I doubt you’ve managed to miss the fact that the second Sex & the City film has finally been released. We all know the deal from these girls – glamorous and sophisticated fashion, frank and funny discussion and observation on everything we girls talk about from waxing to men and a modern day love story complete with heart-wrenching realities . Maybe it’s my age or maybe it’s being in a new city, but this time SATC has had a far more personal impact on me. I now want to dress like a grown-up. I want to be glamorous and well groomed and fabulously accessorised. I want to be excited about the clothes I wear, not indifferent. I want to go out for a night in the city bars and think ‘Yep, I look great!’. I am sick of dressing adequately!!
As tall women over the world know, when you exceed ‘normality’ by a fair few inches, clothes shopping can be about as exciting as a trip to the dental hygenist. When you’re 6ft2 and grow up in the very rural Welsh Borders, just finding something to wear on a daily basis that fits you is harder than running a 4 minute mile, let alone finding clothes that inspire you, boost your confidence and make you feel like a million dollars. So I opted out. I was a tomboy who couldn’t find clothes so I wore mens jeans, shirts and t-shirts and never ventured into dresses, skirts or anything remotely feminine.
You’d have thought this would have changed as I grew up and started travelling the world and yes, to some degree my wardrobe did improve. I got my tailor in Hong Kong to make me some stunning jackets and blouses, I bought high heels from the USA for my large feet and I acquired the odd girly top for nights out on the town but if I am truly honest? I still dress in jeans and shirts or t-shirts 90% of the time. I think after years of this being my wardrobe, I’ve become scared to try anything different. I even still use the line “Fashion is irrelevant to me” on an almost monthly basis in conversation. It’s not that I’m not interested in fashion, it’s just that even if I LOVE something I see on the catwalk then, one, it wouldn’t fit my lengthy and curvy proportions, and two, the high street equivalent (there is almost always one), won’t fit me either!
My ultimate nemesis is skirts and dresses. I do own a lovely full-length evening gown (check out my advice on where to buy evening gowns for tall women here) which I have worn twice but, it’s full-length. My issue with skirts and dresses that are, say knee length is my legs. Years of sport have done little to make my legs look remotely feminine – I’d say they would look more at home on a professional rugby player and then there is my ankles. Well Mother, there are many things I am grateful for – half decent cheekbones, good skin, a strong moral compass but seriously?!?!? Did I have to inherit the family ankles. Delicate and slim, they are not.
I would love to wear cute knee length skirts if I could find them and somehow manage to train my legs into submission to look at least VAGUELY suitable for a Manhattan street.
After contemplating the new SATC film for a while, I think it’s taught me a lesson: it’s not about being perfect or beautiful. It’s about making the most of what you have and having fun with fashion. Whereas I would say all of the SATC girls are attractive and good-looking, I wouldn’t call any of them great beauties but here, in the scenes of the film, they look fabulous (and occasionally wacky), bold and fun. If you saw them in a club you would want to hang out with them!
Now I’m all for being honest with myself and quite frankly, I have used my excuses as a cop-out for far too long so I going to do something about it. I am declaring a new goal – within 3 months I will exercise my legs into a state suitable for public viewing (and we all know exercise does wonders for your self-esteem too) and I will source at least two great knee length skirts suitable for my tall proportions. Not only that but I am going to re-introduce myself to mainstream shopping and attempt to create a capsule wardrobe that would allow me to not look like an alien as an extra on a Sex & The City film set. The mall will no longer be purely for beauty products and housewares!
Now, has anyone got any advice on where to get some clothes to make me blend in with Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte?
