Advice For The Vertically Challenged

GreenAura
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 02:50 pm: [report]

Okay, you are complaining about being 5’5”?? Sorry, but I have ZERO sympathy for you.  At a prominent 5’1”, I would give my left pinky toe to be your height.  I’m a good looking girl, but because of my vertical challenge, I end up in the “cute” category.  Baby ducks are cute goddammit!! And I am no baby duck.

Taurwen
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 02:57 pm: [report]

Yea, I was kinda thinking the same thing, I don’t consider five foot five to be all that short.

Ali Jawin
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:00 pm: [report]

Not short, but in the not terribly interesting average range. I think under five five is adorable and pixie-sexy, while five six and over is leggy-sexy. I myself might just have this problem because I have super short legs. Five five girls with more equal proportions are probably A-OK with their height.

dudette
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:12 pm: [report]

5 5 definitely isnt short.  like greenaura im also 5 1 and I accept it.  But since you are not short, your tip about wearing long maxi dresses is completely wrong.  Real short girls cant pull it off for some reason.

GreenAura
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:13 pm: [report]

@ Ali:  pixie-sexy is something I could totally embrace.  I have gotten compared to Tinkerbell on more than one occasion and I must admit that I kinda liked it.  I now see where you are coming from!

snap
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:20 pm: [report]

5’5 for a woman is NOT short.  that’s much closer to average.  i’m in the low 5’s, and many women i know range between 5’0 and 5’3.  5’5 is definitely NOT short at all.  i’ve never met anyone else who thinks that 5’5 is short for a woman.  for a man, definitely.  for a woman?  not at all.

snap
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:21 pm: [report]

and i LOVE being short.  men LOVE small girls, and i can date any man.  especially since there are so many short men.  if i were tall, like 5’5, it would pretty much rule out any man under 6’0.  and i already prefer men who are at least 8 or so inches taller than me!

joyy
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:28 pm: [report]

Maybe this is more of a “tips for how to make your legs look longer” post - I don’t think I could ever pull off a maxi dress and I’m 5’4”.  I work with a lady who is a little shorter than I am, but I realized one day that she just LOOKS way shorter because she also has the long torso/shorter legs thing going on.  But she’s got this giant laugh and very lively personality, so she doesn’t seem like a small *person*, just a fantastic lady who is shorter than me.

jimnist10
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:38 pm: [report]

UGH! 5’5”? You complaining about 5’5”??? Yeah, the maxi dress isn’t even an option for my short self, who is a commanding “5 foot 2” (I’m actually 5’ 1 1/2”, but since my driver’s license says 5’2”, that’s what I tell everyone ) ANYWAY, nothing is more upsetting than seeing a cute maxi dress, and trying it on only to be standing in a pool of fabric that, if taken up, would destroy the pattern on the bottom or you’d have to remove the ruffle completely. NOT TO MENTION, that true petite clothing is generally BORING, like as if only baby-boomer age women are petite.  Seriously, try going to Saks or Macy’s or Nordstrom and looking at their petite selection. Not only is it 1/4 of the size of regular dept. store collections, BUT it looks like it’s made for 50 year old women! I’m 28 and want to wear cute clothes, not look like my mom!  OH, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE when designer jeans come in “petite” sizes, like 7’s or Joe’s jeans. Really? I consider myself an pretty standard petite gal, so why am I standing in 5 inches of fabric when I try on an alleged petite jean?! ANd getting jeans shortened isn’t much of an option because a). I’m not spending $200 for something that doesn’t fit quite right and, b). the knee break on those jeans ends up at my mid-calf, so they start flaring out weird.  So, no designer jeans for me OR maxi dresses OR trouser pants UNLESS they are from Banana Republic. But even then, it’s tricky because that much fabric is never a good thing on a little person. OH and I can’t wear “average” size shirts because they tend to stop practically tunic length. Seriously, I WISH I were 5’5”! Hell, I’d be happy with being 5’3”!

Oh and FYI, petite ladies, you don’t have fat calves.  When you try on tall boots, they are cut for the “average” size woman, i.e. 5’4” - 5’8”. Since our PROPORTIONS are different, tall boots won’t close properly because where our calves start, that’s where it’s still a little narrow when you’re talking about someone with a longer shin.

Maybe someday someone will make a line of shoes (mainly boots, clothing, and accessories (hey petite scarves isn’t a ridiculous thing! Or neckalces either! Some are just too long!) dedicated to petite women’s proportions that is actually fashionable and quality clothing….a petite gal can dream…

retro chic
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:50 pm: [report]

I thought you were talking about the dog in the picture, wow. ‘Cause the girl is avg ht (pretty similar to you, Ali) based on her head-to-body ratio. Little to do with legs, or scale to other objects (dogs), etc. So, get over the height thing. If you walk, talk and think like a “tall” person, people are more apt to take you for one. No platform shoes can do that. Oh, and sack the maxi, too. Body conscious and shorter proportions are better. Emphasize your neck and sleeker hairstyles, since, models possess long necks and their heads look smaller in comparison to their lanky bodies. Observe them off the catwalk, I’m sure there are plenty of free-range models grazing in NYC to inspire you.

Humble Bee
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 03:59 pm: [report]

I kinda hate being short (5’1) because there’s a lot of hot tall guys. I dated one that was 6’2 and he would always called me short, but I’d come back with “any one is, compared to you!” sucker! The only good thing is that you could wear sky high heels and look alright. I cannot stand Maxi dresses. I look like i’m wearing curtains or a long sheet with straps. I hated playing volleyball because I was the shortest, i did play setter so it made it ok. lol. In most sports being tall is an advantage.

Sonic
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 04:01 pm: [report]

I’m a little over 5’ and sometimes it’s a pain when I can’t do certain weights machines, wear some long gowns, or pants because of my stature, but overall, I love it.  I always feel so sweetly petite and wiry.  I don’t care much about looking taller (and I agree that 5’5” is not short at all, it’s actually slightly taller than the average height for women), but I agree that the attitude you have does surprisingly make people think you’re taller than you really are.

joyy
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 04:06 pm: [report]

@jimnist10 - holy #&@$% THANK YOU for explaining why boots don’t fit shorties.  I have thicker legs than the average gal, but even at my skinny weight I couldn’t get a pair of tall boots to work for me.  I was so confused. hah!

COOGOO
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 05:20 pm: [report]

at 4’ 10+3/4”, anything over 5’ isn’t short to me…but 5’5” is more average than anything.  Even petite clothes need to be altered for me.. I’ve always wanted just a few inches - everything is short on me…legs and torso!

X-Cat
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 05:43 pm: [report]

I always saw 5’5” as tall…I’m one of the 5’1” here who has no idea what you’re talking about…Be proud of your hight! Now I like my hieght, the only things I don’t like are some of the things that come with it, always being just “cute” and people thinking I’m always younger than I am…I like Ali Jawin’s pixie sexy perspective though…I’ll have to keep that in mind.

And I agree totally with dudette…Maxi dresses kinda backfire and make us short people look shorter…I’ve found shorts and skirts/dresses that go knee length or above knee length help make the legs look longer, thus make us look a tad taller.

ErikaBwitch
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:11 pm: [report]

I absolutely agree with most of the posts here. Standing at 5’1”, I can tell you that 5’5” is not short! Like jimnist10, I have also experienced the frustration of trying to find a calf-high boot that fits (snow boots actually. A necessity where I live!) And as far as “petite” pants being too long-I’ve discovered why! For most companies petite means a 28” inseam. And because I have a 25” inseam, I still have to hem them. (Which I usually don’t. I just wear heels as much as possible.)Making finding clothes that fit doubly hard? Imagine a thick Pamela Anderson, and that’s me.
On one side of my family I’m the shortest (and I’m actually the tallest on the other!). So I grew up with the “short” remarks. Even at my job where I’ve worked for a decade, my nickname is “Little Red.” (I have red hair.) I read once that “cute is a four-letter word for short women.” I definately agree!

msu.umich
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:12 pm: [report]

I’m talkin to all the other real shorties on this post (I’m 5 feet EVEN, 5 foot 5 is glamazon to me) and I’m rekindling a flirtship with a man I knew from college that is 6 foot 3….I NEED ADVICE!!!  I have NEVER been more self-conscious about being so short!

How do I even *kiss* this man??

msu.umich
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:17 pm: [report]

ok i just realized this is more of a fashion post, but….whatevers I still want the advice if anybody’s got it!

Sonic
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:18 pm: [report]

@msu.umich:  You tell that sucka to genuflect, pronto! 

My first bf and I compromised.  He was 5’11” so I just reached up, looped my arms around his neck, and stood on my tippy-tippy toes and he had to bend his head and back down a bit.  A little awkward at first, but it got better over time.  The funnest times were when we would get caught up and he would lift me up a little.  Whooo-wee!  It’s not all bad being a short!

Sonic
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:20 pm: [report]

p.s. this might be one of those times when it’s kinda, sorta necessary to wear heels.  Also, kissing when you’re sitting is nice.  Particularly if you’re sitting in his lap.  It gives you a few inches and it’s easier for him to bend down.  And it doesn’t get any easier to kiss someone than in bed

CatGoesNomNom
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:27 pm: [report]

@msu.umich: I wouldn’t worry about it at all! As long as he knows how tall you are, I’m sure he’s fine w/it. I’m 5’1 and I’ve found that tall men tend to like shorter women, I don’t know why. One of my boyfriends was 6’6; everything worked out great, but the only thing that was hard was dancing. Everything else worked out, so I wouldn’t feel self conscious.

bittermelon
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:27 pm: [report]

@msu.umich - either push him down and climb on top of him or make him bow down for a kiss.
@jimnist10 - yes, thank you for explaining that boot thing! I do have thick calves (cankles too) but I could never understand why it was so hard to find high boots that fit me properly. Also, the petite sizes at Banana Republic are all over the place, so inconsistent. Once I found a pair of their jeans that fit me perfectly, no need to take anything in, and I could never find another pair. And I looked in 3 different stores.

Ms.NGuerrero
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:50 pm: [report]

Yah Im 5ft 1.5 in tall and in my family we naturally have big calves, so being short and having big calves suck!! but that makes sense why boots dont fit… i don’t think 5.5 is short either. i would give all my left toes to be that tall… *sigh*

Molly Jean
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 06:56 pm: [report]

uh, i agree with everyone else: five five is nowhere near short - this is sort of shallow…with that said, thanks for the maxi dress tip

sarah102605
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 07:18 pm: [report]

At 4’10” I find it very hard to feel sorry for anyone complaining about how tall(short) they are. I have learned little tricks over the years I am 29 and think the platform shoe theory is perfect, I look and feel taller. As for the maxi dress I don’t know.

Sdc.
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 07:27 pm: [report]

I’m only 5’4”. All my friends are around 5’8”. I don’t see myself as short, I just see myself as medium height. I also have a really difficult time finding jeans that are the right length. They’re almost always too long even when I get them in short. Any tips?

jimnist10
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 07:51 pm: [report]

@sdc- you can probably buy most jeans and have them hemmed because the knee break is probably not somewhere near your calves or ankles. I’m still looking for great petite jeans that aren’t frumpy, so that’s the best advice I got.

To everyone: I’m so glad I could enlighten you about the boot thing! For years I blamed my years of gymnastics and “unfortunate” genetics (I thought I had unusually large calves thanks to my dad) for not being able to get boots to zip up. Nope. I’m just short and I can finally stop beating myself up over manufacturers not paying much attention to us petite ladies.

Seriously, petite is a proportion and if all these clothing companies can come out with plus size lines, why can’t they come out with petite lines? Or at the very least make jeans and pants that come in lengths like men’s jeans?

@msu.umich- I once dated a guy who was 6’7” and our height difference was never an issue with sex or just kissing and hugging. If he wants to kiss you or you want to kiss him, it just happens like anything else. You’ll get on your tippy toes, he’ll bow down…  My current bf is 6’2” and that’s what happens with him. The only thing that is not very practical is walking with your arms around each other. The logistics don’t work so well with such differences in length of stride and where your arm ends up resting (his butt!) And he’s weighing your shoulders down with his giant arms. You’ll figure it out though.

sam04
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 08:18 pm: [report]

I agree that 5’5” isn’t remotely short for women.  I’m 5’6” and I think I’m pretty average.

misspage
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 08:20 pm: [report]

I am 5’00” on a good day, and my favorite petite jeans are made by Express.  I have never had to alter a pair of Express jeans in any way, and they always send ‘buy one pair, get one half off coupons’ in the mail!  Don’t get turned off by the creepily tall & thin models on their website :]

jimnist10
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 08:37 pm: [report]

I’d like the Express jeans if they made the pockets a little bigger! My backside looks like a sea of ass surrounding tiny little pockets! Actually, now that I think about it, I kind of like gap “low rise bootcut” jeans in ankle length in a dark wash. I find that flare jeans make my legs look like little tree stumps (it doesn’t help that I have muscular thighs), but a nice straight leg or true boot cut (sometime a jean is “boot cut” and it’s really a flare) in an even dark wash (no wiskering at all) are the most easy to shorten. Also, I like a higher rise so that a). I don’t get muffin top and, b). I look a little longer.

As you can tell, I am very passionate about the “plight” of the petite and have been thinking about it a lot. I’m so glad so many of you have responded to the initial post!

staceface
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 10:20 pm: [report]

Good lord, I would love to be “average” or even short.  You girls are all right:  Guys like short, cute, pick-uppable women.  I’m 5’10, and not plus size, which means I can’t even shop at plus size stores for clothes that fit me.  At least you all can get pants hemmed!  If I find a pair of pants that’s long enough (or a maxi dress that’s long enough, for that matter), it’s a MIRACLE. 

And god forbid I put anything in the dryer, because the legs and sleeves will shrink to an adorable highwater length upon first drying.

Cout your blessings:  You are cute (something I will never ever be), you can wear hot 4-inch heels whenever you feel like it and *still* not be taller than most men, guys like to pick you up and toss you around, and you don’t ever feel awkwardly huge around tiny girls.  Seriously.

noodle
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 10:31 pm: [report]

@staceface - I hear ya. I’m 6’2” and the chances of finding stuff that fit right (jeans, dress pants, shirts) are slim. I have the same problem. Exactly what you said, pants can always be hemmed, but you can’t add length or wear capris all year long. I did, however, find a maxi dress at Nordstrom Rack that miraculously reached the floor on me. I feel all your pains. At least the petite section exists in the first place for short people.

fudgegrape
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 11:21 pm: [report]

I don’t think it’s easy for women of any size of height to find clothes that fit well. I often feel like designers really don’t care about these issues.

I’m 5’2” and I am in between short pant lengths and regular lengths. If I get pants in a short they end up shrinking and becoming too short on me, thus making me look even shorter. The regular length doesn’t shrink enough and I end up stepping on the bottoms of them. 

And thank you jimnist10 for explaining our plight!  I totally agree with you about how the petite sections of department stores are very boring and they often don’t include jeans.

As for the maxi dress I doubt it will work for someone my height. It would still probably end up being too much fabric.

fudgegrape
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 11:23 pm: [report]

That should be ‘or’ not of. My bad.

hereshestands
wrote on June 29 2009 @ 11:37 pm: [report]

Uh I agree with everyone else. I’m the same height as you and I wouldn’t call myself short at all. (= But nice little article.

icecreameyes
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 01:20 am: [report]

@ jimnist10
Ahhhh! The mystery of the boots is solved!! I always used to get so upset coz boots wouldn’t do up properly on me! But now it all makes sense! I’m 5’ almost exactly and maxi dresses look ridonkculous on me! I look like I’m playing dress ups. But I like being short and “cute”. Though with my boy at 6’2” sometimes its annoying to make out when standing up. lol.

intuition
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 06:17 am: [report]

Since high school, I have been measured at 5’-3”.  Recently, I went to the doctor for a general check-up; apparently, I am now 5’-3 1/2”.  I was estatic!  Every little bit helps.

Ali Jawin
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 06:24 am: [report]

Ahhhh, the boot mystery is solved! Actually, many mysteries are solved! I am terribly sorry If I caused any offense. Perhaps a better title would have been “Advice If You Feel Short.” Still, at least you know that everyone has some height insecurity at one spectrum or the other.

I would like to point out though that my greatest complaint is falling in the average-short category, but more on the average. A five five one inch woman is a tiny vixen. Your height becomes a great attribute. I am just annoyed that I don’t get the tinkerbell cute or the leggy look.

H. Blue
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 07:52 am: [report]

I bet you didn’t think this article would inspire such a flurry of responses!  I have to agree with a lot of the above though- 5"5’ is what my doctor told me I could grow up to be, and when I stopped short of 5’3” I was devastated. 
I’m always stuck as being “cute” get called “shorty” all the time.. a friend in college once called me a midget. And of course, my body seems all out of proportion.  Stumpy arms, stumpy legs, and a normal length torso do not make for easy fit into clothing. 
Your advice would have been much more helpful if it was something like “here’s where short people can buy clothes that actually fit right.”  Oh well.  I don’t mind being short, for the most part.  But I will never be a Tinkerbell.

Ali Jawin
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 07:57 am: [report]

@BluenBlonde: True, I didn’t expect such strong responses, but all the great comments have got me thinking. I am revising my thoughts on the subject of height as I clearly have overlooked something. I am trying to sort out why I think five five is short, but in the meantime there is nothing better than impassioned comments to get the thoughts churning!

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 07:59 am: [report]

@BluenBlonde: Yeah, for sure. Women really want to be taller apparently. I am an uber-average 5’10” white guy, bleh, I wanna be 6’2”!

ThUnDaCaT...2009
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:08 am: [report]

I sort of agree with you CheeeeEEEEse, i wish i were taller but at the end of the day i enjoy being my height. I mean all these females on here semi-complaining about being their height, and wishing they were taller, my girlfriend is shorter than all of you. She isn’t even 5 foot. I love her height. She is one fierce little lady and i love that about her. She knows that she is short and she has accepted it, and i am not complaining. Shorter females, in my opinion, are very attractive. When the give hugs they are at the perfect height, and when i’m sitting and she is standing, she is still at the perfect height.

joyy
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:15 am: [report]

I also would love to be a little taller.  However, I got pretty even proportions some how, so I’ll just stick with that and try not to complain too much. 

My bf is 6’2” and it’s just become a running joke: he tends to put things away on high shelves that even he has to extend his crazylong arms to reach, so I end up not being able to find things.  When I ask him if he knows where something is, he gets this goofy look on his face, reaches up on a top shelf where whatever I’m looking for was and says “think like a tall person!”

Riley
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:20 am: [report]

@Cheese - You should try it, I enjoy being 6’ tall.

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:22 am: [report]

@Riley: I will so Napoleon complex you into a ditch. You won’t know what hit you because I’m short.

Riley
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:26 am: [report]

@Cheese - Nah, I have an attorney friend that is 5’8” ish; plus two other engineer friends that are of similar heights.  They compensate with salary and demeanor frequently.  Napoleon complex issues are like a second language to me.

Besides, I have long enough arms I could hold you back.

Ali Jawin
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:27 am: [report]

@CheeeeEEEEse: Are you suggesting there is some truth in the Napoleonic complex? I always thought that was a bit of a joke?

sparklestar
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:29 am: [report]

I’m 5ft 2” (ISH) and I would never ever be able to wear a maxi dress! I would look SO STUPID in one! All that fabric!

COME BACK WHEN YOU CAN WRITE A PROPER ARTICLE THAT ACTUALLY CATERS TO SHORTER PEOPLE !!!!!

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:29 am: [report]

@Ali: It’s true, everyone I know whom is short and is not shy because of it has a bone to pick with anyone taller than them.

GreenAura
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:37 am: [report]

For the jeans issue:  I have found that the ONLY jeans I can wear and feel awesome in are Levi’s 524 Superlow Bootcut.  I’m 5’1” and they are the perfect length.  Also being short, I have found that the rise on jeans is usually too high and they typically sit at my belly button or above, which really bothers me (think “mom” jeans).  But the 524 Superlows sit more on the hips so that I don’t get that icky waist sinching and discomfort. Also, I like the Bootcut because it makes your legs looks like they continue on further than they do.  Plus, everyone’s A$$ looks great in a pair of Levi’s!! I literally have 6 pairs of these jeans, 2 in each color. 

And regarding the taller significant other: My hubby is 6ft even and I fit perfectly into his shape when we spoon or cuddle on the couch.  And he thinks its cute when he sees me standing on the counter trying to get the tupperware off the top shelf.  Oh, and when other people hit their head on something, I usually walk right under HAHA!

I guess it’s not so bad being petite.  I’ll stick with “pixie sexy”

GreenAura
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:38 am: [report]

* I should have mentioned that the jeans are in a size “short” sorry!*

Tim
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:51 am: [report]

You know, it’s a good thing I’m 6’1” tall cause I don’t think the maxi dress and platform heels would work for me.

Ali Jawin
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 08:53 am: [report]

@Tim: I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. You never know until you try

sam04
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 09:14 am: [report]

@CheeeeEEEEse:  Don’t despair for your 5’10”.  I’m sure lots of women, such as myself, prefer to be relatively compatible height-wise with their men.  I’ve never dated anyone over 5’11” and I like it that way.  I have no desire to feel teeny tiny.

And I wholeheartedly agree with the existence of Napoleon Complex.  I just call it Short Man Syndrome.  I know a number of men who are so ridiculously over-aggressive about everything and are really short.  It’s the same guys who feel the need to squeal their tires when the lights change to green or when pulling out of a parking lot.  Douchebags.

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 09:19 am: [report]

@sam04: Every man loves burnouts and doughnuts. It’s in the DNA.

sam04
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 09:20 am: [report]

@CheeeeEEEEse:  There’s a time and a place for that.  Snowy, empty parking lots at 2am.

Ali Jawin
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 10:43 am: [report]

Here is the link to my follow up post: You And Me = Us, Dating Height Calculus

wonder_bread
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 11:33 am: [report]

it seems i may be the smallest person on this thread. im 4’11 and in all my 19 years i have rarely if ever been called short. i don’t call myself short and most of the people around me don’t either. i am petite.. im 19 but i look 14 so most people jus think im cute and adorable until i open my mouth…im a foot smaller than myboyfriend and he adores my height… i really don’t see anything wrong with being fun size.. i can still ride rollercoasters and attempt to scam movie theatres with my child like feature..

I Go To 11
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 01:38 pm: [report]

I’m 5’4”, and it seems I’m on the cusp of “average” and “short” where pants manufacturers are concerned. It’s very hard for me to find pants that are the right length, because I have long legs for my height. “Short” length is too short and “average” length is too long; I usually have to get “average” and just step on the backs of them or something. I have 1 pair of Calvin Klein jeans (that I got for $6 at a Goodwill store, thankyouverymuch!) that fit me perfectly, and the others I just kind of have to deal with being a little off somehow.

I can’t bring myself to wear heels 3” and up very often, because I feel like I’m playing dress-up! lol

I will say that people seem surprised when I tell them my height; they think I’m taller than I really am. Maybe it’s because I think of myself as taller; it’s all about the attitude.

thefishinthebowl143
wrote on June 30 2009 @ 10:51 pm: [report]

I;m going to assume most of you are of an average weight when I say this.

try being plus sized and semi-short. I’m around 5’ 3” and large i wear a size 26 pant. everything pair of pants I buy has to be shortened because it’s impossible to find petite length pants in plus sized count yourselves lucky that you can find petite cut pants. also a maxi would look rediculous on me. were talking circus tent.

pornqueen
wrote on July 1 2009 @ 10:08 am: [report]

Im 5’0 & 108 lbs.  I ‘ve been called shorty, tiny, dainty, shrimp, etc. so many times than I can remember.  I do think most guys like petite women.  Many guys tell me they like to feel like they can smother me with their arms. And I must admit I luv feeling that way!  A friend of mine is 6’3 and has found many ways for us to “work”. He’ll sit down when we’re together, bend over when we kiss.  He likes picking me up for a kiss, kinda sweet! And of course when we have sex, we’ve learned to work around our height limitations.  I’m happy with my height now…a few years back, not so much.  But like the writer said you can’t do anything about it.  I luv heels so I wear them everyday.  About the maxi dress… I do wear maxi dresses most of the time I wear what I feel comfortable in.  Many times the dress has to have lots of cleavage so it balances my look! Diverting attention, I call it!

angel001717
wrote on July 4 2009 @ 06:09 pm: [report]

i am also five five or five six. and i kinda feel short sometimes. maybe its the ppl im around… idk. i do think 5’5 is average really, but to me, average feels short i guess. and also, i would love to be taller because then i could handle more weight, if u know what i mean.

choctawbabe84
wrote on July 5 2009 @ 12:07 am: [report]

Sparklestar, as a 5’11” woman, I’ve found that the whole world is catered to those of you who are 5’5” and below! Jimnist10, if I could find clothing that fit me no matter how boring it looked, I would be grateful! If pants, dresses, or skirts are too long for you, you hem them. If the sleeves on shirts and blouses are too long, you have the cuffs moved up. If any of these are too short for tall women, what option do we have? And the few clothing lines that offer Tall sizes apparently think tall women have disproportionately short torsos and arms because they only offer pants in Tall! There are entire stores dedicated to Petites. When have you ever seen an Amazons‘R Us? You can even walk into Walmart or Kmart and find a Petite section. Where is the Flamingo section in any store? What about other articles of clothing? Pantyhose and tights: even the Tall or Queen Size have the crotch at my knees. And the boot issue? The tops of the boots come to my calves so the last inch or so can’t be zipped! Boots are actually the least of my problems with shoes: I wear a 9&1;/2. Have you ever tried to find a 9&1;/2? Try the next time you’re in an adventurous mood. It’s the reason DSW puts neon green stickers on them so the amazons can spot them in a stampede! I’ve had numerous shoe clerks admit that they only order 1 pair each of 9&1;/2’s and 10’s. Try that on for size! We need extra links in watches and bracelets because our bone structure is larger. Having a necklace that would actually clasp would be a dream! You can at least have links taken out. The whole “One Size Fits All” doesn’t include us.

And our “plight” isn’t limited to clothing. I’m sure none of you actually has to consider anything more than price, reliability and gas mileage when you look for a car. There are whole makes of cars that I don’t even bother looking at! Seriously, I have had 2 car wrecks that left nerve and disk damage in my neck because I didn’t have enough headroom and hit the roof of the car during the wreck. If I am the driver in most passenger cars, no one can sit behind me. And God forbid there is more than one tall passenger—there will be a fistfight for who gets to sit in the front seat! This also applies to seats on planes, in theaters, in auditoriums, and in classrooms. I have had back spasms from showerheads that were too low causing me to practically do a backbend to rinse my hair. Ever ask a plumber how much it would cost to move the showerhead up? I have had back and neck problems from countertops that were too low at jobs and even at home in my kitchen. And ever wonder why most tall women go straight for the handicapped stall in public restrooms? Because those toilets are usually elevated so we aren’t squatting with our knees at our ears. All of you who are worried about dating a taller man—-think about how many men run from us because we intimidate them. I didn’t mind it, but my shorter partners tried to make me feel like a freak because of my height. That makes it a little hard to feel feminine sometimes. I would much rather be “a pixie” or “cute” every day than worry even once about my femininity next to a shorter man. I will never be carried over the threshold on my wedding day unless I marry an NBA player. More likely, I’ll be carrying him! Try being 5’5” in 5th grade and finding age-appropriate clothing. Try going to swim lessons in 6th grade where the other students think you’re the teacher! Have you ever gotten leg cramps in class because the desks were too close together? Have you ever had classmates angry at you because your knees bumped the underneath of the tabletop and ruined an experiment, dissection, or project? Try being taller than all but 2 boys in the entire 8th grade and wait to be asked for a dance. And I have yet to be in a picture where you could see anything but my head because I was in the back row for all of them!

I live in a world that is not easy for a tall woman, either. However, I will not be ashamed of my height. I wear 2 and 3 inch heels almost every day. Yes, I stand over 6 feet with them on, but I stand proudly! I challenge any of you to spend a day shopping with me, Staceface, Noodle or any of your 5’8” and above sisters. See who has it easier finding clothes, shoes, or cars. Instead of lashing out at those you think are on the greener *size* of the pasture, how about uniting to get manufacturers to create clothes that fit all women in all the glorious variety of sizes we come in…

sweetsue
wrote on July 5 2009 @ 08:29 pm: [report]

How shallow can you get?  I’m 5 foot nothing.  My heart doesn’t bleed for you!

_jsw_
wrote on July 5 2009 @ 08:52 pm: [report]

@choctawbabe84: My best friend’s wife is 6’1”, and I’m fully aware of the issues you raise. Also, as a guy who’s even taller, the points you mention about cars, planes, etc. all ring true. I think, in the world of women, it’s better to be near 5’ than near 6’. Obviously, for men, it’s the other way around.

pixiepoo
wrote on July 15 2009 @ 06:50 am: [report]

i’m 4’11..and i don’t know what to do..

wonder_bread
wrote on July 16 2009 @ 07:42 pm: [report]

@pixiepoo -im 4’11 we are the shortest one’s on this thread and yet everyone is complain for some reason…. i say embrace it, love it, and live life…