As with any relationship, there are ups and downs. But one relationship that many people assume to be blissful is the relationship between tall girls and the fashion industry: “It’s Complicated.”
It seems to be common knowledge that if you want to be a fashion or runway model, you usually need to be tall. Clothing companies and designers look for girls with “legs for days” as I have heard it said.
Typically, models are at least 5’9” and up. On the runway and in websites’ pictures clothing looks great - the models are tall and the clothing looks cute like they were made for the model and her height. These girls rock the clothes and give the companies what they want - a good picture.
However, something that I have noticed being 5’11” myself, is that even though clothing/fashion companies want girls around my height to model their clothes, if you actually want to go and buy the clothes - they are WAY too short. And by short I mean that I try on a dress and it looks like a shirt. The amount of clothing I own that I have had to buy a size of two larger than what I am just so that things are appropriate (cover my butt) is ridiculous. I have even been in clothing stores where a worker is tall, sees me, and tells me that she has already tried - but unless I want this dress to be a shirt or these jeans to be capris, to not buy it.
But none of this makes sense, right? Tall girls, clothing, and fashion always go together, right? Wrong. The fashion industry loves tall girls, this is true. But they love them for what they can get out of them, a photograph. In reality, most clothing companies do not make things that for tall girls. Especially tall young girls. Most “trendy” clothing companies are not going to take the time and money to make clothing to make clothing that taller girls would fit into.
Honestly, when I was younger I hated being tall. I refused to wear any shoe with the slightest heel and would hunch over to appear shorter. I always struggled to find clothes long enough and eventually let it get to me. Looking back on this, I am disappointed. I wish I could go back and tell myself to buy that pair of wedges and to stand up straight.
Even though the fashion industry uses us for our height and barely offers us clothes that fit in return, I love being tall. Loving this took overcoming that self-consciousness, but I learned that tall is beautiful - and not just for a photograph. It is not always easy. I have hit my head on plenty of doors and have been turned down by plenty of boys because of my height. Any tall girls that haven’t learned to love it yet - embrace your height. Don’t listen to any snarky comments about how you are taller than most boys or people that only see you for how tall you are. If you can’t find clothes that are long enough - don’t give up. It’s true that it’s harder for us to find clothes than most people, but not impossible. Maybe one day that fashion industry will offer clothing that girls the height of their models can realistically wear.
