MUST BE A FEMALE OVER THE HEIGHT OF 5’7 TO READ THIS ARTICLE:
Just joking, but the girls over this height will understand the trials and tribulations of being a tall girl in college. Whether you like it or not, being tall wasn’t something sprung upon you during college, but something that was naturally instilled in you since you were a little girl.
Whether it was going through the awkward middle school phase of deciding what homecoming dress would be an “appropriate” length since your knees were two to three inches higher than your friends, or even battling the stress of not wanting to wear heels to prom just so you wouldn’t tower over your date. There is nothing wrong with being a tall girl, but dealing with the constant scrutiny of making sure the little things that other girls don’t have to worry about are in-check becomes a task in itself.
Alex Strach, a 5’10 junior studying education, talks about how shopping can be stressful rather than therapeutic.“Shopping for any type of clothes presents problems when you’re tall,” says Strach. “Long sleeves, sweatshirts, and jackets are all too short along with pants.”
If you’re like Alex, you find that shopping during the change of seasons is a difficult task as well. For seasons like fall and winter it is a little easier since the majority of the clothing is more layered and loose-fit, whereas the warmer seasons like spring and summer require a little more of strategic planning.
“Summer clothes have their own set of difficulties. Skirts, dresses and shorts are all super short. And unfortunately, purchasing the “tall” versions of clothing means paying more than average,” Strach says.
Have you ever heard of the saying, “every inch counts?” It literally does when you are shopping as a tall girl or even trying something on. Whether it be a night out with your friends, a cute date with your significant other or even going into an interview for an internship, finding the balance between not looking like a middle-aged woman at the age of 20 and not looking like a hooker makes a big difference.
Being 5’8, Emily Bedell, a junior studying community environment and development, wishes that more stores had a better variety of sizes and lengths in their products.
“Being tall and having long legs makes shopping for pants and jeans very difficult,” says Bedell. “Many stores don’t carry ‘long’ sizes so the search for a good pair can be daunting.”
Emily and Alex are just a few girls that have encountered this problem. There is a sea full of tall girls here at Penn State and no, you aren’t automatically on the volleyball team if you are one of them. The great thing about it is that there is a “little” community where tall girls can all relate.
Listen ladies, this is not a complaint article about the woes of being a tall girl but one that really helps you understand what girls over the average height deal with when shopping. The main key to conquer this issue is to own it. You have to put those heels on (make sure you can walk in them of course!) and wear those clothes that you second-guess and just go for it. And before you know it, you’ll be strutting your stuff down the sidewalk and will have everyone looking up to you, literally.
Photo by Danielle D’Angelo
