According to UberFacts, If you are 6 feet 2 inches tall, then you are taller than 94% of the world.
One day I was in Walmart checking out. I had on a cute, flirty, velvet skater dress, thigh highs, and my favorite lace-up black booties. My shoes increased my already amazonian height by four inches.
The young cashier, who was scanning my items, looked at me, smiled, and then asked a question I had grown tired of answering in my 32 years of existence, “How tall are you?”
Seeing that she too was tall, I buried my sometimes blank stare of disapproval and annoyance and answered with a smile, “I’m 6’2.” She then asked, “How do you get the confidence to wear heels? I’m 5’10,” and I’m afraid people will think I’m too tall.”
Her question was valid and took me back to when I was her age and beyond. I’ve ALWAYS been tall. I remember my 5th-grade teacher lining us up according to height. At the time, I towered over most of my classmates standing at 5’7″, which is pretty uncommon for a ten-year-old girl. I was always in the back of the line with the stinky and immature boys.
I answer her question candidly, “At some point, you just stop giving a f*’ck,” referring to the thoughts and opinions of others. Her question not only made me wonder when did I gain this confidence, but it also made me wonder how?
When I was her age, I, too, was scared to wear heels. I disliked the comments, attention, teasing, and questions associated with being tall. But at some point, there was a shift. I went from a closet full of sneakers to a closet full of heels. Now, I embrace my height at any given a chance.
As I process the “how,” I would like to share my process with parents who are raising daughters above average height. My hope is that it doesn’t take them 32 years to embrace their height, but they do so while they are young!
Here are 5 tips on helping your daughter feel more comfortable with being tall:
Connect her with tall women on social media
Connecting with other tall women on social media helped me to stop feeling awkward about my height. Seeing other women embrace their long legs, gave me the courage to do so as well. 12 years ago, I first connected with a group of tall women on Twitter by using the hashtag #Tallgirls and #Longlegs. From the use of that hashtag, I connected with other tall women who I have built long-lasting friendships with.
There are millions of tall women embracing their height on social media. Below are the ones I currently follow (Click on each picture to view their page):
Another way to connect with the tall community is by using hashtags. Here is a list of the most popular tall hashtags on social media:
#tall #tallgirls #tallgirl #tallwomen #tallstyle #teamtall #tallfashion #tallgirlproblems #tallgirlsrock #tallwomensclothing #tallgirlstyle #tallandproud #longlegs #tallgirlsunite #teamtallgirls #tallisbeautiful #tallcommunity #tallgirlsolutions #tallgirlsclub #tallwoman #tallclothes
Watch “Tall Girl” together on Netflix
Jodi, the tallest girl in her high school, has always felt uncomfortable in her own skin. But after years of slouching, being made fun of, and avoiding attention at all costs, Jodi finally decides to find the confidence to stand tall. This film was cute, relatable, and taught a valuable lesson on young women learning to embrace their height. Watch the trailer here:
Find social groups for tall people
There are social organizations that are designed to support women 5’10” and taller. Some of these groups offer college scholarships for tall students. Another option is finding a “Tall” Meetup group, if there isn’t one listed in your area, you should start one! This is a great way to connect with other tall women in person.
Buy clothes specifically designed for tall girls
One of the awkward parts of being tall is finding clothes. Let’s keep it real, although the fashion industry loves tall women for modeling, finding clothes to accentuate our height can frequently be a challenge. I remember being a teenager, going shopping for school clothes, and becoming frustrated because the pants weren’t long enough, and neither were the sleeves. Ill-fitting clothes can take a jab at your self-esteem and confidence to wear your height proudly.
Here are clothing brands that cater to tall women (Click on each picture to view each website):