AIBU to ask why so many clothes are sized for taller women?

I’m 5ft 1.5 but have long legs and a short body, and find petite ranges wrongly proportioned apart from maxi dresses. I have to wear regular length trousers and jeans as short are always too short.

I find that generally men's clothes are better quality fabric and better designed and yet cheaper than women's clothes. Especially knitwear. In fact if the colours weren't so dull and restricted i would only buy men's jumpers, unfortunately men only seem to like murky dark shades of brown and grey. I also get really cross about the far too deep v necks on women's jumpers, surely the point should be to keep warm not to flash cleavage ffs, and the stupid bows on knickers, slippers etc. Why? I cut them off as soon as i get home. Waste of fabric, money and my time.

100%.agree - and also apparently for women with really long arms - i am average size 5ft 5" but always have to take up the hems of trousers, and turn back the cuffs of blouses,jumpers and jackets. I dont have short arms BTW

I'm 5ft 2 and clothes are nearly always too long for me,even the petite sizes. I've been reduced to buying children's clothes. Perhaps I shouldn't complain too much, they are cheaper.

I've found the extra width in men's shoes an absolute blessing now I have dreadful bunions on both feet! I used to be a size 6 in women's shoes, now I'm up to a 7 and I buy men's trainers and slip ons to accommodate the bunions and it works well.

If I have to buy women's shoes (for the aforementioned weddings etc), I have to buy an 8 just to get the width for my poor tortured toes.

I often ponder this. I am five foot five and Uniqlo is particulary bad - the trousers drape along the floor. M and S gets the leg length right in their short arse leg range (and my legs aren't actually freaskishly short!) but then they go for the weirdest waist to hip ration and they always bag around my stomach.

Absolutely!
I’m the same height and I can’t buy anything regular- sized.

Maternity clothing was a complete nightmare.

These days the problem is coats and blouses (sleeves too short, shoulders too narrow). At least there are more options for Tall sizing so at least trousers are ok but you don’t get tall-sized tops and coats in the high-street

I’m ‘petite’ and the clothing options are dire. Not many ranges do petite well so there’s minimal choice and proportions are often wrong plus most of it is either basic high street or just a bit frumpy (M&S and next for example). When I was young I used to alter all my clothes but now I’m older and less able I don’t have capacity for it so always wearing stuff rolled up or cut off hems etc

I don’t find clothes are made for taller women at all. They are made for small women with tiny shoulders.

I am 6ft and clothes shopping is a miserable experience.

I’m 5’5” and im sick of not being able to wear denims without walking the backs off them. Getting the shorter length means I look like my budgie has died. I have slightly disproportionately longer legs than my
top half so I just don’t fit anywhere’s

I wear a 10

Me as well! 5’6” with a long body and short legs. I mostly take trousers up but it’s a pain I have to.

Also 5ft 4. I am 55. I spent many years very over weight and barely bought clothes. I have lost alot recently and am finding everything too long when 20 years ago a regular size fitted fine length wise. Frustrating

I've always thought it's because it's easier and cheaper to make longer sizes for everyone - assuming that we will all cut them and hem them. Petite sizes are no good for me as although I am slim I am not tiny waisted . Last year I got some great jeans from M and S - 'ankle grazers'. I bought regular size , they go way past my ankles and are a great fit ! Crazy but it works

Listened to an interesting podcast on this very subject last night. As with everything in this world its mainly about making money!

open.spotify.com/episode/3VMb9wp8vOt4etC1eWxWgW?si=d4omaQgvSRe4U4NKYkBKKA

There is no way my hips, bum and 34H's are fitting in kids clothes!

But not if it's wafty chiffony fabric, because that doesn't turn up nicely. I've been buying a lot of wedding guest type dresses lately as all my kids are getting married and anything that's smart, summery and nicely made seems to be maxi length and made of chiffon! I want a midi length for short stumpy legs but normal sized body!

Back at uni 20 years ago, I had a nightmare buying tights at 5ft 9. I only twigged afterwards that when I found "Belles TV Fashions" sold good ones, what the "TV" stood for!

I am big boned - my shoulders are 2-3" wider than the top range of average for women. My handspan is an inch longer. So where I can make it work, mens clothes provide me with the width and length I need. Plus they are usually thicker fabrics.

I practically lived in my men's thermal rollneck over winter - came right down over my hips for once, covered my wrists, and not awkward on the shoulders. And a Towie style deep v for a man usually makes a cute tee for me.

YABU.
I remember an average sized friend suggesting a clothes shopping trip to the city. She really didn't believe me when I said there would be nothing that fitted me on the high street. She saw it as a genuine fun activity.
Early 2000s in store tall ranges existed in Miss Selfridge, Top Shop, Dotty P, New Look. Not a hope now. TU as mentioned up thread can run tall.

As other taller than average posters have already said I struggle to find clothes long enough, in sleeves, dress and trouser length and worst of all body length on tops

i don’t mind sleeves but im fed up of tops that show my tummy when i stretch or reach for something….not all tops obviously 😀

and actually it does sometimes work the other way with top lengths and sizes….🤔so the size 12 is a perfect length but a bit tight then the 14 is two inches longer 😶

i think a lot of companies are cheaping out on their tops by making them shorter to save money

As a tall women I find short dresses are so hard as many are way to short for me, less of an issue now as I don’t really wear short dresses.

I can buy trousers in tall lengths but lots of sleeve lengths are too short.

Exactly my point, if you have what are considered 'wide' feet for a woman a regular men's shoe in the same size will fit you better as they are wider than standard women's footwear in the same size.
I have size 8 feet that are quite narrow and men's trainers 'gap' massively around the inside arch of my feet because they are just too wide and not made to fit women's average (narrower) measurements.
There will always be people, both men and women, that have different measurements and prefer the sizing of things designed for the opposite sex but clothing and footwear is mass manufactured based on averages. It isn't surprising really that whether we are tall/short/fat/thin we all struggle to find things that fit as very few of us are truly average!

I’m 5’7’’ and find many things too short

I can wear 8.5 in men trainers. They don't feel that different. Maybe wider as I do have wide feet.

Lucy and Yak for tall women but try vinted as they seem very expensive. Any recommendations for jumpers and t shirts that are long would be great as I have very long arms and torso. I wear men's t shirts now.