Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Insecure Tall Girls

I have more than one relative who walks around in a perpetual grump because of short, stout, squat Scottish genes impeding their designer dreams. Fat little feet have a hard time in those vavoom shoes. Bubble butts do not look great in most Little Black Dresses.

It was when a lovely, gorgeous, 5'9" model-worthy friend of mine complained bitterly about her Size 5 frame and amazonian height that I realized women are never, ever happy. This particular babe, kvetches over her diminuative husband (who is a hottie in his own right, by the way). The fact that he digs his tall woman doesn't matter to her. She is trapped in the idea that a man should be taller.

She is not alone.

Today The Manolo discusses high heels on vertically gifted women. All I can say is this: women, if you have the height flaunt it. Wear red, too. You stick out. So what? You look better pregnant. You look better in everything--including high heels.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The fact that he digs his tall woman doesn't matter to her. She is trapped in the idea that a man should be taller.

Kicker is, I experienced the same thing when I flushed cash down the toilet signing up for a CHRISTIAN dating/matchmaking service. Apparently there's an Eleventh Commandment "Thou Shalt Not Have a Boyfriend Shorter Than Six Foot Six"...

Christine said...

It is so true! Taller women look better in everything but men are often attracted to smaller, curvy women. Well, at least my husband is attracted to one woman like that!

Melissa Clouthier said...

I don't know. How many macho mafia guys do you see with a towering, blonde knock-out?

Confident guys dig women, especially tall women. Insecure guys make a height requirement. Insecure girls are foolish enough to eliminate a guy based on height.

Why? It's a silly prerequisite. I say this as a 5'4" woman who would love to clock in at 5'8". Of course, I'm married to a guy six feet tall so even in high heels I'd be shorter than him. Still, if I wore platforms.....

Anonymous said...

I agree, tall is better still. I'm a short 5'2 but married to a guy 6 feet tall. I love it that way but I do wish I had beautiful long, slender legs.

Anonymous said...

Tall is not better - closer to average is better. 5'6" is ideal I think. The only women who think being tall is great are the ones who face the challenge of being on the other side of average. Believe me, I don't claim to know how it feels to be the short one and I imagine it can be frustrating at times. But, as a 5'10" woman, I assure you, we on this side of average also have it rough.

I recently had a job interview and wrestled with the question of shoes. I decided to embrace my height and wear a beautiful new pair of sharp looking high-heels. I was supremely qualified. The interview went perfectly. And I didn't get the job. Sure, there are any number of explanations, but you know what I suspect? I towered several inches taller than my potential new boss and he didn't like that.

The person I've been seeing lately, who is 6', is nonetheless a bit insecure about his height. (Men always seem to wish they had a few more inches.) And the last thing guys want is to feel dwarfed by a woman. So, I rarely wear heels. Even with that concession, a lot of men who are my height or even a little taller, still find me too tall. Romantically, my options are limited by the insecurity of many men on this issue, not by my own unwillingness to date shorter men.

I wish that women of every size and shape could throw their shoulders back and strut into a room as if to say, look at this extraordinary thing that the universe has created! I am miraculous and beautiful just as I am! But I've tried that and honestly, I think most people find it to be more scary than inspiring.