available in a variety of different length sizes — in inches, not the manufacturer bias of what they think a certain size is,” says Deanna of Overland Park, Kansas. “I will occasionally wander through a store and see a super-cute pair of jeans on a store mannequin only to look at the rack and find the item ‘capri-length’ for me.”

Much as long legs are fetishized, not all bodies are 90 percent legs, and women with long torsos often struggle to avoid an unintentional 2008 midriff look. “It’s much easier to find pants,” says Jody from Westchester, New York. “If [the arm] is long enough, the body is often short-waisted.”

”I had to learn what types of shirts and dresses would not only be long enough to cover my stomach at normal times, but also to allow for real-life movement before buying them,” says Carly of Little Rock, Arkansas. “You may think a shirt is cute on the rack or even on, but I’ve given so many clothes to Goodwill just because they’re slightly too short and I hate wearing them.”

Some companies are more eager than others to service this exact need, and Old Navy is a standby for many tall women. “I pretty much only shop online at Old Navy, especially when it comes to long pants and long-sleeve shirts, jackets, and sweaters,” says Emily of Spotsylvania, Virginia.

”Old Navy is fashion for the people,” says Loretta Choy. ”We want all of our customers to have access to great styles at great prices, regardless of shape or size. We are proud to offer 70 percent of our women’s tops assortment in tall sizes.”

Gap and Old Navy are often the most reliable option for tall-size shirts in styles everyone else wears, but they aren’t the only ones. Ann Taylor also takes a pragmatic approach: If someone buys tall pants at Ann Taylor, they want to sell her tall tops, too. “We want to be able to dress our customer in Ann Taylor head to toe and to solve any wardrobe issues that women may have,” says Lauren Blane, the company’s styling director.

Still, having only a few options at only a few stores leaves many long-torsoed women feeling frustrated. “There are more options for adjusting the inseams on pants, but for tops? No,” says Ashley. “There are petite sections in virtually every department store, but no comparable section for tall women.”

Petite women make up at least 50 percent of the female population, and they have issues too — especially petite-plus women. Their larger share of the market, though, does not always translate to greater options. Alex Waldman is the co-founder of Universal Standard, which was founded in 2015 and makes “elevated” clothing for sizes 10-28. The company first expanded its brand by offering longer inseams in denim, but for now, it’s focused on shorter women. “Our first concern for the underserved would be toward petite, because they’re the ones who are more underserved,” says Waldman. “We’re trying to be as maximally inclusive as possible, so we’ve taken steps toward inclusivity across the spectrum, always starting with those who are most underserved.”

While most clothing retailers offer a shop for men who are tall and plus-size, there is no such thing as a big-and-tall shop for women. Tall plus-sizes are limited, harder to find, and usually online, making a good fit all the harder to achieve. Lane Bryant offers jeans in long inseams, but has no specific tall shop or tall shirts. Ditto Torrid. Ditto Target. “I would love be able to shop Ava & Viv at Target, particularly their jeans,” says Luisa. “Paying over $50 for jeans at Torrid is not always an option for me, financially, but Ava & Viv denim is always Butt-Crack Central.”

Several women I spoke to mentioned Old Navy as their go-to place for some actual options without the attendant stress of wondering whether or not they will fit. “After much trial and error, I pretty much know that whatever I order from there will fit and I don’t have to waste time trying on clothes I know are going to not work,” says Emily, and Carly agrees: “Old Navy has the benefit of a huge plus-size section, so you can always find something without the emotional struggle.”

“When developing product for all women, our focus is creating fits that flatter,” says Loretta Choy. “We want our customers to participate in fashion, and our extended categories allow us to provide great styles designed for every body.”

Sometimes, styles offered in tall are not offered in plus-sizes, and styles in plus-sizes are not offered in tall. Old Navy offers a wide range of tall-size options among its straight-size stock, including tall shirts in XXL. But while it does offer long sizes, including long inseams in plus-sizes, there are no length options for its shirts. Its sister/parent brand, Gap, doesn’t technically have a plus store; it does offer women’s shirts up to XXL and pants up to size 20, but tall sizes only go to XL and pants to 16.

However, Gap is expanding its options for tall women. “We will begin offering tall and petite sizes for our GapFit leggings as we look to support our customer in their total lifestyle,” says Mary Castilow, VP of women’s merchandising at Gap; the new sizes will be online only.

While clothing options are difficult to find and mostly online, it’s still better than it was to many tall women. “I remember most of the time tall women would have to shop from catalogs for longer items and now everyone shops online so it is really easy,” says Falasha.

”I think the market is finally realizing that it’s not a one-size-fits-all world anymore,” says Jessica of Baltimore. “Inseams are coming in more options now, in everything from yoga leggings to jeans, and I know there are specific brands catering to tall women, such as Long Tall Sally. It’s not just a ‘regular’ and ‘petites’ world any longer!”

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Average height folks will never understand the struggle tall people face when trying to find stylish clothes that fit well. We won't even discuss the added headache of looking for items with ample fashion flair. Yeah, it's hard out here for a tall chick. But have no worries, tall darlings. We're here to guide you on your journey to immaculate style. Here's what to wear if you're tall. Your essential fashion rules await...When you're tall, sometimes shopping can be a pain in the ass (so much for retail therapy, huh?). In at least several of your shopping jaunts, you've probably come across an amazing top with sleeves that just weren't long enough. Or how about those times you tried on a pair of must-have pants that looked like they must've shrunk in the dryer? In a word: frustrating.

But don't be deterred from purchasing the wardrobe of your dreams. Instead, go in armed with knowledge of what clothes work best for your height and get styling yourself like a pro.

Need a little help? We're at your service. Here's what to wear if you're tall.

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