Single women ask: "Am I too tall to date?"

By Elizabeth Roehrig

There I was, sitting with a friend on a Friday night, when we noticed a couple of hip and handsome guys sitting next to us. Witty banter ensued between me and the Casey Affleck-alike and things were looking promising... that is, until we both stood up to pick a few songs from the jukebox. It was the moment of truth, and yep, at almost 5'10", I was a couple of inches taller than him. I could feel him sizing me up, and our sizzle from a moment ago beginning to fizzle.

If you're in the "tall woman" club like me, you've probably experienced a similar scenario. And while dating for women like us may have its own inherent set of challenges, they're hardly the type that we can't overcome. Let the pros, cons and advice listed below serve as a little inspiration for all you vertically blessed beauties out there... it's not nearly as bad as you might think!

Fewer men tend to approach tall women for dates

Many of my tall friends (myself included) are very open to dating shorter men — the problem is often that they steer clear of us, thinking that we're "too tall" given the expectation that guys must loom over their dates. Patricia Barba, 34, of Greenwich, CT, who's just shy of six feet, had a male coworker spell out to her why she's so often left on the sidelines. "We were at our holiday party, and a coworker who's around my height asked if I'd like to dance. I said yes and mentioned that not many men ask me to dance, and he said it's because men must find my height imposing. That was hard to hear!" Other times, men aren't so straightforward and their preferences come across in the form of a subtler snub. "When I'm out on weekends, I'm the one who talks to all the guys and gets the conversation going," says Richelle, 27, who's six feet tall and from Boston. "But usually at the end of the evening, the guy I've been talking to will say, 'Who's your friend?' And inevitably the girl he's interested in is one of my shorter pals."

The men who do hit on us tend to be great catches

While being overlooked as dating material due to our height can be frustrating, there is a benefit to this situation as well. Because, you see, the shorter men who do hit on us are definitely worth their salt. "I recently dated a guy who is an inch shorter than me, but his personality and confidence made him seem taller," says Patricia. "He seemed really self-assured, which put me at ease and made our height difference seem like a non-issue. I think generally that guys who go for taller women are pretty dynamic individuals." In other words, look at your height as a gatekeeper that only allows the truly worthy shorter men into your inner circle. Mary, 27, from Woodbridge, NJ, is 5'8" and has dated a handful of shorter men, including her current boyfriend. "Since they don't have the height that a lot of girls look for, these guys develop other, more meaningful qualities, such as kindness, humor, and consideration," she says... which ultimately makes for a better boyfriend. "While a shorter man might not be my first choice, if he's much more interested in me and attentive to my needs, who can say no to that?" Mary asks.

Few men meet our own preferred height requirements

While many tall women are perfectly happy to date shorter guys, some of us, I admit, aren't always so thrilled about it. And as a result, we often limit our own prospects and have no one to blame but ourselves for long dry spells between dates. "I would go out all the time and find only one or two guys that I considered to be good prospects because of my 'height restriction,'" says Sarah, 5'10", of Reading, MA. "I was only looking for guys 6'1" and over, because it just seems more natural for the man to be taller than the woman." Of course, we know we should give shorter guys a chance, but it's tough to change your own perception (let alone society's) that the guy should tower over his gal. "You grow up with this notion that the man should be bigger than the woman so he can protect her," explains Erin, 26, 6'2", of Richmond, VA.

Tall women eventually learn to recognize what really makes a relationship work

While tastes and attraction are hard to change, sooner or later, many tall women are forced to accept a valuable truth that often eludes other daters: that they should jettison the more superficial traits on their "wish list" for a partner — whether that's being 6'2", having a full head of hair or possessing six-pack abs. "While I used to believe that a man needed to be taller than me for me to feel safe, I know now that isn't true," says Erin, who ultimately fell for a man three inches shorter. "When I first met my now-husband, I thought he was cute, but I never thought we'd end up together due to the height difference. But we had a real connection and I know now that's what counts."

Once you're dating a partner who is shorter than you are, there's a whole new host of problems to deal with

OK, so you've gotten over your own "He's got to be taller than me" hangups and have hit it off with a guy who's largely fine with the fact that you've got some inches over him. But even then, you're not in the clear. For starters, try walking into a room together; you're bound to get some odd looks. "I once dated someone shorter. He said it didn't matter to him, but people couldn't help but comment on it and make some pretty embarrassing jokes," says Richelle. "Once we were asked if he stood on the curb to kiss me!" To keep the wisecracks to a minimum, many women abandon their heels in favor of flats. But even then, the undue attention can sometimes be unbearable.

Eventually, you learn to stop caring what other people think

Know that phrase, "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger?" That also applies in this scenario: sooner or later, most tall women who date shorter men develop a Teflon coating. They stop caring if people point at them walking down the street together or if friends and family members make height jokes. They learn that all that really matters is whether you like the guy and whether he likes you. Six-foot-tall Ciana Clarke, 40, of Tallahassee, FL, may have felt awkward when she first began dating her shorter husband, but that soon changed. "His family and friends would tease him about his height rather than mine and say that he was lucky to land me, but he never let their cracks bother him," she recalls. "He made me feel like a treasure and celebrated my difference more than anything else. I was proud of my height before we met, but his love and acceptance have made me feel more comfortable with our four-inch height difference." And there's no reason to relegate your high heels to the back of the closet when you have a self-confident guy in your corner. "My husband is really the one that made me start to embrace my height," says Erin. "Before I met him, I don't think I owned one pair of heels — now I can't get enough of them. My man loves me for all that I am, height included!"

Elizabeth Roehrig has written for Redbook and other publications.

Six-foot tall woman tired of people 'pointing and staring' at her hit with death threats

Jade Egemonye, 23, started the "Tall Girl Brunch Club" in London which attracts hundreds of women who attend to share the united struggle of clothes not fitting and being gawked at in public

A six-foot tall woman who started a "Tall Girl Brunch Club" says she received death threats from height-conscious men.

Jade Egemonye, 23, started the group in London where taller women could bond over their united struggle of poorly fitting clothes and being stared at in public.

The boozy banquets usually see 10-18 taller women attending - and Jade says she's been inundated with messages from women looking to join.

But the 23-year-old has to hide the location after getting threatening messages which tell her they will "die" or that someone's "coming to get them".

Jade says these hateful messages are blokes projecting their own height issues onto her gang of larger ladies.

However, it's not the aggressive men that irk Jade most - but short girls repeatedly asking to come along.

So Jade set a firm rule that attendees at the Tall Girl Brunch Club have to be at least 5ft9in tall.

Jade, from Greenwich, Greater London, said it all kicked off in November last year after she received a deluge of responses after tweeting that she didn't have any tall female friends.

The responses flooded in and Jade decided to a create a space for them to talk about "shared experiences" - which include being unable to fit into clothing and being stared at on the tube or at the gym.

She admits that she never expected the brunches to be such a big hit but the events soon snowballed and were selling out within 'hours'.

Despite her good intentions, Jade has faced some online backlash from trolls.

Jade said: "We have some men project their issues with their height onto us. It's ironic because comments about men's heights almost never come from tall women - they come from other men.

"That's why I don't put restaurants down on the events page. We've had some hate messages, horrible stuff like 'You shall die', 'I'm gonna come get you', etc.

"From that point on, I made sure that only the girls who have booked a ticket know where we're meeting. I want to try and protect women as much as possible.

"I would categorise a tall girl as somebody who is 5ft 9in and higher - 5ft 9in is the average height for a man in the UK. This was a big cause of contention, as I'd have people in the comments saying 'I'm 5ft 6in and I feel like I'm tall.'

"There's always a girl who will comment 'Imagine if I came along, I'm 5ft 3in'. On every damn TikTok.

"I can bet my life that there will be some girls saying 'What about the short girls?' or 'I'm five foot'. I want to say 'You're not as original as you think'.

"It ticks me off. Girls will also ask me if they can come and they'll be 5ft 4in. What am I meant to say? Those are the comments that annoy me the most.

"I've not had anybody lie about their height and show up yet. I'm banking on the power of shame. I've been lucky so far."

One TikTok user said: "I need some tall friends, I'm tired of being the tallest," whilst another commented: "As a fellow 5ft 11er..I would love to be about my tall kin."

Other commenters lamented that their lack of stature would prevent them from attending.

One commenter said: "What about us short girls?", whilst another asked: "Is it okay if I come? I'm not exactly tall but I don't mind wearing heels that are really high so I can be included."

Another user asked: "Are 5ft 8in babes allowed?"

One TikTok commenter said: "You're gonna find a 5ft 3in babe hiding under the table."

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Tall or small, it's all about the basketball!

When it comes to one of the nations' favorite games, it takes playersof all heights help to make the game what it is.

In this quirky photograph of the Kentucky Wildcats Ladies basketball team, it's easy to work out which the players are and who are the teams' cheerleaders.

The girls are all college students. Alyssa Rice on the left is a 6'3" freshman, while the tall female on the right is 6'6" junior Ivana Jakubcova.

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Struggles Tall Women Deal With

Olayinka May 30, 2017

As a tall woman from a family of tall women (all 6’0″ or taller), I won’t lie, being tall is pretty great. You can see over other people in a crowded room, you can reach items on high shelves, and when you’re a teenager, people always assume you’re older than you are, so it’s easy to sneak into R-rated movies. But being tall isn’t all catwalks and game-winning volleyball spikes – there are some unique challenges that come with a few extra inches. While I would like to suggest that you walk a mile in a tall woman’s shoes, chances are her shoes wouldn’t fit. Instead, just read on and commiserate with the struggles common to tall women everywhere.

Pants and sleeves are never long enough

Shopping is the worst. When the average American woman is roughly 5’3″, that means the average-sized clothing at your local mall is designed to fit a woman who is at least six inches shorter than the shortest woman I talked to for this article. Or, on the high end, a full foot shorter than my sister, who’s a gorgeous 6’3″ tall. Even ‘long’ lengths of pants often come with inseams just 34-inches long. Which sounds like a lot... unless you’re over 5’10”, in which case those ‘long’ pants just amount to slightly longer high-waters.

Granted, things have gotten better in the last 10 years, with some brands offering clothing specifically for tall women (GAP and its affiliated stores, for example), and other specialty stores opening that carry nothing but clothing for tall women (for instance, Long Tall Sally), but most tall clothing is still limited and has to be ordered online. This makes shopping a challenge that all too often results in frustration and poorly-fitting purchases. If you’re an especially tall lady, check out Nordstrom Rack for cute, reasonably-priced, larger-size shoes (they carry up to size 14) and The Buckle for jeans with long inseams – they often have brands with inseams up to 37-inches long.

Skirts, shorts, and dresses are always too short

The flip side to pants and sleeves that are never long enough is that shorts, skirts, and dresses are often obscenely short. Or, as Chauniqua Major, a 5’9″ tall PR rep based in Florida says, “They fit like underwear!” Of course, you can always opt to purchase “knee length” apparel that ends up hitting you mid-thigh, but that cute mini dress you thought would look great for your office holiday party? Probably not the best bet if you want to keep things even remotely professional.

One-pieces are a wedgie nightmare

When you stand in a shower and the showerhead is staring you straight in the face, you know you’re about to have a lame bathing experience. Instead of stretching comfortably under a stream of hot water, sudsing up your hair like you see in commercials, you end up bending, squatting, and contorting to fit your head under the stream. It’s uncomfortable at best and painful at worst, with Amanda Medau, a 6’1″ mother of four from Houston adding, “I’m always squatting in the shower and even hitting the shower ceiling sometimes.” Yeah, that’s never fun.

Desks and counters are too low

Whether you’re a man or a woman, if you’re tall, you’re basically a giant living in a world of miniatures. The reality is, the average American man is still just 5’10”, so anyone taller than that is kinda screwed when it comes to the proportions of standard furniture and construction. Desks, chairs, counters, tables — most of them are designed to be ergonomically-appropriate for the average person. When you’re above average, your body has to adapt to fit the average, which is usually pretty uncomfortable. “My desk at work is terribly uncomfortable. I’m always cracking my knees on it whenever I try to cross my legs. Adjusting the chair height doesn’t help because lowering the chair to accommodate my legs puts crazy strain on my arms and neck to type,” says Medau.

Brie Pierquet, a 5’10” social worker married to a 6’5″ man concurs, “At restaurants sometimes I look like I”m sitting at a child’s table. Just the other day I commented to my husband that the table we were at was not intended for tall people.” The struggle is real, folks.

The inevitable sports-related questions

I’m almost 35 years old. Even assuming I played sports in college (which I didn’t), it would have been well over a decade since I last played sports in a competitive league. And yet, two weeks ago I was stopped in the grocery store by a random dude who asked, “Do you play volleyball?” Uh, no.

The question isn’t mean or harmful. It’s fine, even. But if you answer, “No,” or even, “Not in a long time,” it’s always met with a confused disappointment, or even a follow-up question like, “Oh, not volleyball... but basketball, right? In college?” with such a weird hopefulness that almost necessitates some variety of “yes,” to help confirm whatever stereotypes the person has about who or what a tall woman should be. I certainly don’t go around asking short men if they’re gymnasts or jockeys, so it’s bizarre that the opposite takes place so frequently.

Navigating a world of shorter men

Across the board, the women I talked to for this article all love their height. They’re confident and self-assured. They sincerely enjoy being the tallest person in most rooms (especially when wearing heels), but that doesn’t mean the dynamic of being a tall woman in a world of shorter men isn’t sometimes awkward. Take, for instance, Alaina Johnson, a 6’0″ business owner from Dallas, who shared, “I was once at a business meeting where this guy stood on a chair — stood on a chair — to give me a hug. Granted, he was a shorter man and he was poking fun at himself, too, but we were at a business meeting.” And at a business meeting, there’s no good response to such a strange action.

Then there’s my sister, Mary McCoy, a PhD student and social worker who recounts many semi-combative conversations with men who think they’re taller than they actually are, “Inevitably, a guy who’s is maybe 5’11” will round up his height to 6’2″, then find it necessary to spar with me when I insist that no, I really am 6’3″, and he’s the one with the measuring problems.”

And finally, there are some cultural expectations that can actually interfere with a chosen career. As a professional dancer, LaBonde says, “It’s difficult for me to partner in dance. In heels I’m six feet tall, and most guys who dance, for whatever reason, are under six foot. Being partnered with someone shorter is difficult and aesthetically, not pleasing.” But it’s not just partnering that can be a challenge, “Today a director told me I was too tall for a role. It’s not the first time I’ve heard that, either.”

Lack of leg room on flights

If you think the leg room on flights is bad when you’re an averaged-sized person, just think how much worse it is when you’ve got the long legs of a gazelle. Johnson took a flight to Europe a few years ago and said, “I rode coach. I swear the airline had us in there like sardines. I basically had to keep my legs in the aisle the whole time, and gave the death stare to the person in front of me. That ish was about to get real if she leaned her seat back.” So yeah, be kind to tall people on flights. Think about offering your aisle seat to a long-legged passenger stuck at the window, or simply don’t lean your seat back. We really do need those extra two or three inches of space.

Messy bun problems

Aside from the fact that messy buns easily tack a couple extra inches onto a tall woman’s height (not a bad thing, of course), those extra inches can actually cause some problems. Megan Semanski, a 5’10” educator in Jefferson, Oregon says, “I can’t wear a messy bun on the top of my head and drive in my car. My hair smooshes on the roof of my car and has actually gotten closed in the moonroof a time or two.” Whoops.

Awkward group photo poses

When you’re a full head taller than some of your friends, group photos becomes a weird experience. Do you crouch? Half squat? Bend over or lean in? Kneel? The best solution is never clear, and it always looks awkward. Take this photo of me and two of my friends, for instance. It’s like the Sesame Street jingle, “Which one of these is not like the others?” Even crouching and leaning in still has me towering over my friends.

Back pain

In polling and research conducted by tall women’s clothing brand, Long Tall Sally, a full 76-percent of tall women experience back pain. In my somewhat less-scientific research and polling, I’d say that number is closer to 100 percent. I’ve literally never met a tall woman who hasn’t had back pain. Whether that’s because long limbs and levers lead to more opportunities for muscular imbalances and injuries, or that tall women are more likely to slouch, sit at non-ergonomic desks, or fail to exercise their cores sufficiently to help prevent pain, the result is the same: sometimes debilitating bouts of complete misery. I feel for you, girl, I’ve been there. And as an exercise physiologist I can also attest that regular exercise, particularly exercise that targets the core, back, and shoulders, is particularly important.

Being unable to escape “the conversation”

It’s not just questions about sports that arise when you’re tall, it’s questions or comments about height, in general. Whenever you meet someone new, or you just make small talk with someone at the store, the subject of height inevitably arises. My sister-in-law, a 6’2″ psychologist and mother of two relays the challenge, “I’m very glad I’m tall, and I find myself hoping that my daughters will be, too. I cannot imagine having had that hope back in middle school. The primary lingering issue is that my height is such a regular part of conversations with folks. Most of these conversations aren’t negative. They just happen so frequently and people seem oblivious to how often I hear questions, observations, or compliments about my height. Height guessing is the most annoying, and compliments are the easiest to manage, of course.”

She clarifies that these conversations have become less challenging over the years, “The license people give themselves to comment on a child’s body is ridiculous! People seem to police themselves better when talking to an adult, in general. It’s been decades since someone has idiotically tried to touch the top of my head. That was the worst.”

At the end of the day, conversations are bound to take place. Any woman who stands taller than the average man is unusual, of course, and height is a part of our identity. That said, don’t be a moron. Tall women hear about their height from everyone they meet. Try striking up a conversation about anything else – it’ll set you apart from all the other people who think our height is the obvious icebreaker.

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Shirley Won
Special to The Globe and Mail

University of Ottawa student Leila Moumouni-Tchouassi has struggled to finance and finish her degree over the past six years. But she aims to finally get her BA in international development and globalization in 2019 and then find a job as a community services worker. After juggling full- and part-time jobs and helping her parents financially on occasion, she is feeling the strain of owing $30,000 on her government student loan and $6,000 on her credit card.

"Most of my stress comes from all this debt," says the 23-year-old undergrad who works for her university's student union as well as part-time at a clothing store for tall women. "I am 6 foot 5 and my clothes are very expensive. I started working at the store so that I could get a discount on clothes." Many students are relying on financial aid and part-time work to fund their education as tuition fees climb. For the 2018-2019 academic year, average undergrad post-secondary tuition in Canada rose to $6,838, up 3.3 per cent from the previous year. Loans may be the only way for some to afford higher education, but students need to be mindful of the pitfalls when borrowing and repaying them.

LOANS

"There is good debt and bad debt, but definitely getting a student loan to improve your education and employability is good debt," says Laurie Campbell, chief executive officer of Credit Canada, a credit-counselling agency.

"But one of the things that we see with students is that they don't judiciously use that money over the year. They sometimes blow it in the first couple of months."

To avoid a cash crunch after paying for tuition and books, students should consider a part-time job and figure out a monthly budget to cover rent, food and sundry costs such as transportation, Ms. Campbell advises. "What we see often is many young people coming out of school with large credit-card debt."

Students often don't worry about racking up loans because they figure they can pay it off once they get their "plum career position, but the reality is that they have to start at the bottom," she says. "Often, the income does not allow for a reasonable repayment for all this debt. They can find themselves in default, and not knowing how to manage it."

But applying for a government loan is worthwhile, even if a student qualifies for only a small one, because it opens the door to potential scholarships, bursaries and grants, says financial blogger Kyle Prevost, co-author of More Money for Beer and Textbooks, a financial guide for Canadian students.

In addition to federal and provincial loans, students may be eligible for free money.

Ottawa offers grants of up to $3,000 a year for full-time students from lower-income families. Ontario and New Brunswick provide free tuition for students meeting income criteria. And Newfoundland and Labrador give students grants if they study in-province or outside for certain programs.

LINE OF CREDIT

A student line of credit is also an option for funding, he says. "If parents co-sign with the student, that should drop the interest rate substantially." Interest on a credit line must be paid once money is withdrawn, while interest on a government loan need not be repaid until after graduation and will generate an income-tax credit, too, he adds.

Some provinces, such as Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, don't charge any interest on their loans.

REPAYMENT

Repayment rules on government loans also vary. Most graduates don't need to pay back the federal portion until they earn $25,000 a year. For Ontario loans, graduates can wait until they make $35,000 a year. And British Columbia will forgive loans to students who work in publicly funded health-care facilities in underserved communities or with children in certain occupations.

Graduates need to "make an achievable plan to pay a loan back as soon as they are working," says Steve Bridge, a financial planner with Money Coaches Canada. "It's making sure you have enough money for everything else in your life, such as a cellphone, car insurance, rent, groceries and clothing. Sometimes people attack their loan too aggressively and they end up running up their credit cards."

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Models are known for their lanky physiques, but one former catwalk pro is attempting to trump the Guinness World Record holder for the world’s longest legs.

“I believe that they are definitely the longest in Australia and, as far as I know, in America too,” Caroline Arthur, a former model based in Melbourne, told Barcroft Media.

The 39-year-old mother of two has legs that extend 51.5 inches from hip to heel. Barcroft reported that the current record holder, Svetlana Pakratova, a Russian woman, has legs that measure 51.9 inches long.

“Because it’s so close, I think it is worth contacting them and finding out exactly where they measure from and getting an official, accurate measurement done,” Arthur, who is a dermotherapist, told the website.

Arthur stands at 6 feet 2 inches tall, and her legs account for 69 percent of her body.

When she began modeling around age 15, her legs helped her nab gigs but also get rejected from them, she told Barcroft.

“I was told that I’m too tall for Australian beauty standards and couldn’t model clothes because they just wouldn’t fit me,” Arthur told Barcroft. “So as much as I did get work because of my long legs, I also got knocked back for the same reason.”

Her husband, named only as Cameron, is about the same height as her.

“Being married to her is definitely good for my posture because I have to stand up straight,” Cameron joked to Barcroft.

Cameron reportedly built the family’s house with 10-foot-tall ceilings and extra-high kitchen countertops for their tall family.

After struggling with self-image issues as a teenager, Arthur said she has learned to embrace her height yet still struggles to find close that fit her lengthy frame.

“I can honestly say now, as a 39-year-old woman, I’m the most secure in my own skin that I have ever been,” she told Barcroft. “I feel more beautiful than I ever have in my life. It takes time, and you go through stages, but now I definitely see my legs as a positive thing.”

The couple’s children, 13-year-old Cooper, who stands at 6 feet 2 inches tall, and 15-year-old Zoe, who is 5 feet 9 inches tall, agree.

“I think that Mom looks really beautiful, and I really aspire to look like her,” Zoe told Barcroft.

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Growing up, my dad and other respective members of the Johnson clan had a tried-and-true warning:

Straighten up and behave, or else face the wrath of Tall Betsy and Bloody Bones.

For the uninitiated, Tall Betsy and her accomplice  /lover? / prisoner Bloody Bones snatch naughty children away from their parents and - among other terrible acts that were usually left to the collective imagination of my brother and me - grind their bones to dust.

I was maybe 8 and my brother 6 when we first heard the scraping sound of fingernails along our playroom window. We'd run out of the room, hoping to find someone, only to be stopped at the front door. Instead of being greeted by our parents, we'd see a figure, tall, and scratching at the door, just out of view. We'd scream, run into the bedroom, and wait to be comforted by our parents, occasionally promising to be better and not bicker with each other.

Tall Betsy, an abnormally tall woman with white, stringy hair, dark eyes and blood-stained lips, used to haunt my dad, his siblings and cousins while they stayed at their Grandma's house. In the mid-1960s there'd be about half a dozen children playing at any given time and causing some sort of stir. My dad recalls the single light bulbs that would hang in the center of each room, carelessly tossing shadows along the high ceilings and wooden floor with gaps between the planks.

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"Don's Wife", director Vinod Pande's first novel, is all about human relationships

The novel is the saga of revenge, hope, aspirations, betrayals, tragedies, triumphs and is the story of tall men and even taller women.

Vinod Pande, the award winning director, who has made several films like Ek Baar Phir, Yeh Nazdikeeyan and Sins among others, has written his first novel "Don's Wife" (Mahaveer Publishers). Well first for all intents and purposes since he has no idea about what happened to his first short novel "Ek Baar Phir" - brought out in the market after the release of the film.

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By Zoe Beaty - 23 September 2015
Junior Commissioning Editor/ Senior Features Writer

‘Oh my goodness!’ says the photographer, as he crouches by my feet. I’m sat in probably one of the most compromising positions of my career so far: squeezing (with ungraceful difficulty) both bum cheeks on to a chair more or less the size of one of my size eight – OK, sometimes size nine – shoes. It’s a child’s chair and I, quite obviously, am a rather large adult. Or, as the photographer puts it between bellowing ‘Ha!’ every couple of seconds, ‘You’re enormous!’

He was, of course, joking. And I didn’t mind – besides, it’s not like I haven’t heard it before. I’m six feet tall with a 35-inch leg – which makes me far from small, despite being a size 12. I’m the girl who blocks your view at gigs, who hugs you awkwardly and walks with a subtly bowed head and a slightly self-conscious stoop.

Being a tall woman naturally attracts a lot of attention. As many other ‘outsized’ women will know, people (usually strangers) like to point out height as a ‘surprising’ fact that may have formerly gone unnoticed. To get you up to speed, if you’re of average height or smaller,imagine being told every day – or most days – that you have ears. ‘Oh, yes, I do,’ you’d reply, acting politely enlightened. Then,if you’re like me, you’ll turn around to obscure your face while violently rolling your eyes. Of course, despite annoyances (being asked, ‘How’s the weather up there?’ is rage-inducing), being tall has its perks– even the term ‘above average’ height connotes positivity and being ‘statuesque’ has long been viewed as an attribute of superiority. It’s the reason most women torture their toes in sky-high heels and why men on Tinder blatantly lie about their height. But, despite so many women coveting loftiness, its association with masculinity often means that, practically, it’s not always what it’s cracked up to be.

It might sound like a humblebrag, but having legs too long to fit under a desk –or, on a more uncomfortable level, within the confines of a standard plane seat – is genuinely pretty irritating. In women’s toilets I can rarely look in the mirrorwithout doing an awkward knee bend– something I often whip out in group photos, lest my head gets completely cutoff. Hugging short people means my chest is in perfect alignment with their face and I’ve only ever found one bath that was long enough for me to lie down in. At school I was the ‘lanky’ one, sometimes called names for standing out a little too much and put in detention for my standard-size uniform skirtwhich, simply because I had more to show, revealed more leg than the other girls’ skirts did. And as a young teenager I was disliked by boys who I unwittingly emasculated. It’s hard to put your arm around someone almost a foot taller than you – they tended to prefer the ‘cuter’ girls who could sit daintily on their lap. Later, my height became a more prominent part of my identity – while my friends were defined as ‘the funny one’ or ‘the pretty one’, I was branded ‘the tall one’.

Slowly, as I went out more to pubs and clubs, my body became a kind of public property. Guys would think nothing of walking up to me and prodding my legs as if to prove they were real, and sweaty men pressed their clammy bodies against mine in a ‘height comparison’ game. If they ‘won’, their chests would swell with pride at their newly validated masculinity– if they lost, I’d be not only tall but ‘freakishly’ so, to soothe their bruised egos. Compliments always come off as slightly back-handed: ‘Don’t worry,’ I’m often told, ‘I like tall women!’ as though I should be grateful that someone is finally interested in me, despite my being a small giantess.

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Tall girls unite! Women are sharing their pictures in #TallGirlTwitter

By Rebecca Keane

We've all been there - suffering dumb comments from strangers or friends alike because of our height. Big Bird, Gigantor, BFG are just a few mean names that spring to mind.

Finally, tall girls are getting the appreciation they deserve in a form of a hashtag online.

#TallGirlsTwitter is a hashtag tweeters began using to support the acceptance of beauty at all heights.

In a society where petite women are prized, taller women can struggle to feel beautiful and can even sometimes be mocked when buying high heels or trying to find a partner. RUDE.

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Tall Is about More Than Height, Says Local Clothing Company

Two sisters set out to create a fashion line, Amalli Talli, that caters to tall women, building a community of body positivity locally and online

By Anne Kopas, Published: November 2017

Local clothing company Amalli Talli describes its mission with a provocative tagline: “We strongly believe that tall isn’t solely defined by height and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.”

Wait, tall isn’t defined by height?

It’s a piece of the larger fashion trend of body positivity, of accepting that we’re not all built like supermodels and that every body is different. Amy Rosenthal and Alli Black, two sisters who stand 6’ 3.5” and 5’10.5” respectively, understand this on a personal level. Despite both being tall, each sister found different challenges in shopping the “tall” sections of women’s clothing. Some women carry their height in long torsos; others with long legs. Because of this, one tall size doesn’t always fit all.

The sisters opened Amalli Talli in an Eden Prairie mall in 2014 to provide clothing that met both their own needs and those of other tall women. “We needed a solution that represented the full spectrum of women,” Rosenthal says. They borrowed concepts from men’s clothing sizing, labeling their selection by inseam length and other measures of proportion instead of the ambiguous numbers that plague most women’s clothing. The sisters describe the store’s style as “approachable,” offering both staple pieces (jeans, black dresses, activewear) and trendier clothing (the type of thing you’d see on Pinterest, Rosenthal says).

During their time as a brick-and-mortar shop before going exclusively online last year, Rosenthal and Black say the emotional response to their clothing was unexpected. Women would laugh or cry with relief at finding clothing that made them feel at home in their own body after feeling self-conscious about their height for so long. They describe a long-legged woman who was still too short to shop most “tall” shops, and her excitement over finally finding jeans that fit. “We want to create a community where women feel comfortable,” Black says.

In order to expand this community, Amalli Talli closed their physical store and went online-only. It's a sign of the times, not a sign of defeat: it's simply easier to reach a wider audience if your customers can shop from their homes. So far, the sisters say they’ve received messages of thanks from women as far away as Australia. “It speaks to the time that we’re in,” Black says. It also allows them to grow their private label, in addition to their curated selection of clothing from other designers.

As the business grows, the sisters hope to make a positive contribution to the self-esteem of tall women everywhere. As Black writes on Amalli Talli’s website, “Nothing is more rewarding than giving people the opportunity to feel good about themselves.” 

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Tall stories: Five Northern Ireland ladies tell us about the high life

Some of the world's most beautiful women stand around six feet tall. Think of a supermodel and the chances are she is over six feet tall - and that's before she has pulled on a pair of teetering heels and strode down the runway.

Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum and Erin O'Connor are all at least 5ft 10ins, while iconic beauties such as the late Diana, Princess of Wales, was also about an inch off the six foot mark,- once she had slipped into a pair of courts and added a hat Prince Charles could look like a rather small man indeed.

To put it all into some sort of lofty perspective, the height of the average woman in the UK is a diminutive 5ft 3ins. No wonder, then, that so many of us can only look up to these fashion icons with envy.

After all, we imagine, clothes would look so much better if our legs were just a couple of inches longer. How easy it would be to stand out from the crowd - quite literally.

Then again, maybe our longing to be taller amounts to the height of nonsense. In a world where the average rules, many taller ladies complain that finding clothes to suit their measurements isn't easy - hence the rise of chains such as Long Tall Sally.

And then, of course, there is the delicate area of relationships.

Some might reckon it would take a big man indeed to be happy to step out with a woman who was, er, head and shoulders above him. Just look at how quickly Caroline Wozniacki stuck the stiletto in when Rory McIlroy ended his relationship with her, with the low blow that being single meant it would be nice to be able to wear heels again.

So, what is it really like to be a tall woman? We talk to five ladies about the long and short of it.

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Tall student bullied over her height reveals how she beat haters after years of hunching to appear more ladylike

Tamara Alireza, 34, used to be terrified of wearing high heels, but now she embraces her lofty physique

By Anthony Harvison
16:44, 31 AUG 2018
UPDATED 16:46, 31 AUG 2018

As a 13-year-old schoolgirl, Tamara Alireza stood head and shoulders above her classmates. At 6ft 1ins, she towered over the teachers, too. But while most teenagers would love to add a few inches to their frame, Tamara found herself the target of school bullies who tormented her for being tall. Despite her sporty stature, she was made to feel small and picked on for being 'different'. Tamara spent her informative years struggling to fit in and doing everything possible to look shorter and more "lady-like". She avoided being photographed and even walked hunched-over to conceal her true height. High heels were a definite no-no. Now aged 34, Tamara stands proud at 6ft 2ins – or a leggy 6ft 7ins in her favourite heels.

Not only has she embraced her enviable physique but has used it to her advantage as an accomplished children's author and anti-bullying campaigner. She looks down her nose at bullies and uses her own experiences to help youngsters nationwide. "They say the worst thing about being different is that you become a moving target for bullies. Unfortunately for me, I was a moving target they literally couldn't miss," Tamara said. "But it wasn't just the bullies who were making my life difficult. Society, generally, made me feel unwelcome. The bullies were a reflection of the times. "Fast-forward a few years and I came to love my body and myself. I realised that everyone is different, and that diversity needs to be cherished, nurtured and celebrated – not ostracised." She added: "We are all different and we are all equal."

Last year, shocking figures published by the Anti-Bullying Alliance revealed that more than half of children aged between eight and 16 worried about being 'different'. Of these, 40 per cent admitted they would "hide" or "change aspects of themselves" to avoid being bullied. Worryingly, more than a third (36 per cent) of those questioned thought that teachers did not do enough to educate pupils about what to do if they became victims. Tamara is among those who experienced bullying first-hand. As a child, she was tall for her age. But a growth spurt in her early teens meant she would tower over her peers – and her family - into adulthood. It left her self-conscious and at the mercy of cruel classmates, whose jibes compounded her lack of confidence. "When my friends all started wearing high-heels and make-up, I wore the flattest-soled shoes I could find so that I would fit in," she said.

Her height also made everyday tasks challenging. She found buying clothes – and especially dresses – "almost impossible". She was also forced to wear men's shoes because women's sizes rarely accommodated her size 10.5 feet. And the prospect of being photographed with pals was "particularly unappealing". Instead, she would sit in the front or stoop over. Dating was, she says, "not at all easy". "I felt uncomfortable in my own skin, it's that simple," she added. But by her mid-20s, Tamara finally came to terms with her height. Today, Tamara has no problems with being one of the tallest students at Royal Imperial College, London, where she has been studying for a PhD in neuroscience specialising in Parkinson's disease. She has used her own experiences to help others – most notably her nephew who was relentlessly bullied at school.

Her latest book, Steiny's Rhapsody , tells the inspirational story of a grand piano in a music store who suffers at the hands of the other instruments.

Steiny, like Tamara, eventually learns to love himself.

Tamara added: "Society is changing and, in time, so will people's attitudes to bullying. In the meantime, we all need to love the skin we're in – and refuse to cower down to the bullies."

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By Katie Sewell,Dec. 7, 2016, Posted in Lifestyle

We all want the fairy tale love story. Unfortunately, being a tall woman can sometimes seem like a burden when chasing true love.I’m 6’3” – something I get informed of almost every day by people I barely know. It’s as if they think I’m not already aware of the fact that I am taller than the average UK man. To make me more of a genetic freak I also have bright blonde hair, an attribute which, when combined with my height, has earned me the nickname ‘Flaming Beacon’ when I go out clubbing with squad.

For a very long time, I hated my height. As a teenager, I mastered the art of the ‘forward leg bend’, a move that the tall folk reading this will also be well acquainted with. In every group photo where I look normal in height, rest assured, the forward leg bend is in operation and my thigh muscles are in agony.

The main concern of my youth, as I’m sure was the same for many other angsty teenage girls, was whether or not somebody could possibly love me. I was doomed to a life of cats and one bedroom flats, I was sure of it.

Boys were a good head and shoulders beneath me until around the end of secondary school; even at sixth form a boy being taller than me was a novelty. My poor mother had to deal with many a teary breakdown at my self-deemed unworthiness of love.

My dad, an enormous man of 6’10”, didn’t see what the problem was. He was convinced, as most dads are, that his daughter was the most beautiful thing in the world. “Fluffy, the men will be lining around the block for you,” he would say. I was constantly reassured, but without the affirmation of a boyfriend, the words of my loved ones fell on deaf ears.

When I arrived at university, like pretty much any other student, I entered into the Tinder-sphere. I was frequently told I would be perfect ‘if only I were shorter’, boys frequently using the excuse that they could never, ever date a girl that was taller than them. So, naturally, I did the ‘boy thing’ and lied about my height on my profile. 6’3” Katie from Essex became 6 foot. How cheeky.

But please, don’t feel too sorry for me. My sad tall girl self-esteem crisis does have a slightly ‘happy ending’. Last year, one lad I liked on Tinder and I went on a date. Turns out he’d lied about his height, like a lot of lads do.

However, and rather fortunately for me, he’d lied about quite how tall he was. So 6’5” Dave was actually nearer to 6’8”. Get in. And just a couple of weeks ago, we went to Sweden (to be among the other tall freaks of the world) for our first trip away as a couple. Aww.

So, for those of you reading who are long-limbed, male or female, here is my advice: don’t hide yourself away. You are a genetic marvel, with a guaranteed good view at any concert.

Don’t ever let someone make you feel small for being anything but. If anyone mocks you, then that’s their problem, and certainly isn’t something you should be concerning yourself with. One day the right person will come, and they will love every inch of you.

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Well, this is topical, I'm afraid...

The woman stole an expensive designer bathing suit from a local shop.

By Rich Scinto (Patch Staff) June 22, 2015

Police are investigating after a New Canaan shop reported that an expensive one-piece bathing suit was stolen.

An employee from Soleil Toile on Elm Street reported the bathing suit stolen on June 16.

A blonde woman who is between 5'10'' and 6-feet-tall was asked by an employee if she needed assitance. She said no and the employee walked away.

Later on an employee noticed a hanger and tags on the floor.

Reported stolen was an Oasis bathing suit by Karla Colletto valued at $276.

The suspect is believed to be between the ages of 55 and 60-years-old and was heavy set, according to witness reports.

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Story by Ruthe Stein Photography by Russell Yip | November 10, 2016

Jessie Shepherd’s pride in her figure — all 6-feet-4 of it — is reflected in her decision to take up burlesque in her late 20s. She performs at the Elbo Room in the Mission as Lilith De Fee.

Half her stage name derives from the mythical archetype of female independence, and the other half pays homage to a burlesque dancer from the 1940s, who was the same height as Shepherd.

“Her name was Lois De Fee, but they called her Superwoman. She was awesome,” Shepherd said. Strolling through downtown San Francisco in 3-inch heels, she might be described the same way.

Shepherd is part of a generation of women in their 20s and 30s who grew to heights taller than Mom and sometimes even Dad. The Internet has become a conduit for them to bond through blogs like Tall Swag and Height Goddess. Over the past five years or so, online shopping has made it increasingly possible for tall women to find fashionable clothes designed for their particular frames.

Tall Bay Area women, emboldened by their numbers and stylish attire, say they’ve forsaken slouching and revel in soaring over everyone, including boyfriends. When George Clooney dated the 6-foot-plus wrestler Stacy Keibler, he marveled at her confidence. “But then what would she be afraid of? Low-flying planes?” he mused.

Earlier this year, Mattel toy company introduced Tall Barbie, an elongated version of the original. For a living, breathing role model, the women interviewed cited Michelle Obama. At just under 6 feet tall, she doesn’t hesitate to wear high heels, resulting in her appearing taller than the president.

“I used to be really quiet and self-conscious as a high schooler,” Shepherd recalled. “But when I went to college I just stopped giving a s—. It was like, ‘Yeah, OK, I’m tall. If you have a problem with that, whatever.”’ Shepherd has been a makeup artist and now works at a Berkeley bookstore, where she discovered Lois De Fee.

Feeling positive about her height led Shepherd to be comfortable with her physique, which led to her titillating hobby. “I have always been into theatrics. I guess I have a little exhibitionism in me but I didn’t realize it until I tried burlesque,” she said.

Tall women are accustomed to stares and questions about their height. Most common is whether they play basketball. They’re also asked if they model. (The opportunity comes up infrequently because women’s clothes are designed for 5-foot-7 bodies.)

Tourists, especially from countries where the population is generally shorter, often want to take a selfie with Shepherd. “I have what I call ‘tall days,’ when for no reason I can figure out I might get approached 10 times about my height,” she said.

The 6-foot-3 author Arianne Cohen said she wrote “The Tall Book” in 2009 because “there are books about every bodily form you can imagine, but there were no books about height, and it has been such a major part of my life for as long as I can remember.” In it she quotes studies showing tall people do better in the workplace. “It’s because shorter people perceive them as more competent,” Cohen said.

An optimal size for a mate is one of the biggest issues faced by women of a certain height. Cohen used to turn down dates who weren’t at least eye to eye with her while standing. Spotting a very tall man out with a short woman would infuriate her; she believed she would be a better fit.

“I got over it and it has helped my life immensely,” she said. “When you become a little more mature and start dating for the right reasons, you aren’t quite as intensely focused on the packages that people’s bodies come in.”

Alicia Jay, 35, senior manager of Game Experience for the Golden State Warriors who has her own personal style blog (http://www.tallswag.com/) and is the model in the images accompanying this article, recalls traumatic teen years when she was never asked out. “To this day men are still intimidated by my height, but now I know that my height is a very beautiful thing; it doesn’t bother me,” said Jay, who stands 6-foot-6. “I look at it as another way to weed out the men that aren’t the one. If you can’t handle my height, why would I want you anyway? Love me in my entirety or vacate the premises.”

The upside of being tall has revealed itself with passing years: “People are incredibly intrigued, which gives us an advantage in every situation. We are conversation starters,” Jay said. “Who else holds the presence of a room just by walking into it?”

Lynn Janicki and her identical twin sister, Kate Johnson, have been turning heads for most of their 32 years. Janicki, a 6-foot-2 marketing director in San Francisco, recalls growing up in tandem with her sister. During their early teens, they would be asked out by 17- and 18-year-olds fooled by their height into thinking the twins were older.

Janicki’s height is what attracted her husband, who stopped her on the street to ask where she was heading. They’re the same height, and Janicki wears heels no higher than 3 inches in deference to him.

By contrast, Rajahnique Jones, a 34-year-old court reporter from Antioch, goes for 4-inch heels to elevate her to 6-foot-4. She won’t date anyone shorter. “I always want to feel protected like I did walking with my dad,” she said.

While blogging at tallnnatural.com, Jones realized that many tall women still don’t feel comfortable or are hesitant to wear heels. She started posting photos of herself exquisitely put together. “A lot of people send me messages saying I inspire them.”

Jones’ main goal is to impress her 14-year-old daughter, who is already 5-foot-9. “I am just trying to be a good example to her. I want to let her know that tall is beautiful.”

Ruthe Stein is a San Francisco freelance writer. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CREDITS: Photography: Russell Yip Styling: Mary Gonsalves Kinney Hair & Makeup:Nicole Notarte Model: Alicia Jay Styling assistant: Elise Filter Von Arx

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Tall Women Likely To Live Longer

Written By: Kim Buckley

Taller women are more likely to live longer.

According to new medical research, women who are taller than 5 foot 9 are more likely to live into their 90s than women who are shorter than 5 foot 3.

The study from The Netherlands found that a woman's height and weight has a bigger influence on their life span then a man's.

The study also found that greater physical activity results in a longer life but not for both sexes.

The more exercise that men do the more likely they'll will live to old age, but for women, 60 minutes a day is all that's required and doing more doesn't make a difference.

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Tall Women Live Longer Than Short Ones, Recent Study Says

March 11, 2019 - Asheley Rice

According to a new study that lasted for 30 years, tall women have more chances to live longer than short ones. The study was published by the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

Tall women are more likely to have a longer life

The study started in 1986, and 120,000 women and men with ages between 55 and 69 took part in the research. The data comes from the Netherlands Cohort Study. What the study found was that women who are 5 ft 9 when they are 40 years old have 31% more chances to live until they reach 90 than women who are 5 ft 3 or shorter at the same age.

But even though taller women seem to have an aging advantage over shorter women, the same thing doesn't really apply to men.

Men who are engaged in more physical activity might live longer

As far as the height is concerned, this doesn't seem to play such an essential role in how long a man can live. What matters more for men are physical activity levels. The study showed that men who exercised for more than 90 minutes every day had 39% more chances to reach 90 than those who exercised for less than 30 minutes a day.

When it comes to women, those who exercised for approximately 30-60 minutes per day had 21% more chances to reach 90 than women who exercised for less than 30 minutes a day.

Women are believed to have more chances for a long life than men

Another thing that the study found was that no matter how tall or short the women were, they were more likely to live longer than the men. 34.4% of the women who participated in the research lived until they reached 90, while only 16.7% of the men lived until the same age.

Physical exercise is important

There might be a link between tall women and physical exercise, as they may exercise more than those who are shorter, but this has not been proven.

Nevertheless, exercising plays a crucial role in having a healthy life, regardless if you're a woman or a man. Maintaining a healthy life will undoubtedly increase your chances of living longer.

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