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Original poster

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

231 replies

sarahb083 · 12/06/2026 18:24

Genuinely question - why do clothing companies design clothes for women who are much taller than average height? Why not make the 'standard' size fit 5'5ish women, then offer petite and tall sizing if there's demand for it? The vast majority of women are somewhere within a few inches of 5'5 and very few are 5'10!

I've been looking for a jumpsuit. They all look lovely on the model, then you look at the model's height and she's 5'10. Surely a very small percent of women are this tall? Some companies make petite sizes (great!) but most don't.

I love the look of these for example, but the model is 5'10! They'd look ridiculous on me and I'm average height.

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OP posts:
fairislecable · 12/06/2026 18:47

I am also 5’ 9” and find it difficult to find well fitting clothes. The sleeves are far too short and on dresses the waistline is usually 3” above where it should be making the hip line wrong.

Swimsuits are another nightmare as they are not suitable for long torsos.

I lived in America and the clothes there fitted so much better.

mymumwouldntapprove · 12/06/2026 18:47

I am 5’11 with 35” inside leg.
I can assure you that most clothing manufacturers do not make clothes for my body shape as standard!

also, given that I see so many people saying that women my height are so unusual with the the average woman a full 8” shorter than me, I meet an awful lot of them in real life. You’d think I would stand out in public places, like Hagrid walking down the high street, but somehow I don’t.

BendingSpoons · 12/06/2026 18:45

I guess it's easier to take up than fix if it's too short.

I get your point though. I'm 5'10 and generally clothes fit well and I don't need to buy a longer length. I do look for jumpers with a longer body or I get cold round the middle.

I do remember being at work once and seeing someone wear a dress I owned. I couldn't wear it to work, as it was too short to be suitable but it was knee length on her!

NoArmaniNoPunani · 12/06/2026 18:42

I'm 6ft. I'm surprised the average woman is only 5ft 5. I would have guessed 5ft7

N4meChng · 12/06/2026 18:41

DoAWheelie · 12/06/2026 18:32

It's easier to take up the ends than it is to add extra fabric on. So being longer can suit a much larger number of people.

I think we need to go back to everyone learning basic sewing skills in school. Small modifications to clothes used to be the norm but now we expect everything perfect off the rack and a ton of size options.

It’s not just a case up turning up trousers, for example. For trousers, the gusset to waist is also too long and very difficult to correct and any features on the legs are in the wrong place. On dresses and tops the waist doesn’t sit in the right place.

Firetreev · 12/06/2026 18:41

TropicalFishAreTwats · 12/06/2026 18:29

I am 5'10, I can assure you most clothes are not made for women my height!

Yep. Definitely not.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 12/06/2026 18:40

My daughter is 5'11 and it's mostly leg. She can't wear jumpsuits as the crotch is always in the wrong place for her.

So what the hell is going on with women's clothes! I look like a child wearing my mum's clothes and my tall daughter looks like she got dressed as an eight year old and grew out of her clothes while wearing them!

ChicGreyZebra · 12/06/2026 18:40

I’m 5’9” and everything is too short especially in the body!

NegativeSpace · 12/06/2026 18:40

I’m 5ft 9.5.

Id love to know where all these clothes for those of us with long legs are, I can’t get anything to fit these days!

Laushe · 12/06/2026 18:39

I'm 5ft and bought some cropped pants today as I knew they'd end at my ankles

DamnBuster · 12/06/2026 18:38

I agree.

I'm 5'6" and used to be able to buy trousers off the peg that fitted perfectly. Now, theyre all super long. Reiss is terrible for this - i have to cur off about 5 inches!

AutumnAllTheWay · 12/06/2026 18:34

Men's clothing come in different lengths as standard in alot of shops.

Ours dont.

They should.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 12/06/2026 18:33

I buy men's hoodies as the arms seem longer.

JHound · 12/06/2026 18:33

I am 5ft 8 and I have not found this to be true. Most regular trousers are too short. I have given up on long sleeve tops. And as for hiking boots….some of is tall women also have big feet!

Lowandhandhold · 12/06/2026 18:32

I was pondering this today. I’m 5’7 and got a maxi skirt from Next which I keep tripping over as it sits on the actual floor.

DoAWheelie · 12/06/2026 18:32

It's easier to take up the ends than it is to add extra fabric on. So being longer can suit a much larger number of people.

I think we need to go back to everyone learning basic sewing skills in school. Small modifications to clothes used to be the norm but now we expect everything perfect off the rack and a ton of size options.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 12/06/2026 18:32

TropicalFishAreTwats · 12/06/2026 18:29

I am 5'10, I can assure you most clothes are not made for women my height!

I am slightly shorter at about 5 8 but very long arms and legs. Definitely agree.

SanSeb · 12/06/2026 18:32

Can we name & shame the brands - then I can take note of where to shop in future!😊

AnonymityAnonymity · 12/06/2026 18:32

I'm 5ft 2ins and getting trousers that are short enough is a real problem.

Even those that are sold as short length are absolutely inches too long and I have to shorten them.

The only trousers that come in multiple lengths short enough are quite often the elastic waist ones designed for older ladies. I am an older lady but I don't want to wear that type of trousers- I can't stand elasticated waists.

I know that younger generations are much taller and I often feel quite dwarfed - I hope that isn't an offensive term - by a lot of women. But I don't understand how us shorties ars supposed to get clothes that fit. Quite often the Petite ranges are quite limited.

ThaneOfGlamis · 12/06/2026 18:32

I can assure you that as an only slightly taller than average woman, trousers are not designed for me! I like Next as they do longer length in most of their trousers. Most shops just make ankle swingers.

Imaribenaberry · 12/06/2026 18:31

I’m 5’3 and really struggle to find trousers that don’t need taking up, M&S and Bon Marche seems to be my only option!

DreamingOfGeneHunt · 12/06/2026 18:31

I'm 5"9 and have the opposite problem!

thinkfast · 12/06/2026 18:31

I’m 5’8 and I find the opposite. Plus it’s easier to get something shortened at the dry cleaners. You can’t get it lengthened as the extra fabric isn’t there

Honeyhonay · 12/06/2026 18:30

Standard sized clothes do seem to be made much longer than the average height of a woman.

WeatherOrNothing · 12/06/2026 18:29

Yanbu, I’m petite sizing and I feel everything is too tall or wide. And if it’s petite it’s more expensive!

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