No Hiding Allowed – Tall Is Beautiful

In the fashion world, there are three categories of height for women. Petite means 5’3” or shorter. Average means 5’4” to 5’6”. Tall means 5’7” or taller.

Tall women have two style challenges. The first is technical. Tall women often have trouble finding clothes that fit properly. Length is the main issue, especially in hemlines. I remember this one all too well – when I was growing up, my mom and I had a very hard time finding skirts for me that were long enough. I was wearing ladies size skirts as early as age 11. 

The second is psychological and social. We’ve come a long way but the gender stereotype that dictates that men be tall and women be small is still there. Too many women are afraid of looking too tall and intimidating. 

The first solution here is primarily for the psychological issue and it’s “The best defense is a good offense.” It sounds counterintuitive but tall women need to play up their height and not do anything to try to appear shorter. Height is not a reason to be ashamed and no woman should look like she’s ashamed of her height (or any part of her). And there are good ways to play up your height that will make you look regal. 

It starts with a good fit. 

Begin by taking a look at where your length actually is. Some tall women have long torsos and short legs, others have short torsos and long legs while still others fall in the middle. If you have short legs, then chances are that skirt lengths are not as big an issue for you while tops are often too short. And if you have a short torso and long legs, then skirt lengths might be too short and tops too long. It’s important to get a good fit on every part of you. 

When shopping for clothes, consider looking in the petites department. If you have a short torso, petite tops might fit you better. If you have shorter legs, you might find that petite skirts might be the right length. If you prefer longer hemlines then petite skirts won’t work for you but they’re worth a look. 

Don’t forget the value of tailoring. If you buy an item that fits the longest and widest parts of you, you can bring it to your tailor or seamstress and have the rest of it taken in and up to fit you. Lengthening an item is trickier but doable if there’s enough of a seam allowance.  

With skirts, it’s very important to get a hemline that flatters your legs and plays up your height. A skirt which is too short will overemphasize the legs and put too much focus on them as opposed to the overall height. A skirt that is too long will drag the eye downward to the floor instead of upward towards your height and your face. Just below the knee is a length that flatters most (if not all) women. Skirts that land above the knee are tricky because the knee is a very obvious break in the line of the leg and it’s more flattering for your legs to appear long with no break. Midcalf is also tricky because it cuts right at the widest part of the lower leg, which can make the calf look disproportionately larger than it is. For some women, that works but for many others, it doesn’t. Ankle length can look graceful on some women but not on others. Try it and see if it works for you.  

No matter what your height happens to be, you have a figure going on there too and you need to celebrate that. Fit isn’t just about length. It’s also about defining your body shape. Anything that’s too loose will only make you look like you have something to hide. 

Some fashion gurus say that tall women who are also straight and thin need to wear something more voluminous so as not to appear too gangly. I say that this is more of a personal choice. If you prefer to wear a fitted look head-to-toe, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you do want to add some volume, use caution, as too much volume will drown you. It’s best to balance a loose item with a more fitted one. If you’re wearing a full or A-line skirt, it’s best to wear it with a narrow, fitted top. And if you’re wearing a blouse with a slightly looser fit (key word: SLIGHTLY), it’s best to wear it with a straight skirt. This way, your figure is still defined.     

Now that you have the fit, let’s talk about color and detail.

The easiest way to play up your height is to wear one color from head to toe. The monochromatic look works great for everyone because it gives you one long line. And it works in every color. Plus, you can “cheat” by combining colors of the same value (lightness or darkness). A black top with a navy skirt (both dark) will work and so will a beige top with a light gray skirt (both light). It works even better when you keep your line neutral and add a pop of flattering bright color near your face. You get the long line and the pop of color directs people to look upwards toward your face.