Clothing Sizing Changes Through Decades

Fashion Professor Discusses How Designers Calculate Sizes

Newswise — Any woman who has searched for a well-fitting pair of pants or the perfect little black dress should understand the impetus behind Lynn Boorady’s research.

The associate professor and chair of Buffalo State’s Fashion and Textile Technology Department has studied clothing sizing for more than 20 years, and she’s the first to admit it’s puzzling at best. When it comes to women’s clothing, there is no industry sizing standard, meaning it’s up to each designer to decide the ideal female shape. For many women, finding clothes that consistently fit can pose a challenge.
Historically, ready-made clothing was not meant to fit perfectly. Up until the 1960s, shoppers assumed they had to take their store-bought clothing to a tailor for adjustments, Boorady said. Of course, that is not the expectation today. This is why it’s so important to try everything on and not get caught up in the numbers, she said.

“If a piece of clothing fits, don’t worry about the size,” Boorady emphasized. “Tear the label out if the size bothers you. It’s a comment on the company, not you.” This situation has only improved slightly in recent years following a 2002 national study, Size USA, which conducted body scans on more than 10,000 women and men to adequately reflect modern body types. The last time women had been measured for a major study was in 1939.

To cover the wide range of body types, designers are offering more choices— slim fit, curvy fit, for instance. At the same time, there remains a disconnect. Fifty percent of the female population wears a size 14 or larger, yet the majority of designers make clothes for slender women, she noted.

That is slowly changing as more niche markets emerge with clothing designed for large-busted women, tall women, and plus sizes.

“There are still not great choices, but they are better,” said Boorady who wrote about sizing of apparel for overweight and obese consumers for a chapter in the 2014 book Designing Apparel for Consumers: The Impact of Body Shape and Size. (Serge Carrier, Marie-Eve Faust and Francis Dodds (Eds.). Woodhead Publishing: London)

At the same time, more designers are using vanity sizing — extra-small and triple zeroes — with the larger sizes adjusted accordingly.

“Manufacturers do the same thing to men that they do to women,” she said, “only it’s sizing larger, not smaller to make the consumer feel better.”

About Lynn Boorady Current chair of Buffalo State’s Fashion and Textile Technology Department, Lynn Boorady has taught at the college since 2010. She holds a master’s degree in Textiles and Apparel from Cornell University and a doctorate in textile and apparel management from the University of Missouri, Columbia. Other faculty positions she has held include: the University of Missouri, Iowa State University, Stephens College, Mount Mary College; and the American University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Her major areas of interest are body scanning, sizing, functional design, patternmaking, product development, technical design, apparel manufacturing, and the slow fashion movement.

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Confidence is Queen by Jen Sugermeyer

Jen Sugermeyer is a tall woman (6'1"), who struggled with confidence.

Jen wrote Confidence is Queen to show the way to solve any problem. Confidence is the key to face and tackle everything; your challenges, your fears, your hesitations, and it opens the door to the life you want!  If you’re starting a business, looking for love, ready to ask for that raise, looking for self-love, ready to find happiness, then confidence is your answer!

As cash is to king, confidence is to queen.  But you need to have cash to be king.  You already have confidence within you; we all do. With confidence, you can do, be, get everything you want in life, including cash.  The queen is the most powerful player in the game of chess, she can make all the moves. Learn how to start calling the shots in your life. Confidence is a mindset, and mindset is a choice.

Visit Jen's website

I didn’t have an easy start in life and in hindsight I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

It taught me so much about resilience, perception and ultimately, what I was capable of. From heading up Commercial Development in the entrepreneurial buzz of the Dragons’ Den to CEO of the beautifully creative studios of Anouska Hempel; I relentlessly worked my way up to being a trusted advisor to a high profile client list before I had my first ‘what the heck am I doing with my life?’ moment. In January this year, I was at a crossroads disguised as a dead-end; I mean who does the Advisor turn to for advice? Certainly not her client list!

I’d been so busy working that I’d forgotten the importance of having a solid support system and I already knew all too well that a lack of like-minded people in your life can have a disastrous domino effect so I put my high-profile career on hold and immediately went to work on my latest project: Building my tribe. My first stop was Escape the City where I joined 49 other inspirational individuals with a shared goal of building a startup. We spent 4 months creating, testing and launching our ideas into the public domain, turning to each other to celebrate the highs and picking each other up from the inevitable lows.

I’ve been 6’2 since I turned 14 years old and although I’ve always projected complete confidence in my working life, I was always dealing with social anxiety behind the scenes. I struggled to find clothes, towered over my group of friends and worked in male dominated environment so I didn’t even know any other tall women who really understood where I was coming from. There didn’t seem to be anything which ticked the right boxes for me so I set about creating an online community for tall women in the hope that they would show up… and they didn’t let me down! It’s been just over 6 months since I created a TALL GUIDES twitter account, today the combined TALL GUIDES social media following sits at just under 10k. A (terrible!) holding page has turned into a dynamic online magazine and the private Facebook group has evolved to include offline events in London, Germany & the Netherlands. I’m proud to have created a place where we can connect, create and celebrate our difference. This random journey has had a positive impact not only my life but also on the lives of many other women and from not knowing any other tall women; we now know thousands of them all around the world!

A niche community like this wouldn’t have been possible pre-internet and social media, I would have always been THE tall girl in my own circles and I feel extremely grateful that we’re now living in a super connected world. It’s something we all need in our lives, whether we’re referring to brands, businesses, startups or individuals, communities which make our lives better should exist everywhere – both on and offline. The biggest brands don’t sell to their customers, they don’t broadcast at people, they grow a tribe – engaging people in something interesting, entertaining or useful for them.

We’ve seen a rise in socially connected products, the emergence of platform-based companies and the message we’re sending is clear – connectivity is what we want, community is what we need. Whatever you’re doing, wherever you’re working, whenever you’re thinking of doing something different; take a moment to look at the support system around you as I believe that the people around us can be the difference between success and failure. If you don’t like what you see or you can’t find what you need, my advice is to create it and they will come.

The best opportunities come via people so proactively seeking out communities and people with similar interests and values to you is a must. The most successful (and enjoyable) way of building authentic relationships is to contribute generously to others. When you do this, you’ll often receive exciting opportunities in return. So what community is it that you’re looking to attract? Whatever you decide, stand for something and then build your tribe around it.

About the author

I’m Sallee Poinsette-Nash, a 6’2 Londoner, Brand Builder and Founder, TALL GUIDES – an inspiring online magazine supported by a global community of tall women. I spent the first half of my career in the fast-paced world of publishing before becoming a brand advisor and business troubleshooter to a high-profile client list. I’ve held Interim CEO and COO positions, consulted on Commercial and Operational Management projects as well as delivering Brand Strategy and Advisory Board roles. It’s the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve had along the way that have inspired me to take what I do in the fields of business and brand and turn it into a Launchpad for ambitious women. WE LAUNCH HER is coming soon – a springboard with a support system, designed to create brighter futures by launching women into more meaningful careers and businesses.

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Dating Advice: Seven things to NEVER say to a tall woman

by all4women · November 9th, 2015

For the mental well-being of all the tall women out there, please avoid saying the following seven statements …

I am a tall woman – 183cm tall to be precise. To a limit, tallness in women is considered a desirable trait, but when you are six foot tall, people begin to act like you’re a freak of nature.

This is clearly not desirable. I often look at petite, small women with envy: they are considered cute and feminine, whereas I am considered Amazonian.

As a tall woman, I can also never just melt into the crowd

I am always noticed, always looked at, always in sight. So sometimes, it can be tiring when strangers feel the need to comment on my physical appearance, when I just want to be left alone.

So, for the mental well-being of all the tall women out there, please avoid saying the following seven statements:

Wow! You’re so tall!

Really? Me? Tall? Never! I thought I was short! Come on people, surely you must know that I know I am unusually tall for a woman? How would you feel if I commented on your large beer boep, or your balding head? Perhaps I could comment on the fact that you have brown hair? Or blue eyes? I don’t need to point it out, because (and here’s the crux) you know. Plus, maybe you are a bit self-conscious of your bulbous nose. Maybe pointing it out will embarrass you? I know that being tall is not a negative thing, but it is so tiring to hear it every day. And eventually, I do start feeling like I am a bit of a freak (as if I am the only tall woman to ever have existed).

You must have really big feet? What’s your shoe size?

Again, seriously? Asking about my shoe size is none of your business and again, it hurts my feelings. You’re acting as if I am a circus act, and my feet aren’t that big (only a size 8). My advice is to use the following test: what would you say to a woman with really large breasts? You definitely wouldn’t stare at them and marvel at the size. “My, what big boobies you have!” And you certainly wouldn’t ask her what bra size she wears. It’s just rude and weird.

What’s the weather like up there?

Ha-freaking-ha. The only thing us tall women can do with this is smile weakly and edge away. Jokes about the physical appearance of other people are usually hurtful to the target of the joke. Apply the boob test: would you make a joke about a woman’s breasts being so large they enter a room before she does? I’m thinking you wouldn’t.

Men must be so intimidated by your height!

Well, I am married to a taller man and I have dated shorter men, which was never a problem. Asking me this question implies that you think men don’t find me attractive. In a society where looks count for a lot, that can be hurtful.

Did you play netball at school?

I didn’t, actually. I was terrible at sports. Just because I am tall, doesn’t mean I am sporty. Are you going to ask a black person if he is a good runner because of his skin colour? Unlikely – you’d be considered a racist if you did. So why is it okay to assume things about me because of my physical appearance?

Could you get that down for me?

I honestly don’t mind helping people get things down from shelves, but only when I offer. I do not appreciate people asking me to get beans down from the top shelf while I am having a conversation with my husband about what to cook for dinner. Just because I am tall doesn’t mean I want to help you.

You must be at least six foot three!

This usually comes from men who aren’t six foot, but wish they were. I used to model. I was measured professionally. Trust me when I say I am six foot tall. This means you are definitely less than six foot. Please don’t try to bolter your own self-worth by making it seem I am taller than I already am. Thank you.

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Denise Snodell: Jingle Bell curveball: bargains, bling, Bing

By Denise Snodell,Special to The Star

“You can always get a similar coat from the men’s section.”

These words were said to me by a cheerful retail manager. I was shopping for myself.

An upfront disclaimer is appropriate, since it’s the holiday season and all: This was a first-world situation. As first-world-y as it gets. None of this really matters.

But here’s what happened. I was on a Christmas gift-buying mission. The goal was to pick up specific treasures for the dearies on my list. Yet I became distracted when I saw something for myself.

Not my fault. Marketing gurus design stores to make us stop in our tracks for selfish purchases. We’re lured to their establishments with “door busters” and sparkly holiday décor and piped-in atmosphere. What I call bargains, bling and Bing. These profit maximizers strategically display items front and center to make the primary gift purchaser spend on herself as well.

That’s right: herself. I’m not being sexist here. I’ve worked in television. These coveted shoppers happen to be women from ages 25 to none-of-your business. It’s the mother of all demographics. I fall into that group. I’m a victim.

So, I popped into a chain store that outfits both sexes. I had my list and good intentions. Within seconds, though, my eyes landed on an abundant display of lightweight “packable” down jackets in a most alluring palette of colors. I had never seen such a nicely tapered down coat in a cool shade of kiwi. A present for myself! Why not? Like a shivery moth to a bright flame, I pounced.

Mistake. I could tell within seconds the sleeves would not accommodate my lengthy wingspan. Typical. I circled to the other side of the display to discover an equally generous offering, but in petites. Petites! There’s ALWAYS petites. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.

In a full Jan Brady rage, I grabbed a dainty coat and marched it to the manager. I inquired, “You have a ton of these in regulars and petites — any longs?” He checked the computer. Nope. No tall kiwis in existence. He could have left it there. But he didn’t.

He looked at me and said THAT line: “You can always get a similar coat from the men’s section.”

Blink.

Blink, blink, blink.

Stunned, I stood there, staring at this oaf for what seemed a full holiday season. Was it my job to explain to a clothing retailer you don’t tell a woman who’s perpetually searching for the rare jacket that covers her wrists to buy … a man’s coat? Boxy “loden green” lumberjack gear does not equal a gracefully tailored kiwi jacket.

They can put an astronaut on the moon. They can make an enormous plastic Big-Mouth-Billy-Bass-Fish-In-A-Santa-Hat-Lawn-Inflatable ($99 at Lowe’s. Seriously). But they can’t make sleeves long enough for tall women? Large and small stores alike devote tons of real estate to the other side of the bell curve. Petite sections are everywhere. Have you ever seen a tall section for women? I rest my case.

Retailers frequently swat me away with, “Look online.” Internet choices are limited as well, which explains my recent tweet: “Pretty ironic I can’t find any decent tall clothing on Amazon.”

I don’t recall what I finally said to that store manager, but I do remember dashing out of the place, feeling as deflated as a vinyl Billy Bass yard decoration at high noon. A man coat! I went straight home to check the mirror for 5 o’clock shadow.

Right now, I’m still behind with gift shopping. I was thrown off balance. Can you blame me? I’m as distracted and exasperated as Ralphie in “A Christmas Story.” It seems I have my own elusive Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot range model air rifle. It’s a lightweight packable tapered kiwi down jacket that actually fits.

As Ralphie learned, I’ll eventually begin to focus on what really matters. Meanwhile, fa la la la la. Look for me scrambling in the stores. I’m the one in the man parka.

Denise Snodell writes alternate weeks. Reach her at stripmalltree@gmail.com. On Twitter: @DeniseSnodell

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Written by my good friend Uche Belinda Nnoka

Question for any tall readers: At the places where you spend the bulk of your day, do you feel the need to dumb down on elements of your personality or character because people have issues with your height?

I'm a 6ft 8ins tall black female and throughout my life I have found that people have issues with my presence. Typically, any disagreements I have with an issue or point of view are angrily rebuffed with 'just because you're tall!' (there was seldom a complete sentence with that statement) or 'I'm not afraid of you!' I also find that people want to argue with me a lot more than with others because in their mind, I'm trying to dominate them with my presence as opposed to my reason. Why should it automatically be assumed that I am trying to be intimidating? Isn't it possible that I was disagreeing because their argument had no sound reason or logic? Rest assured that when ever I am trying to explain my point of view or disagreeing with something, trying to overwhelm people with my height isn't is never the strategy!

To many, tall people represent intimidation, despised authority, domination, oppression and someone to be fought with, which is curious. This can in turn result in a lot of hostility from those with such feelings as they spend their time and energy devising ways to try and put us down without even getting to know us. I wonder why tall people are viewed in the negative, more than in the positive? Well, this has largely been my experience anyway. How can the fact that you are a few inches taller have such a bizarre effect on people?

As this happened so often, I found myself saying little in meetings, or not offering my real point of view when it was asked for, for fear of being misunderstood. I was then looked at as not being a particularly useful member of the team because I wasn't participating in the conversations!! I found myself second guessing everything I was planning to say so as to not come across as 'aggressive' and 'domineering' and so consequently I said very little.

In addition to not saying very much in meetings I found that somehow my sense of style changed too. I was never told to change the way I looked but, somehow I ended up becoming a blander version of myself. I no longer wore my funky earrings or my chunky bracelets; I went from wearing clothing which was vibrant and colourful to having a wardrobe that consisted of largely black and blue colours. When I spoke to people I found myself tongue tied and unable to express myself adequately, much to the exasperation of those I was speaking to as well as myself.

Unless we are very strong mentally this is what happens when we consciously or unconsciously try to change ourselves into a version that people find acceptable. We become less than the people that God intended us to be.

It took me a while to realise all of this but when I did, I made the necessary changes with speed and precision. I left the church that I was attending (yes, this sort of mess happens in churches too), I quit jobs and I walked away from negative people whose strange behaviour was sapping my soul.

I do sometimes lament that I wasn't emotionally strong enough when I was younger to be myself regardless. It is a shame that it has taken me so long to get back to being who I really am, but better late than never. I still have opinions that are typically different to those around me, and it still causes friction at times, but I'm completely unbothered by this. I've decided that if I had no malice or ill intent in my heart when I was putting my point across and people choose to view that as my being intimidating or aggressive, that's on them. I refuse to waste my time and energy trying to placate the insecurities of such individuals. As I type this I'm wearing my red and black dress with my large hoop earrings which are almost the same size as a saucer just like I used to do! Stella has got her groove back!

Did you ever go through anything like this? If so how did you deal with it?

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How to deal with destructive males

A good friend of mine just posted a somewhat depressing piece on her blog. Understandably I'm not going to tell you who we are talking about.

In my experience it's "good girls" who are really keen to be in a committed relationship who hurt the most. They tend to be over 40 and know better but they still expect "Prince Charming" to come their way. In some cases this may be true. There may still be a "Prince Charming", but the law of averages tells me that you can't rely on what a man tells you. You need to put them on the spot. Tell them what you want and see (verify) if they are willing and / or able to deliver.

It's a fact: most men would rather go to be with you (for a one-night stand), than commit to you. How can you stop this for happening? Good question. It's not easy. But there are some ways...

1. Make sure you never call them first
2. Never meet them in your own hom
3. Don't let them pay for both your menus
4. Ask the right questions (in case you still want kids... ask them if they want kids etc.)
5. Never ever sound needy. They will use the knowledge to their advantage

Roxane Gay’s writing appears in Best American Mystery Stories 2014, Best American Short Stories 2012, Best Sex Writing 2012, A Public Space, McSweeney’s, Tin House, Oxford American, American Short Fiction, Virginia Quarterly Review, and many others.

She is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. She is the author of the books Ayiti, An Untamed State, the New York Times bestselling Bad Feminist, the nationally bestselling Difficult Women and the New York Times bestselling Hunger.

She is also the author of World of Wakanda for Marvel. She has several books forthcoming and is also at work on television and film projects.

Visit her website

Employee suspended by National Museum obsessed with tall women with long legs, court told

Dr Andrew Halpin has sued his employer over his formal suspension from his position as Assistant Keeper of Irish Antiquities.

AN EMPLOYEE OF the National Museum of Ireland who is challenging his suspension had "an obsession with tall women with long legs", the High Court has heard.

Dr Andrew Halpin has sued his employer over his formal suspension from his position as Assistant Keeper of Irish Antiquities following media reports in February 2017.

Dr Halpin, who claims his suspension is unwarranted and unlawful, was the subject of complaints of sexual harassment from female colleagues at the museum in 2016 and 2006.

He was informed he was being suspended to protect individuals at risk based on an alleged fear that due to the stress of adverse publicity there might be a repeat of conduct previously complained of.

Dr Halpin says any claim that others are at risk are false and in proceedings against the museum seeks various declarations from the High Court which if granted will allow him to return to work.

The claims are denied.

The High Court today heard Dr Halpin was sanctioned following an investigation into an allegation of by a female colleague in 2006. He did not dispute the complaint and was sanctioned by the museum.

Another complaint of sexual harassment was made in 2016, which Dr Halpin, with an address at Yellowmeadows Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin disputed.

A report into that allegation concluded there was no conclusive evidence to support the claim of sexual harassment.

Models

However as part of that investigation 700 pictures of "scantily clad" tall female fashion models were downloaded onto work computers by Dr Halpin were found.

The images were not pornographic, explicit or unlawful, however some of them had been altered by Dr Halpin to make the women look taller.

Oisin Quinn SC for the museum said it appeared that Dr Halpin had "an obsession with tall women with long legs". Dr Halpin cited stress as a reason for downloading this material.

Following the 2016 matter he was told by the museum not to have any physical contact with colleagues bar a handshake, not to work alone with female colleagues, and his internet access was limited. He also underwent counselling.

The case came before the High Court by way of a pre-trial application for the discovery of certain material.

Oisin Quinn SC for the museum said that it appeared that Dr Halpin had “an obsession with” and had downloaded the material “to indulge his fantasies” about tall women with long legs.

The museum seeks an order requiring Dr Halpin to give them certain medical records, including ones concerning his mental health, in advance of the trial.

Mr Quinn said the records are both "relevant and necessary" for its defence to the action.

Absurd

Counsel said as Dr Halpin seeks declarations that the museum is not entitled to require Dr Halpin to undergo either a psychiatric or neuropsychological assessment it would be “absurd” that he did not provide the medical information sought by the defendant.

Frank Callanan SC for Dr Halpin rejected the arguments advanced on behalf of the museum and said the records sought were not relevant.

Counsel said the application was "fishing" by the museum.

It was an attempt find something it didn’t know about at time it suspended Dr Halpin to see if that decision was right.

Counsel said his suspension was done to satisfy the media and create a distraction from other management issues concerning the museum.

There was no medical or lawful justification for his client to undergo medical assessments sought by the defendant, counsel said, adding the application was “punishment for suing the museum”, and "a PR stunt."

Dr Halpin was suspended after the previous matters had been dealt with, counsel said adding that his client had been caused intense upset and had been degraded and humiliated.

In reply Mr Quinn rejected claims made on Dr Halpin’s behalf.

Following the conclusion of submission from both sides Ms Justice Dierdre Murphy reserved judgment on the application. The Judge said she wanted time to consider the issues raised and would try to give her decision "as soon as possible."

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The family of Thailand's tallest girl, who died at age 24 last week, will donate her body to Siriraj Hospital, with hopes that it will benefit medical students.

Malee Duangdee, who was last measured at 212 centimeters, died on Saturday from a heart attack related to other chronic diseases. Malee was once recognized in the Guinness World Records in 2009 as the tallest woman in the world when she was 17 years old and measured 207 centimeters.

Thai Red Cross Society transported her body to Siriraj Hospital last night as her family hopes medical students can further their knowledge by studying her body. In Thai culture, a dead person used in medical study is respected and referred to as a "principal" among the students.

Over 3,000 people attended Malee’s funeral in Chang Kluea Temple in her hometown of Trat province, Nation TV reported.

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By Kamilah Aisha Moon | Feb 26, 2016
Special to espnW.com

In honor of Black History Month, espnW is running a weekly personal essay about the influence of black female athletes.

I've always admired tall, strong, Amazonian women -- well before I reached 5'11" myself. Statuesque women exude a combination of confidence, power and femininity that can't be beat.

More from espnW.com

Reflecting on Olympic medalist Gabby DouglasA writer explores her connection to Flo-JoA writer reflects on ignoring black women athletes

As an Afro-puffed, chubby-cheeked girl, I sported my Wonder Woman raincoat, lunch box and backpack everywhere. My jump rope was my golden truth lasso, and I even broke my arm three times jumping off the back porch of our East Nashville apartment in my Wonder Woman swimsuit, trying to emulate her physical feat of effortlessly leaping from buildings on the show.

At some point, the live-action comic superhero I adored became eclipsed by a real-life wonder of a woman who lived in my hometown: Wilma Glodean Rudolph. She was lithe and sinewy. Her life was a study in outrunning pain and difficulty into a hard won freedom. Wilma hurdled a bedridden childhood that included scarlet fever, polio and an early doctor's prognosis of never being able to walk.

I loved knowing that her family did everything in their power to help her, taking long bus trips back and forth from Nashville's Meharry Medical Hospital to Clarksville, Tennessee, and taking turns rubbing her twisted limbs multiple times a day until she shed those braces forever. She cherished the love she came from as the source of her strength.

Though her father was a porter and her mother was a maid, she knew how spiritually and emotionally wealthy she was to come from their devoted love, surrounded by 21 caring siblings. I come from a similar foundation of love, and like her, I never take my family's support for granted.

My parents attended Tennessee State University a few years after Wilma became track-and-field royalty. She was the most famous of the school's Tigerbelles track team led by Ed Temple, one of the most successful coaches in the university's history. A sociology professor, he had a special eye for recognizing and cultivating young black athletes. The Tigerbelles were regarded as goddesses on campus; their record of achievement in the track and field world remains unparalleled -- they were unstoppable. Coach Temple promoted unity and teamwork, instilling an incredible work ethic in the women he coached into Olympic champions.

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Elizabeth Debicki is an Australian actress that was born in France. When she was five her family moved to Melbourne, Australia, where she began to walk down the path that would eventually lead her to where she is at this point and time. This rather tall woman, she stands about 6'2", has been noted as an outstanding student and has gained awards aplenty since her time in high school and is now set on making a film, TV, and stage career worth mentioning. She’s already accomplished at least a third of that goal and is still hard at work to attain the fame that she desires. With any luck and the talent that she already possesses she will continue to shine in the productions that want her and those that she auditions for.

So far she’s done a great job of getting noticed.

5. She’s very much into escaping from her own life for a little while.

As a child she liked to imagine herself as one of the characters that she happened to enjoy at the time. Children pretending to be their favorite stars and heroes is nothing new but this allowed Elizabeth to become her own person and attain a level of comfort with herself and those around her that helped her to grow and develop into someone that could slip into a role quite easily.

4. She doesn’t like to sit still.

Once she’s done with a role she wants to know what comes next. With some people this could be an indication that they are restless, that they have a wandering spirit and can’t settle no matter how comfortable they might be. With Elizabeth it feels more as though she’s eager to see what else she can do and what other roles are out there that might be right for her.

3. She trained as a dancer before going into theater.

She was about five when she started to learn ballet. The performing arts have been her field since then, though she moved into drama after a while and started gaining high marks for her performances and the ability to slip into her roles so easily. Even at a younger age it seemed that she was destined to go further, to possibly show the world what she could do.

2. She made her film debut in 2011.

She made her film debut in the movie titled A Few Best Men. She’s a relative newcomer to film despite having been around for a few years now. Chances are that at the rate she’s going now she could see a great deal of improvement in her roles and a greater involvement across the board if she plays her cards right. She is a skilled actress and should expect to see herself in bigger movies as time goes on.

1. She’s been nominated for several awards.

She’s been nominated for several but to date has only won one of note. She won Best Actress In a Supporting Role for her part in the Great Gatsby. The award was bestowed upon her by Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts.

She’s here, and there’s no limit to how high she can go.

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This piece is from 2009 but still worth reading...

Kara Cooney is a striking, six-foot-tall Irish/Italian-American brunette with a quick wit and an odd fascination with things that would bore the pants off of many young women."I love anything old and dead," she says. "I have always loved anything old and dead... but Egypt just had this special quality. I've been doing this since 1994, when I started graduate school, and I have not been disappointed yet.

"It's an incredibly powerful culture and an incredibly innovative culture. I'm still waiting to be disappointed. There are still moments where I go, 'Oh, my God.'

"I'm not bored."

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Ford Model from Lawndale Launches Series of Confidence Chats with Chicago’s Youth

5/16/2018, noon | Updated on 5/16/2018, noon 

Robin Harris, a fashion model represented by Ford Models, with an MBA in International Business has launched a series of confidence chats. Harris has been in the fashion industry for over 10 years, working as a professional model, designer, merchandiser, and creative director. She created MODEL ATELIER to fill the void and frustration that tall women have when it comes to finding stylish clothes that’s the perfect fit and length.

The mission of Confidence Chat is to empower young girls to love themselves as they are, and to know why confidence is so important to develop and have in order to face life’s challenges. The chats are a series of 4 scheduled throughout the year to be held from 10AM to NOON at the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School located at 2641 S Calumet Ave. in Chicago. The first Confidence Chat was held on May 5 and covered topics such as:

• Confidence is a mindset
• Health and Wellness
• Confidence in your appearance and style
• Paying Confidence Forward

ABOUT MODEL ATELIER:

MODEL ATELIER is a luxury design house exclusively for the tall, strong, and confident woman. It offers finely crafted ready-to-wear collections tailored for women 5’7’’and taller. Harris works together with an in-house design team to produce the finest clothing, content, and style for tall women. At MODEL ATELIER, they celebrate tall women and design modern clothing to fit the tall woman’s individual lifestyle. The company shares a common interest of being innovative, exceeding expectations, and embracing an entrepreneurial mindset. Harris is also developing a Historically Black College tour for 10 kids to visit Spellman, Morehouse College and Howard University.

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Northern grad, former reality TV star Rabenberg brings comedy act to town

By Kelda J.L. Pharris - kpharris@aberdeennews.com

She's a Mobridge native and former Northern State University basketball player, TV reality star and life coach. Now Krista Rabenberg wants to make you laugh.

Rabenberg, 31, is bringing Las Vegas Laughs, with sketch comedian Steven Briggs, to the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, 1400 Eighth Ave. N.W. Shows are today and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Krista Rabenberg brings a comedy act to Aberdeen this weekend. She once played basketball for Northern State University and was on the show "My Giant Life." Courtesy photo

Comedian wasn't a career path Rabenberg took seriously right away, but it seemed to fit. The reality show wanted to run with it, and being a 6-foot, 6-inch tall woman, she had a lot of goofy things to talk about. Like crouching in bathroom stalls because she doesn't want to stand up and frighten anyone when her frame pops her head up over the doors, she said. Yes, it's a thing.

"(Comedy) is an escape for a lot of people for how crazy it is in the world right now," Rabenberg said by phone Thursday. "People need that coping method. I didn't take it seriously for a while. Once I took that perspective, I thought that I can really help people, just in a different way than I thought I would be."

Comedy is taking the front burner for Rabenberg right now. She has signed contracts with talent management companies in Canada and Las Vegas, where she is currently based. She said her Aberdeen shows are a test run with the potential for a tour through South Dakota, but nothing is on the calendar.

Previously she was on the reality series "My Giant Life." It focused on women who were exceptionally tall. Her roommate in the series was 6-foot-9. It was weird being the shorter person for one time in her life, Rabenberg said. All of those experiences, and a continuous supply from her private life, keep her material fresh.

A large part of her life while she was on "My Giant Life" played out on social media. She'd meet clients online who sought her as a life coach, which her line of work at the time. Because of her TV fame there was some unwanted attention from men who had "kinks" or "fetishes" about tall women, she said. Her decision to try standup comedy yielded better attention than her work as a life coach, she said.

Strangely enough, it has put her extensive education in psychology to good use, Rabenberg said.

Advance tickets are $15 for general admission, $25 for VIP with meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. They are available at bit.ly/2KGuSCA. General admission tickets are $20 at the door.

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Geena Davis: ‘After Thelma & Louise, people said things would improve for women in film. They didn’t’

Having built a career playing strong women, the Hollywood star is taking on sexism in the film industry, with a gender equality project that will launch at this year’s London film festival

By Elizabeth Day

Geena Davis is tall, very tall. In her bare feet, she reaches 6ft. Today, she is wearing 5in wedge heels and towers over everyone in the near vicinity.

This is worth remarking upon not because Davis’s appearance is the most interesting thing about her – it isn’t, not by a long mark – but because it shows her willingness to occupy a space, to lay claim to it. There is an assertiveness to her physical presence. Most tall women feel the need to slouch or wear flats or somehow make themselves seem that little bit less intimidating. Davis clearly has no truck with this. As she walks across to meet me, shoulders back, smile in place, arm outstretched to shake my hand, her entire stance is one of easy confidence.

Davis has long made it her mission to ensure women occupy more space in a notoriously sexist business. The film industry has never been an equal opportunities employer. But we are meeting at a time when the plates seem to be shifting. Several actresses have recently spoken out about unequal treatment and an increasing number of films are being made with complicated, interesting female protagonists at the helm. Are we at a watershed moment?

“The women in the industry, I think, are remarkable,” Davis says cautiously. “A lot of people are becoming very comfortable about saying it’s not fair.”

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She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Lord Byron

Having It Tall - Starts Here

I'm a 6'2" woman. What's the ideal way for me to respond when people (almost always men and total strangers) ask, out of the blue, "How does a woman your height find boyfriends?" - Annoyed 

I'd opt for the macabre approach, delivered totally deadpan: "Actually, I stretch short men on a rack in my basement. You can sometimes hear the screams from the side yard."

Responding with shocking humor - in an uber-cool tone - gives you the upper hand in a way an enraged response to their rudeness would not. And yes, people who say this to you are rude - assuming you don't go around wearing a sign that reads "Hey, strangers, ask me anything! Nothing's too impolite or too personal!"

Of course, when people overstep (as maybe 6,055 other people have done previously), it's natural to get angry - to go loud and ugly in calling them on their rudeness. However, that sort of directness - explicitly telling them that they've wronged you - is probably counterproductive. Social psychologist Elliot Aronson finds that people are highly prone to "self-justification" - the ego-defending denial that they've behaved badly.

Making matters worse, our fight-or-flight system reflexively reacts to verbal attacks in the same adrenalized way it does to physical attacks. So, angry directness from you is likely to provoke a rudester into amping up the ugly - turning around and deeming you rude, wrong, and "Wow…testy!" for your response.

Ultimately, using humor as I suggested - an over-the-top statement, delivered flatly - allows you to restructure the power balance, shifting yourself out of the victim position. You're clearly informing the person they've crossed a line, with minimal aggression on your part. This is important because, as a tall girl, your energy is best put to more productive ends - folding yourself up like origami to fly in coach and fighting the Statue of Liberty for the extremely tall guys of Tinder.

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Height Shaming: Tall Women Tell Us Their Experiences

Lateefah Jean-Baptiste ‎22‎ ‎May‎ ‎2018, ‎08‎:‎10

Growing up, I was always the tallest girl in school. People would often make remarks about my height; standing at 6’2, they still do. I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked if I play basketball or model, although these comments never really phase me and, if I'm honest, I find the latter quite flattering. During my teenage years, though, I would often overhear strangers making mean comments about my height. Both children and, to my surprise, adults, would refer to my height as if it were some sort of burden, or an undesirable attribute that would make me incapable of attracting men. That used to make me feel really insecure.

I know I'm not the only one who feels like this. A lot of tall women grow up feeling insecure about their height, and have to come to terms with the fact that no matter where they go, someone is going to make a comment, good or bad.

Ahead, six women talk about how they deal with being height-shamed on a regular basis...

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Conventional beauty standards do not promote health, they rather create the false narrative that there is only one ideal body type, and we unquestioningly subscribe to this

Reesha Ahmed | 04 November, 2021, 01:00 pm | Last modified: 04 November, 2021, 01:10 pm

Although body-shaming has become a popular topic of discussion in our society, there is another aspect of body-related prejudice that we turn a blind eye to. This is none other than heightism – the discrimination against individuals based on their heights.

This phenomenon affects multiple aspects of life in contemporary society, including but not limited to job prospects, romantic relationships, media portrayal and athletics. Unrealistic and unattainable beauty standards objectify human beings, reducing them to their physical characteristics alone. When it comes to height ideals, men bear the brunt of stigmatisation.

"I do not understand why short men think they can talk to me", a 22-year-old woman expressed this sentiment to her friend in a conversation about their preferences in men. The "conventionally pretty woman meets a conventionally handsome man" trope that we are accustomed to seeing on screen has undeniably played a part in perpetuating this discrimination.

When was the last time TV showed you a romantic relationship between a tall woman and a shorter man? The dearth of diversity on screen reinforces these stereotypes, resulting in the attractiveness of men being judged as proportional to their height.

Countless social science surveys have delineated the role played by mass attitudes in the institutional privileging of tall people. The public uncritically attributes positive traits such as intelligence, likeability, dependability, and leadership to tallness.

According to Arianne Cohen, author of "The Tall Book", men who are taller get promoted more, paid more and are considered better leaders than their shorter counterparts, not because they are more deserving, but because, "They've sort of gotten a halo in the society at this point", she says.

A study conducted by Andrew Leigh, an economist at the Australian National University, found that men who are 6-feet tall had annual incomes nearly 1,000 dollars more than men only 2 inches shorter, simply because taller people are perceived to be more intelligent and powerful.

Unsurprisingly, these advantages are conferred partly because taller people tend to exude confidence and leadership.

Eamonn Crowe opens up about the bullying and name-calling he faced at a young and impressionable age in his feature for the University of Exeter's student newspaper. He remembers being referred to as "vertically challenged" by a teacher in a classroom full of students.

"When I was younger, I often included a plea to be taller in my night-time prayers and I remember researching surgeries that claimed to make you taller online", he recalls. Those of shorter stature are conditioned to believe their height is a disability.

Eamonn confesses that growing up, he was conscious of his height, "I saw it as hindering my ability to be cool, attractive or masculine." Even though he has managed to overcome this insecurity later in his life, the account of his hardships is a testament to the fact that the shame many men experience throughout their lives because of the toxic male stereotypes that have been forced upon them.

So it is of little wonder that they do not have soaring confidence. Tall people have their fair share of struggles (discomfort in airplanes or cars, stooping down to talk to people), but these difficulties do not have the "systematic nature of oppression."

The oppression of short people is characterised by the negative view of shortness bound up within the myth of tallness. But discriminatory attitudes change according to gender. That is not to say that women are not discriminated against for not conforming to ideals.

However, in the context of heightism, men suffer the height of prejudice. Within the myth of tallness, tall and short are codes for masculine and feminine respectively. Since women are expected to possess "feminine" traits, it makes sense to society when they are short. Already the downtrodden sex, they fit neatly into patriarchal expectations and eventually are marginalised and disenfranchised on the basis of height and gender.

But patriarchy is a standard that entraps everyone, men and women alike. So, let us have a look at masculinity in the eyes of the patriarchy. Masculinity is defined by a set of immutable characteristics. Being tall, domineering, and imposing, all connote manhood.

The big macho tough guy is the epitome of toxic masculinity, and any man who fails to adhere to these constraining and potentially dangerous societal standards will be ostracised, excluded, rejected, and held up as an object of ridicule.

Humans come in a variety of heights and with the exception of hormonal conditions, overall, there is no way for one to increase one's height. Each person is born with genes that determine how tall he or she becomes. Height becomes an unattainable beauty standard once adult size is reached.

Setting a "normal" acceptable range for something that is beyond human control, and subjecting those who do not measure up to these absurd standards to discrimination and predjudicial treatment are nothing short of outrageous.

Ideal beauty has consistently been unattainable, and has led many to suffer through anxiety, depression, body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and even death. Crushed by the weight of the feeling of not being worthy, valid, enough, some are pushed to the brink of suicide.

In 2000, Robert Dunbar, an evolutionary anthropologist at University of Oxford, UK, pointed out the correlation between the stature and social acceptability of men. His research showed that shorter men not only earned less but were also less likely to marry and have children.

"Because you never quite catch up if you start small, so all your life you find yourself at the bottom of the social pile. One could imagine that this might give rise to suicidal tendencies eventually," says Dunbar.

The global news publication Insider combined medical data to calculate the mean height for each of the 25 shortest countries in the world. Bangladesh ranks 9th on the list. The average Bangladeshi is 5 feet 1.92 inches tall, and the average Bangladeshi man is around 5'5.

One may conjecture that the bias against short men is nonexistent in a country where being "short" is the norm. But this is far from the truth. Heightism is just as pervasive and entrenched in our society as in any other.

In our culture, it is unacceptable for a woman to marry a shorter man, and if she goes against the crowd and dares to do so, she will never hear the end of it. Moreover, Bangladeshis, too, have a propensity for cruelty. Shorter people find themselves on the receiving end of teasing and name-calling at school, at work, and even at home.

The effects of short-shaming are multidimensional, culminating in irreversible damage to one's mental health. We must recognise that body-shaming in any form or shape is more than just cruel words. We must ask ourselves why aesthetics are more important to us than kindness.

This is when body positivity comes into play. Some argue that body positivity enables those who are complacent and lazy, and neglect taking care of themselves. This is a common misconception. This argument is rendered invalid by the fundamentals of body positivity.

Conventional beauty standards do not promote health, they rather create the false narrative that there is only one ideal body type, and we unquestioningly subscribe to this. This is damaging for people who do not fit these criteria. On the contrary, body positivity is founded on positive psychology, which focuses on respecting and appreciating one's body, whilst taking care of it.

Self-love and self-care are not mutually exclusive. People are sometimes shamed for physical features which cannot be altered, such as height. A body positive society has no room for bullying. Those who still call body positivity an excuse for being lazy are perhaps just looking for an excuse to be cruel.

For men with a low centre of gravity to have high self-esteem, we need to reevaluate what it truly means to be a man. Viewing something as superficial as a man's physical stature as a measure of his masculinity is one of the many problematic practices that we have to unlearn.

The word "manly" can denote courage, kindness and strength: the courage to stand up against injustice, kindness for all, especially those in need, and the strength of character to flourish even in the face of adversity.

It is imperative that the height hierarchy, beauty stereotypes and conventional expectations are dismantled so that people can take ownership of their authentic, multifaceted selves and understand that they are worthy, valid, enough just the way they are.

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