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How Tall are You?

Echo

Veteran

Perhaps this is a silly question, but looking at the meet-up pics from Seattle, I did not realize the height difference between some members. It is wonderful to see everyone in context! Everyone is beautiful, tall or short, but how tall are you? Are you tall enough to take a tall size or search our a longer inseam, or are you short enough to take a petite size or seek out shorter inseams?

I am about 5'3" (perhaps that's a little generous), yet I do not take a petite or shorter inseam. Indeed, if I had to choose, I would want my pants longer instead of shorter, so I always seek out regular inseams. And I have a long torso, so shorter rises are definitely not for me!

Dressing

105 replies

Latest reply was from shemarie

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I am 5' 4.5" (maybe 5' 4" now) with a regular inseam and short waist. I can take petite or juniors jackets sometimes due to my high waist but otherwise feel pretty proportional.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I don't know why, but I always thought of you as taller! Funny.

I'm a little taller than average at 5'7" but I don't feel particularly tall. My legs are long for my height, so I need long inseams, but I'm short-ish in the torso. I have no idea if I look tall in my pictures or not. I wouldn't mind being taller -- if it had been more feasible to surgically correct my scoliosis when I was young, I'd probably be 5'9". That's what happened to my niece!

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

5'6" ... It's all joint shrinkage downhill from here, lol!

Debora

Veteran

I am always surprised by the height differences in the meet-up photos, too. I'm 5'6" with a long waist and regular inseam.

Banoffi

Veteran

I'm 5'2" with a short torso. I generally wear petite sizes when available, but sometimes find petite trousers too short (depends on the brand).

Elly

Veteran

Obviously I'm not at the meet-up but I will bite. I'm basically 5'9" with very long legs and arms and am usually in the hole between regular and tall. I definitely take a tall pant, but for tops I am either a Reg M or Reg L or Tall M and Tall L-- - when a manufacturer sells all 4 it is a treat but sometimes I end up ordering them all to find the right fit. Regular is usually a tiny bit short in the sleeves and tall a tiny bit long in the torso.

Dee

Veteran

I'm 5'2" with a short everything - waist, inseam, etc.

Anonymous

I agree! I was a little taken aback too . It's funny how photos don't tell much about a person, do they?

I am right in the middle at 5'5" . I am completely average in clothing size for my frame (usually a 4) and don't need long nor petite in anything. Gee, how boring For years I never had to try things on - everything always just fit. I never knew how good I had it while I was young - lol!

N-Marie

Veteran

5'1" and short-waisted

Caro in Oz

Veteran

5'6'' & short waisted

Diana

Veteran

5'3.5". Short waist, long legs for my height.

ETA: I rarely buy petite anything. Occasionally a sleeveless or short sleeve top. Thighs like jackets never work in petites because my arms, like my legs, are long.

shiny

Veteran

5'0 checking in.

99% of the time I need a petite. Exception is with pants, for some odd reason. I have to hem regular pants (sometimes as much as 12 inches) but they seem to fit me better in the rise.

Also I can sometimes fit in a size 12 Children's... but not a size 14... too tall!

My kids are 5'3.5" tall. We went for years when they could wear the same size as me, and that was fun. Then both had their growth spurts, and .. no longer. It doesn't seem like much -- technically they are both still petites too -- but it really makes a difference.

Echo

Veteran

shiny, I can totally relate. My children are ages 14, 12, and 10. My 10 year old is not yet taller than I am (5th grade), but I imagine that is because she is a girl and her height is more mitigated by mine. Dh is 6'8", and my 14 year old is 6' tall now. My 12 year old is clearly taller than I am, but not quite to the extent of my 14 year old. My 12 YO laments that he will never be taller than his brother, but DH's (older) brother is "only" about 6'4", so I keep telling him that no one can predict how things will turn out when he and his brother are both adults!

Janet, how does your scoliosis affect your stature and posture currently? I just recently realized that so many things fit me strangely under my left arm, but not under my right. It took me YEARS, but I finally realized that it couldn't be EVERY garment I tried on, and that it had to be me. I don't think I had/have diagnosable scoliosis, yet I still think it has to be me and not every garment I've ever tried on!

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

5'7" & 1/4. I used to be 5'8" but two compressed discs did that in. I miss being 5'8" because I could wear 4" heels & be 6' tall.
ETA I was 5'6" in high school so I must have had a late growth spurt.

catgirl

Veteran

I just found out I'm 5'2" and not 5'1"... Apparently my doctor's measuring thing was an inch off. :).

Carole

Veteran

5'9....I like to say I was pulled out of the womb by my arms and legs! My arms and legs are extra long!

Astrid

Veteran

Just under 5' 3''. I prefer petite sized tops for length and waist placement, although the sleeves are often too short. Pants are best in a regular size, slightly shortened on my own, although sometimes petite sizing works too.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I'm just under 5'5" and have fairly long legs for my height and am short waisted. I usually buy regular length pants and can't remember getting any hemmed.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am somewhere between 5'3" and 5'4" depending on the day and the doctor measuring!

I am slightly short waisted, but have a long-ish rise and my legs are on the short side.

In the first months following my weight loss, I bought some jackets and tops in petite sizes (mainly for the waist placement and sleeve lengths). But after some experimentation I discovered that I'll typically do even better with a smaller regular size garment. I can't wear petite pants despite my shorter legs because the rise doesn't work. So I have to hem my trousers. Always.

Tina

Veteran

I am 5'3" and have a 31" inseam. I don't generally wear petites. Being 1 of 12 siblings (9 of them girls), I'm tied for shortest:-/

Echo

Veteran

This is really interesting! I had pictured many of you taller or smaller, but without the point of reference of other people, it is so hard to tell! It is amazing how diverse people can be.

Aubergine

Veteran

I'm 4'10". And that might be rounding up.

It's a complete grab bag what I can wear. Sometimes I can get away with non-petites, especially in bottoms and in high-waisted dresses because what height I have is all in my legs, and sometimes even petites are cut for someone taller (especially since I'm not the size 0 that all women under 5 feet are apparently supposed to be).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think people with proportionately longer legs will tend to look taller in photos taken alone. And those with shorter legs might look shorter than their actual height. Put everyone in a group and you see the real differences in height and overall scale. It's quite interesting.

Here's the Boson meetup photo. Of course some of us are wearing footwear with heels and some are wearing flats. Though few were wearing truly high heels because it was a big walking day.

amiable

Veteran

I'm between 5'8 and 5'9 - so I guess just a tad taller than most. I feel about average though - I don't think I have a 'tall' presence

I also rarely wear longs (sometimes in pants, but I like slouch, so I buy regulars and wear them low just as often). And I'm a bit short-waisted, I think. I bought a petite dress the other day and am thrilled at how well it fits!

SarahTheWhite

Veteran

This is definitely interesting, and I also enjoy seeing people together for reference. I'm just a hair under 5'5 and short waisted.

carter

Veteran

Fun topic! I'm 5'5" with a super short waist and legs on the longer side of "regular". The only thing I take a petite or a short in is ankle pants...gives me PPL about 3-4" above my ankle:-)

tricia w.

(website)

I'm 5'6" now: I used to be closer to 5"7"...age...

Sal

Veteran

I am 5 ft 7 or 174cm...

I am short waisted, and NZ Size 12 which I think is about US8/Medium?

I do feel tall when standing, but not so when seated due to my short waist.

Echo

Veteran

amiable, see I think that's on the tall side of average... or perhaps just plain tall. My sister is 5'9" and I've always considered her tall. Yet I never would have guessed from your photos that you are tall. You look perfectly proportional (which can apply to anyone of any height, I guess). My mum always said that my baby height predictors said I would be 6' tall, but puberty came early for me, and puberty stops long bone growth within about a year in girls (not in boys). So I have broad shoulders like a taller person, but shorter legs.

Mo, for some reason, I always thought you were quite tall. Perhaps it is because you are so trim and look good in everything, but I always would have thought you were 5'8" or taller.

Janet, for some reason I never really envisioned a height for you. You and Una dress the way I would like to, so I guess I always saw both of you as my height (wishful thinking!).

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