When I see a leggy woman tear up the sidewalk in a tall pair of stilettos, it makes we want to do a double take. Tall women who wear heels are an inspiration to me. There's usually confidence, aplomb, and a little bit of courage in the way they walk, and you basically can't help but admire the self-love that exudes from someone who doesn't try to downplay the features that make them stand out.
But it's not always easy to get to the point where you highlight rather than downplay your features. I've always been a gangly, rangy kid who clocked in at 5'10" when all my girlfriends were a cute 5'5". Nicknames like "Jolly Green" and "Bean Sprout" were used affectionately when I'd be invited out. But the thing is, I never minded. I loved being tall. I liked the feeling of stepping into the doors of a restaurant or walking into a dinner party and commanding the room, knowing that my height brought an elegance and a self-possession to my look.
This is why I never, ever denied myself heels. Instead, I couldn't wait to strap them on. For any of my fellow tall babes who might be shy about their height, this is for you. Below are 21 inspiring tall women who wear heels and rock the hell out of their style, offering us all inspiration for accepting and loving ourselves just the way we are. Plus, some of the most valuable lessons they teach us along the way.
1. You Aren't "Too Tall" For Anyone
Rajahnique Jones from TallNNatural wants us to know that we don't ever have to feel like we need to put on a pair of kitten heels or flats to avoid standing out in a crowd. She's 6-feet tall and has a lot of wisdom on the matter. Jones tells me, "I have always loved wearing heels. For shorter women it may be about being taller, but for me it's all about the look. When people say, 'Those heels make you too tall,' my immediate thought is, 'Too tall for who?' The answer is no one! Wear what you like. Wear what makes you feel good."
2. Being Tall Isn't "Unfeminine"
When I was younger, I was worried I'd lose my femininity if I towered way over the heads of every person in the room. Girls are supposed to be small and delicate, right? Wrong. Kacy Karlen of The Height Of Style — clocking in at 6'4" — says, "Wearing heels as a tall woman doesn't make you less feminine — it puts you in control of your femininity. We're all captivated by confidence. There is nothing more beautiful than a tall woman wearing fierce heels and rocking the hell out of her life." Amen.
3. Standing Even Taller Can Be A Powerful Feeling
Fashion blogger Bree Wijnaar of The Tall Society thinks that strutting around in heels only accents your long frame, and it's empowering! Standing 6'4" in flats, the woman knows what she's talking about. She tells me, "For me, having a clear overview of the room standing at 6’6" in my lowest heels is a powerful feeling. So on an average night out you can find me standing up straight and enjoying the view... Heels elongate the beautiful tall frame us women of height are already blessed with. My Tall Sisters, I hope you choose to wear what makes you feel beautiful, elegant, empowered, comfortable, and ready to take on the world!"
4. You Don't Have To Alter Your Style To Better Fit In
Being true to your personal style no matter how many eyebrow raises you might get from those who don't understand it takes courage, but also shows character. And the more you do it, the more confident you'll likely become in terms of being true to yourself.
Fashion blogger Tanesha Awasthi shares her thoughts. "Fashion is about wearing what you love and what makes you feel good, regardless of your size or height. At 5'10", I'm typically the tallest amongst friends and the tallest in a crowd, but I refuse to sacrifice my personal style in fear of negative opinions from others — I wear what I love with confidence, including my four-inch heels."
5. Your Height Is A Super Power
Instead of thinking that your height should make you feel self-conscious, treat it like your most powerful attribute. Blending into the crowd is usually easy, but everyone deserves to see how wonderful and special we all are — style, height, personality and all.
Brianna McDonnell of The B Word explains, "I would say height is like our femme fatale superpower, so use it! I'm 6'0" tall, so I'm already taller than the average woman. People will stare but give them something to stare at. Yes, I'm tall and yes I'm fabulous!"
6. You Were Always Meant To Be A Tall Glass Of Water
Instead of wishing you were an average stature, embrace the fact that you were meant to be willowy and a show-steeler right from the beginning.
Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashonista stands at a lovely 5'8" in flats. She tells me, "OWN IT. Your beauty, height, and body are not an accident! If you can find and score heels that speak to your style and looks, girl rock it. You are an amazon, so stand tall and embrace every inch of you!"
7. What's Another Couple Of Inches?
You're probably already towering over everyone at the party or the bus stop, so what's adding another couple of inches? It won't make that much of a difference, and you can have the satisfaction of getting to enjoy what you want.
Gracey, who is 6'0" and runs the style blog Fashion For Giants, points out, "Some people won't even notice a couple of additional inches, but most that do will admire you for not being afraid of your height. They will respect your confidence and that only makes you feel more confident."
8. Heels Can Transform Your Outfit
Sometimes an outfit absolutely calls for heels, so don't rob yourself a street-style moment by opting for flats. Tanasha of Pretty Tall Style is a gorgeous 6'4", and she shares, "I love the way heels take an outfit to the next level and wouldn't dare let my abundance of height stop me from wearing them. I figure that I am already going to tower over most people in my bare feet, so adding a few more inches isn’t going to make a difference height wise, but can make all the difference style wise." She then adds, "Being tall makes us unique and we were born to stand out!"
9. People Aren't Staring Because You're Weird
Oftentimes we think that people are staring at us because we look bad, but in reality they could just be admiring our confidence and unique attributes. Jaclyn Ram, 5'11", from My View In Heels points out, "Yes, you will stand out and people will stare — because it's unexpected. But be confident, there’s nothing more attractive and sexy than a confident woman in heels. Most often, people are wishing they could have your height and confidence!"
10. Don't Let Other People's Insecurities Bring You Down
Just because a handful of people feel uncomfortable standing next to someone who's a good head taller than them doesn't mean you have to share that same anxiety. Let them battle it out on their own, and keep on walking all powerful-like in your stiletto strut.
Nadiè, the 6'0" blogger of The Tall Muse explains, "Heels make me feel sexy and powerful. Never let anyone dictate your wardrobe choices. Anyone who has a problem with your height has their own insecurities. They're probably just mad you have a better view than they do."
11. Don't Let Your Size Hold You Back
Em Nelson is only 18, and up until about six months ago she swore she'd never wear heels. She's 6'2" so anytime she did, she'd easily stand at 6'5". These days, she has a different way of thinking when it comes to her height. She says knowingly, "But do I look hot when I wear my cute heels? Yes. Do I turn heads cause I'm so tall but I'm still looking hot? Yes. I decided that I wouldn't let my size hold me back from any look I ever wanted to pursue, and so should you."
<img alt="" src="https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif" class="article-body-image"/>12. You Can Inspire Others With Your Confidence
When you see a person fully embracing their style and absolutely comfortable and happy in the skin they're in, you usually feel encouraged to do the same. That kind of positivity and appreciation for the self is contagious. So wear those heels, and inspire those around you to accept what makes them different, too.
Jen, a 5'9" blogger from Librarian For Life + Style, shares, "I love wearing heels because it's about projecting confidence. I feel confident wearing heels, and if I feel that inside, then that confidence comes through on the outside — and then maybe that can help someone else feel confident about herself, too."
13. You Can't Change It, So Embrace It
Unless you happen to find the vile that Alice stumbled upon in Alice In Wonderland, there's likely no way that you can shrink in size. So instead of being embarrassed by your gorgeous stature, embrace it! As with all body positive practices, it takes commitment to love yourself. But please keep trying.
Kelly McGill from Kale Me Kelly is 6'0" and she loves a good heel. She tells me,"Being a tall woman, who happens to love heels, booties, and a good sneaker wedge, I embrace who I am. I think it's important for women of all heights to embrace who they are and rock what they love with confidence!"
14. You're Already Commanding A Room, So You Might As Well Wear The Darn Heels
Whether you wear stilettos or sandals, everyone is probably going to notice you when you walk into a room. So if you're dying to wear that four-inch platform, do it!
Alicia Jay, the 6'6" fashion blogger of TallSWAG, aptly points out, "Being tall is a gift! We command the room without even saying a word... We might as well do it in some fierce heels! When it comes to style, the people who make the 'rules' are often the people who are too intimidated to be themselves in the first place. Be Y-O-U! and if that includes heels, rock them!" Truer words have never been spoken.
15. Occupy As Much Space As You Need
Style blogger Franceta Johnson recognizes that we live in a world where "small" is often the most desired characteristic. She shares, "We’re expected to remain within the walls of femininity and shrink ourselves in order for men to remain comfortable in their own skin. I say, screw that, all of it. Go ahead, occupy all of the space you need and do so unapologetically."
She also points out that tall women were given the ability to become the center of attention, so why not accept it? She adds, "Life is far 'too short' (ha!) to limit what you can and cannot wear because someone has something negative to say about it. You we’re given this remarkable ability to stand above any crowd, right? So run with it, even emphasize it and be the center of attention just because you can be, by nature."
16. Accept That This Is Who You Are
For Beck Delude — style blogger of Manfattan — the defining moment of stepping out in heels without qualms came when she accepted the fact she'd never be the short girl. And she doesn't need to be. She says, "I'm 6'3" and realizing I was going to be taller than most people no matter what helped me really embrace my love for heels!"
17. There's No Need To Shoot For Average
Cynthia Hoyt of Darling Down South is 5'10", and she spent 10 years of her life hunching over, afraid of being taller than her classmates, her boyfriends, and even her bosses. But she got over that by realizing why she was doing those things.
She tells me, "At some point, I realized I didn't want to sacrifice my love for wearing heels just to appear a normal-ish height. It was never going to happen so I decided to start enjoying the altitude!" It's not like you're going to be considered "short" just because you wear a pair of flats.
18. No One's Going To Mess With You If You Own It
If the reason you don't wear heels is because you're afraid you're going to be made fun of, think of it this way: When someone owns their body with complete confidence and love, it's almost impossible to tease them. Confidence is like a shield.
Nichole Terry, fashion blogger from Alluring Heights, is 6'1" and loves a good stiletto. She shares, "You were literally born to stand out. You are going to be noticed wherever you go, so you might as well wear what you want. Love yourself. When you like who you are and have confidence, there is just no messing with you."
19. Think About Who You're Dressing Up For
Adrienne Shubin is 6'2" and runs a style blog called The Rich Life On A Budget, where she most definitely has no qualms about wearing pumps. She doesn't let the opinions we think other people have of us (and that we don't actually know anything about) dictate what she wears.
She tells me, "If you feel your outfit looks better with heels, wear the heels. If you find a pair of shoes you love to pieces but don't think you should buy them because someone once told you you're too tall to be wearing heels, ask yourself who you're dressing for: You or the perceived judgments of other people?"
20. Don't Allow Yourself To Take The Fun Out Of Fashion
When we start limiting ourselves in what we're allowed and not allowed to wear, fashion can become more stressful and hurtful than fun. Beth M. from Tall Fashion Adventures shares, "I started unabashedly rocking heels as a 6'2" teenager and not only love the unique feeling of being taller than almost everyone around me but am also happy that I have even more fabulous shoe styles to choose from."
21. Be Proud Of Who You Are!
Sydney Wilson is 6'6" and loves every inch of her long, tall frame. She adores all of the wonderful and super feminine aspects of being a woman, and heels definitely fall under that category. She expresses, "I was always told at a very young age to stand tall and to be proud of my height, to enter a room with confidence. I learned that my height has zero limits, if I want to enter a room at 7'0" foot, I can! I love being tall and hope that I can inspire other women and young ladies to feel the same."
The bottom line is to be proud of who you are. Stay true to yourself, and don't put unnecessary barriers up when it comes to expressing your tastes and likes just so you can blend in with a crowd. You were never meant to blend.
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Images: Courtesy Rajahnique Jones (1); Kacy Karlen (1); Denisse Benitez Photography (1); Tanesha Awasthi (1); Maria Denee (1); Gracey (1); Pretty Tall Style (1); Jaclyn Ram (1); The Tall Muse (1); Em Nelson (1); Librarian for Life + Style (1); Kelly McGill (1); Meg Russell (1); Franceta Johnson (1); Beck Delude (1); Cynthia Hoyt (1); Nichole Terry (1); Adrienne Shubin (1); Tall Fashion Adventures (1); Sydney Wilson (1)
