Tall Advice & Issues

I’m sure it’s a question many tall girls have views on  – is my height hereditary?

Often when strangers first meet a tall girl, one of the first things they ask is “Are you parents tall?”. Well, yes my parents are tall – 5ft9 and 6ft2 – but they aren’t exceptionally tall, as I am at 6ft2. What’s also unusual is that my big brother is only 5ft11.  Personally,  I generally (jokingly!) attribute this to the fact that I grew up at home on a dairy farm whilst he was sent away to school – maybe milk straight from the cow does make you tall and strong?!

What is for sure is that I was always tall. I was a great, big, long baby at over 11lbs and throughout my childhood I was always the tallest child in school, until my teens when one boy overtook me.

As I started to consider what I thought about height in families, I realised I had always assumed that when I have children, they too will be very tall. But is this true?

There are lots of genes which affect height from those that produce growth hormone to those which affect bone growth  and many inbetween. What is that while height is partially hereditary a definite is that nutrition and environmental factors also play a significant part in how tall you become.

For instance, it is well publicised that if your mother smokes and/or drinks alcohol during pregnancy, this can affect the birth weight of the baby but according to research, it can also affect you eventual adult height. Nutrition is an important factor – for both the pregnant woman and of the growing child in their formative years. In developed countries such as  the United States, height is estimated to be 80% hereditary whereas in developing countries such as Nigeria, it is only estimated to be 62%. This is attributed to the overall better standard of living such as nutrition and healthcare which is found in the US.

So, it seems that whilst we are  born with a genetic  potential for height, it is the environment that we grow up in that will enable us to fulfil that potential or not. Maybe it was the milk after all!

What do you think? Are you from a family of giants or are you (like me) the odd one out?

If could could speak to yourself at 16, what would you say? What wise words of advice would you have to tell yourself, hoping to make your youth easier?  The Amazona team asked Holli Jennings, the reigning ‘Miss Tall International’ to do just that - write a letter to her 16 year old self.

Letter to My 16 Year Old Self
By Holli Jennings
Miss Tall International® 2009

Dear Holli,

Happy 16th birthday!  I’m sorry everyone forgot your birthday this year.  It’s difficult when your younger sister’s birthday is 2 days before yours.  It’s also summertime and you have 3 other sisters.  There are softball games, swimming lessons, driving lessons…but your grandmothers all remembered!  Don’t forget that.  You got a wonderful party with your family all around you so there’s really not much more that you need.  And they did remember by dinner-time…

How lucky you are!  You have 3 sisters who drive you crazy all the time yet each one would stand up for you at a moments notice.  You don’t know it now but these 3 amazing women are your lifelines.  They will stand by you when you are at your weakest.  You will turn to them whenever you have a problem, a joyous moment, or simply to tell them that you miss them.  In fact, one of them will give you 3 amazing nieces and 1 devilish nephew.  Your youngest sister will give you another precious niece.  You will love them unconditionally even when they have problems you can’t fix and issues that you can’t understand.

Your parents are quite possibly the world’s greatest parents.  You don’t believe me now but in about 8 years you and your sisters rent a billboard to let them know just how wonderful they are.  Don’t worry about your dad, he’s a little shy and he might seem like he’s mad about the whole billboard thing but you’ll find out later that he’s so moved and proud he can’t talk about it because he might start crying.

You are already so tall!  6’1” and still growing.  It’s a little tough finding slacks and jeans right now but don’t worry, it gets better.  The fashion industry does start catching up in about 6 or 7 years.  Start buying items that fit you now.  Don’t waste your money on cheap clothes that don’t fit right.  Spend the money on a nice pair of classic black pants and some crisp white shirts.  Buy a classic black coat that has sleeves long enough to fit your arms.  You will be so glad you did.  Believe me, you are getting a pretty great job in a few years and you will look back and wonder about some of the clothes you used to wear.  You’ll feel better too.

Work harder at your sports.  I know you really don’t enjoy playing basketball but it does pay for some of your college later on.  It probably could’ve paid for more if you would’ve worked harder.  You love being on the team and the whole social aspect of basketball but a few more hours of practice wouldn’t hurt.

You are going to succeed in your career.  You think you are going to go to school to be a teacher but somewhere you are going to figure out that it’s not the right path for you.  Good for you!  I loved it when you first started your career.  It was so fun figuring out how to use your height (and your humor) to your advantage.  It really throws people off.

Don’t lose that sense of humor!!!  You’ve got this sarcastic wit about you that people seem to connect with.  Keep that as long as possible and continue to see the good in everyone.  You’ll try out for a comedy group…and you’ll fail.  But that’s okay, you’ll have a great story to tell everyone (like you always do).

You won’t believe this but you will learn that just because you are tall, you don’t have to date only tall men!  Grandma is a little old-fashioned when she told you that you had to find someone taller.  You can date anyone you want.  In fact, there’s a guy that you’ll meet in about 10 years or so who you’ll only date for a few months but he’ll teach you that height is not (and should not) be a requirement for dating a tall woman.  If you limit yourself to dating men that are taller than you, you are severely limiting your dating pool.  He was so right!  And he was 5’6”.  His personality was so much bigger than his actual height.  You were lucky to have met him and conversely, he was lucky to have met you.  You’ll remain on good terms with him because he’s a great guy and he’ll teach you a lot about yourself.

Being tall is going to define much of your life and it’s going to be grand!  You’ll love the attention (and you do get noticed in both good and bad ways) and you’ll use it in anyway that you can.  Right now it’s a little tough being tall since your friends are all so much smaller than you but you are so lucky because you’ve got your sisters right there.  Your dad is 6’6” and your mom is 5’7” (well, we never really know how tall mom is because she changes her height all the time.  When you get a little bit older you will truly embrace your height.

Oh…so much to tell you but I probably should hold off.  I wouldn’t want to spill the beans on too much.  You are going to have a very interesting and fun-filled life.  It’s filled with ups and downs and twists and turns but you are so much stronger and more resilient than you know.  If there’s one thing I can impress upon you more than anything it would be to always remember to love yourself.  Regardless.

Love me,

Holli

Amazona has set me a mission: To search the high street and online retailers and to find clothing for tall women that is actually relevant to the current season trends. It seemed an easy task at first, but not any more. Tall ranges are boring. There is no denying that. They are useful if you need a longer pair of black trousers or a longer polo neck jumper, but what if you’re 6ft tall and are fed up of dressing like a frigid office worker? What if you want to be cool, trendy and follow the trends? Well, I have scoured (and I mean scoured - for hours…) various well known retail websites and shopping centres, but to no avail. There is little out there. And that is hugely disappointing. But if you are 6ft, then this is probably not breaking news to you, so I have tried to pick the best options to hint towards the trends.

First up this week? The grunge trend. From Kurt Cobain to MK Olsen and Pixie Geldof, everyone loves a bit of grunge and here’s Amazona’s guide to rocking it out Nirvana-style for AW09:

THE T-SHIRTS:

Jersey Marl Longline Crew Neck Top With Snood Stripe Scarf £14 Next Tall

Tall black splash paint t-shirt £18 Dorothy Perkins Tall

Blah Blah top £8 New Look Tall

Tall purple gingham shirt £25 Dorothy Perkins Tall

A simple t-shirt or top is a simple way to follow a trend, and as tall ranges tend to be pretty simple, this is probably your best bet! Team a rock t-shirt or tartan shirt with some skinny jeans, biker boots and a oversized beanie for the ultimate in grunge chic!

Tall black skinny jeans £20 Dorothy Perkins Tall

35in Foil Leggings in Blue £24 New Look Tall

These foil leggings are a little daring, but pared down with some Doc Martins and a simple t-shirt, they could look pretty damn cool. And given that they are not black and boast an inside leg of 35in, they’re a great find too! Add a leather jacket for a tough edge or an open men’s shirt for a more dressed-down look.

Next Week: The 80s trend becomes a tall order for us here at Amazona!

Tall Girls & Dating: Heels or Not?

Do you know how many men I have dated who were taller than me? One. He may well have been taller than me (he was 6ft5, I’m 6ft2) but his inability to tell the truth and remain faithful eclipsed any benefits I experienced dating him as a tall man. My other relationships have all been with men around 6ft or 6ft1 so I’ve never really had the luxury of dating a man significantly taller than me.

I’m not alone. Most tall women have dated men equal to or shorter than themselves and if (like me) you have passion for high heels, then there is an issue that is rarely discussed:  Do you wear flats around your man to make him feel more comfortable?  Does it emasculate him if you wear heels making yourself a few inches taller? If you choose to wear heels, aren’t you risking the ridicule of friends and strangers if you’re a couple of (barely perceptible) inches taller than your boy?

I’ve had good friends make comments (usually male friends) and asking why I’m wearing heels around my (not-massively tall) boyfriends. Even my dates often behave slightly strangely on occasion if they aren’t sure whether I am looking them squarely in the eye or not – but only in public. In private this is never an issue.

There are many tall celebrities who have succumbed to this secret pressure: one of Nicole Kidman’s first statements following her divorce from Tom Cruise was “Now I can wear heels again!” (was a heel ban included in the pre-nup agreement?) and ex-supermodel Carla Bruni has only been seen in heels once since her marriage to the Napoleanesque President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy last year. Even ultimate fashionista L’Wren Scott wears flats with amazing evening dresses to attempt to re-dress the balance between her and Mick Jagger (although with a 10 inch height difference between the two, she might be fighting a losing battle).

Carla Bruni in some of her many flats

As I couldn’t find any stylish heels until my early 20’s, I didn’t wear heels for the first 23 years of my life. I now wear heels almost every day. Even my weekend casual footwear is a collection of wedged suede boots. I LOVE heels. I believe that it doesn’t make any difference to the perception of my height to others - they’re all still looking upwards from their 5ft6 vantage point - but heels make me look and feel better.  Incidentally, I had phemonenally more success with boys after the age of 23 than before.

So, should the next boy I date be less than 6ft2, should I yield, abandon my hot high heels and wear flats? On the contrary, I firmly believe it would emasculate any man if a woman he dated STOPPED wearing heels on his behalf. Would we not be assuming that he is not secure enough in his masculinity to deal with such a trivial difference? And wouldn’t this be a step on a slippery slope.. would we dress differently for a man? Change our hair for a man? Have plastic surgery for a man!? (I have one friend who had breast implants for her boyfriend – he paid for them!) I think not. If we changed our footwear to suit my date, where would it stop?

My theory is also this: any man who asks me out, without question met me when I was wearing heels so surely if he was attracted to me at 6ft5, then he’s not going to suddenly find me more attractive if I’m wearing flat shoes and walking like a flat-footed platypus (this is how I feel when wearing them, incidentally!).

What do you think? Do you avoid wearing heels around your man if he’s shorter? Or would you rather upgrade your man than downgrade your heels?

Note: When I mentioned I was writing about this subject to my mother (5ft10), she commented on how flats were no good if you wished to intentionally stand on your husband/boyfriends foot when they are behaving inappropriately in public – apparently heels are far more effective!

It’s official. Tall people can’t dance. Ok, it’s not really official but as a life-long complete loser when it comes to any kind of dancing, I was so happy to read that it’s common knowledge in professional dancing circles that tall people can’t dance.

The discussion came to light when Jade Johnson (the British Olympic athlete who’s 6ft1) made her first appearance on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (if you’re in the USA - your version is ‘Dancing with the Stars’)  this weekend.  Instead of, as the professionals had predicted, messing it all up and looking like an ungainly giraffe, she was reasonably elegant and did a great job. She certainly didn’t embarrass herself like her tall former contestants (model Jodie Kidd to name one!). Having said this, I truly think that the shorter celebrities seem to find it easier… and look more professional as a result.

What do you think? Can us tall girls ever be stunners on the dance floor well?

NOTE: After the tragic death of Patrick Swayze last week, apparently many Newlyweds are choosing to recreate the ‘Time of my Life’ dance from Dirty Dancing as an homage. Personally, I think the whole choreographed ‘first dance at your wedding’ routine is now incredibly naff. However, if you can’t get that Dirty Dancing tune out of your head… then take a look at Paddy McGuinness and his hilarious version for UK Charity event Comic Relief  HERE

Hi,

I’m looking for long-sleeved blouses I can wear to work. At around 5′9″, I’m on the short end of the tall spectrum, but I can’t find blouses that have long enough sleeves. They always stop above the wrist and make me look strange. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Emily (New York, USA)

Hi Emily!

I’ve been searching around online for some good places to find long-sleeved shirts and here are some options for you:

The sleeves on this cool tuxedo shirt from J.Crew roll down for a full length or can be rolled up for a more casual look.

Currently on sale at J.Crew is a fabulous selection of shirts in a variety of colours including this blue one. You can also buy the Tall version which should have a longer body and sleeve.

I don’t know how formal your office is but this Western style shirt from Topshop looks to have a long sleeve and can be belted for a smarter look. Topshop also stock this more basic shirt with long sleeves for only $30!

Or, have you thought about going for blouses with 3/4 length sleeves which are much more flattering than a sleeve that’s too short? Try this one with pretty frills at Topshop.

Hope this helps!

So, it’s August (finally!) and you are just a week away from your summer holiday. If you haven’t booked one yet, then there are some fabulous deals around at the moment to escape our British rain. Snap one up and then follow our 5 easy tips to feeling fabulous in your bikini..

1. BIKINI BODY

Avoid heavy, starchy foods. Don’t attempt to crash diet a week before your flight and expect to feel fab when you get there. We can’t all be Kelly Brook and you’re more likely to fill up on all of the “bad” holiday food as a “reward” and end up feeling sluggish and bloated in your bikini. The best thing to do is to just be careful with what you eat leading up to and on your holiday – eat more fruit and veg and less bread and cake. It’s a simple plan, but we always seem to forget it!

2. SUPER SKIN

Drink lots of water to flush out toxins and leave your skin looking healthy and refreshed all over. It’s that old chestnut, but water really is the best thing that you can put in your body to feel awake, alert and healthy. Avoid lots of caffeine and sugary products as they can dry out your skin. Also use a good exfoliator before and during your holiday. The healthier your skin is, the less likely it is to peel. Don’t be worried about scrubbing your tan off. If your skin is healthy, it won’t come off! Stay moisturised too, which will keep your skin from drying out in hot weather. SPF15 is really the minimum that you should be using in the sun. It is also recommended that you use a separate sun cream for your face, as the skin is more sensitive and always exposed. Opt for a higher SPF if you are pale and ALWAYS use after sun lotion to cool down your skin and prolong your tan.

3. HEAVENLY HAIR

If you are looking after your body and your skin, all of those tips should come in useful for your hair too. However, you can do more. Make sure that you use a moisturising conditioner to keep your hair from drying out. Ideally leave it on for a few minutes in the shower, whilst you are shaving your legs or exfoliating, so that it has time to really treat your hair. Another great idea is to use an intensive hair mask a couple of times a week to really make it shine. If you are a sun bunny, don’t forget to protect your hair too! Either wear a stylish hat (there are many in this season!) or use a protective sun spray to prevent drying.

4. TANTALISING TALONS

A DIY manicure isn’t as difficult as you may think. And in these credit-crunching times, many women are opting for a home remedy to costly salon prices. File your nails down so that they are all the same length going from the outside to the middle in one direction from both sides of the nail. Then apply a cuticle cream or oil to your cuticles and leave to work for a few minutes, before pushing the cuticle down into the nail bed. Rinse your hands and apply a base coat, 2 coats of your chosen colour before sealing it with a top coat, waiting for each to dry in between. Colours for this summer include corals and neons. If you really want to be ahead of the pack, opt for green as it’s what we will all be wearing for AW09. Finally use a good moisturizer and avoid washing up!

5. PERFECT PEDICURE

Don’t forget about your tootsies because you don’t want them to let you down this holiday, given all of the effort that you’ve put in above! First use a foot file to get rid of any dry skin, then soak your feet for a good half and hour before drying and applying cuticle cream/oil and pushing the cuticles back, file your toenails to smooth, then apply base coat, colour and top coat. Finally, once your polish is dry apply an intensive foot cream and slip on a pair of socks overnight to really let it soak in. Your feet will look perfect in some on-trend gladiators whilst out sight-seeing or a pair of cool flip-flops by the pool.

Look out for a holiday fashion and accessories blog, coming soon!

It’s one of the most observed issues surrounding tall women: Should you date significantly shorter men?

Personally, I’ve never bothered to read those articles in the past as I don’t recall a time when I have ever been attracted to a much shorter man. AT 6ft2, I’ve had dalliances with men of 5ft10 and possibly 5ft9 when I was a teenager, and I’ve dated men of 5ft11, 6ft and 6ft1 far more than I’ve dated men of 6ft5 and above but what about proper ‘short’ men? It’s never really crossed my mind, until the other day….

Following a friend’s party recently, I’m now racked with a gigantic schoolgirl crush on one of the sexiest men I think I’ve ever met.  He was so much fun, so hot I nearly fainted and had a body that could make you think that skinny dipping in the Thames in Spring was a great idea (don’t worry, we didn’t).  And to be honest, it wasn’t so much a case of ‘You had me at hello….’ like the movies, since his first words were  ‘F*!k me, you’re f*****g massive’ (a line usually guaranteed to ensure the cold shoulder from me all evening).  However, when he was maybe 5ft7 and I’m 6ft5 in my heels, he might have had a point.

Short man/tall woman couples are all over the media, even more so since Sophie Dahl started dating Jamie Cullum.  So, why are shorter men attracted to tall women who only accentuate their lack of stature?

Several studies have investigated whether height is  a major factor of attractiveness to the average man and almost all of them have found that it is definitely not .  Whilst supermodels are almost always over 5ft9, singers and film stars are often far from statuesque.  Much of the earlier research seems to suggest that  tall women are not more physically attractive than their shorter friends but are perceived as more glamorous and prestigious.

Therefore, to the extent that tall women are preferred as mates, it is probably so that the man can show her off as a hard-to-acquire status symbol, like a Lamborghini. If you’re honest with yourself, you know that when you see a shorter man with a very tall girlfriend or wife, you do wonder just who the hell he is or what he has. It is possible that broadcasting his status in this way may also allow him to be taken more seriously by his male colleagues, friends and inferiors, and so to rise further in status: “Hey, that guy has a 6′ tall wife — he must be a real go-getter”.  And more importantly, parading around your tall wife is a far less vulgar signal of status than, for example, driving up in an obscenely expensive car or sporting tons of jewellry. Consequently, the man does not suffer a loss of reputation as he would with those other signals, and because it is less conspicuous, he is less likely to draw the jealous scorn of those around him. He will provoke class envy in them, for sure.

I was lucky enough to be sent to Monaco yesterday for my day job and I bizarrely ended up at a dinner party with 15 of the most beautiful, supermodel-thin, tall women and 5 older, very successful and much shorter men.  The men were more than enthusiastic about their taller wives and girlfriends and explained that it was almost the norm in Monaco and many have only dated women who were much taller than themselves. It seems the notion of tall women as a status symbol is definitely a reality.

So, the question still stands, do I choose to pursue a man significantly shorter than me? Or am I too tall for him? Maybe, as he’s not an international financier, film star or Formula 1 boss, he doesn’t find tall women attractive and doesn’t need the status boost.  As he’s not wealthy or famous (and those things have never been attractive to me), I’m guessing that I experienced proper sexual  chemistry and, alas, I don’t think there’s a cure for it.

Now, can someone just pop round and explain to him that I’m the next best thing to a Lamborghini except I’m more affordable and I handle better than a Murcielago….

Lisa Leslie with Barack Obama

The Amazona team were overjoyed to hear President Obama’s first comments on meeting the stunning US women’s basketball star Lisa Leslie (6ft 5).  Apparently he opened with “Oh My Gosh, You know I love tall women” when he met Lisa during the Inauguration. As if to prove his sincerity, he also pointed out his statuesque wife, Michelle, walking past by saying “Now you know I love tall women, right?”!

We know Michelle Obama is a fantastic role model for tall women and that Barack is the best thing to happen to the World for a very long time, but now we love him even more for celebrating tall women! That man just keeps on creeping closer to perfection every week.  Now where do I find a man like him….

Photo credit: AP Photo/Ron Edmonds