Being Professionally Tall

Sometimes being tall really does feel like a job title you can’t shake. A lot of us have the luxury to choose where we work, and I know some of us necessarily don’t. Our height is definitely with us regardless, and even if there’s a day where being shorter might be nice, it’s just not an option. My feelings are fewer and further between these days, thankfully. But I definitely still have them! It usually comes after some clueless person says “how tall ARE you?!” for the thousandth time, or when someone refuses to stop staring even after I’ve given them the best death glare I’ve got in my arsenal (and I have a lot). 

I have been enjoying myself more when I’m out in public, feigning shock and awe, doing double-takes or elevator eyes right back at people gaping. If we can’t have fun with it, we’d be pretty miserable at times. You might have even caught our stories last weekend when we were in line at a local Christmas Market and these gentlemen were having a conversation about us while staring us down. We turned it around on them and had a good laugh in the meantime. I think sometimes what helps me shift my mindset during these occurrences, is usually thinking about what type of person I want to be. It’s nothing to do with being liked, it’s more about operating as an integral person. 

So while I still have the knee jerk reaction of giving these fools a piece of my mind, I realize my response can only be about me. Who I am, and who I’m attempting to become. What it doesn’t mean is you not being able to have fun with your response to people. Part of my personality is using humor, and I think a lot of tall women have used humor as a way to cope with their height contrast. So crack a joke in response and enjoy the bafflement on people’s faces. Straight faced telling people I was a cheerleader in high school when they inquire if I played basketball and volleyball. An alternative is choosing to say nothing at all, which sometimes feels like the safest choice. Just look at someone and walk away, you aren’t obligated to engage with them. Maybe they’ll learn from their encounter (maybe not haha). 

It goes back to what I said at the beginning; which is you didn’t choose the tall life, it chose you. So instead of being an amateur about it, I want to be a professional. A professional tall person to me means someone who is at peace with themselves. They know their worth has nothing to do with their height, despite countless people trying to assign it based on that value. Someone who chooses to stand their full height, and present themselves well with their shoulders back and head held high. That’s just a short definition that comes to mind, but something I’m constantly striving towards. Everyone is their best self when they’re living authentically, and I think the more we move towards it, the better off we’ll be. 

Part of that process is figuring out your style, and buying based on your own rules. We’ve talked about it pretty extensively in our posts, but Amalli Talli actually just posted a how-to blog that lays it out more efficiently. If you want to read up on that, click here. It’s worth thinking about before spending (or wasting) any more money on items that will just gather dust in your closet until you donate!

One of the colors I’ve been leaning into more has been red. I’ve been paying attention to the colors I reach for in my closet and just accepting that it’s one of my favorites. Plus, I’m all about wide-leg pants so that makes this the ideal pair. I bought these from Asos Tall range. Size reference I’m 6’4 and typically wear either 10/12 in pants. I have on a size 10, and they are still plenty generous, but I am the smallest by far at my waist. So if you’re more apple-shaped, go off of your true waist (your belly button). My inseam is 37.5/38 to the floor and I’m wearing my favorite snakeskin flats from Long Tall Sally so no heel on them. As you can tell the pants are to the ground, which is ideal for us ladies with longer inseams. I finished my work look off with a turtleneck I found an H&M a couple of years ago and a chunky gold necklace. You’ll find me living in turtlenecks all Winter long, and that’s just another thing I’m embracing about my preferences!

Tell us below, your evolution of embracing your height or something you still struggle with. Or tell us what you’re learning about your style preferences!

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