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

[sarahb083]

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.

I don't tend to find this, guess it depends where you shop. Apparently the average size is 5'3 or 4 (depending if we're talking UK or world), but people do tend to be getting taller, so maybe if they're aiming towards younger women, they expect them to be taller?
Also, maybe certain sizes/heights of women tend to buy more clothes on average, so they go for those groups more?

At a foot taller, I can say almost the same thing. The shoulders don't fit, they come up short. Short sleeves are sometimes worse than long ones for this. More obvs and deployment of a bangle can't solve it.

Agree. I'm short, under 5ft 2 and have short legs. Buying trousers that fit is extremely difficult.

I'd like to buy trousers for work but can't find ones that fit.

I'm 5'9" and regular trousers are sometimes ok, but often too short on me.

It's annoying when long sleeves don't actually reach my wrists or tops aren't really long enough.

I also don't perceive myself as being particularly tall. I don't feel like I tower over other women I meet.

All the jumpsuits I've ever tried on are awful. They never seem to be long enough in either the body or legs, for me, so the crotch always seems to dog in and the trousers end above the ankle. I've given up, even though I think they're generally flattering on people.

I'm 5'9 and it's only the last 18 months or so that M&S has introduced the XL range of trousers which I'm delighted about! I couldn't buy trousers or jeans there before that.

I’m 5’10” and most clothes are too short. I often have to buy from tall ranges

5 foot 10 and most stuff too short for me.

I’m 5’9 and clothes definitely aren’t made to fit me. Everything is too short, but ‘tall’ sizes are also ridiculous because I’m not 6’0.

The sizing on models though is obviously going to be fitted to the model. They will almost surely be hemmed to look perfect. That doesn’t mean that’s the size you buy as standard off the rack.

I am very tall and buy cropped if I want shorts!

I'm very tall and have to buy in shops like long tall Sally, hardly buy in regular shops. Shoes also a problem.

Everyone has a sizing issue of some sort....

I'm 5'8 and any jumpsuit I've bought has cut me in half. Trousers are mostly too short for me.

I'm fairly long bodied so I also find that waistlines are frequently too high on me.

I can assure you as a 5ft11 woman clothes are most certainly not made for tall women. Even the M&S “L” range on trousers come up short. It’s infuriating.

other examples I bought a pair of size 12 pyjamas from Sainsbury’s: the sleeves come just past my ELBOWS. it’s ridiculous. As if made for T rex or something.

Trousers legs have definitely got longer, and it makes me so happy! My inside leg is 34 inches, so I used to always buy long leg trousers. Now I can buy almost any trousers and they fit me! Especially M&S.
sorry - I know it’s not helpful, but I’ve had a lifetime of trying on lovely trousers just to have them flapping around my ankles.

YANBU. I’m average height and every dress is maxi and I have to order ‘cropped’ jeans to just get normal length. Frustrating. I’ve spent a fortune getting stuff shortened.

I'm 5ft 9 and really really struggle to buy above knee dresses that don't look indecent. But I agree lots of the maxi dresses and dungarees are actually sized right for us (I am very relieved by it actually- I wear them a lot!). I suppose the styles might be less flattering on shorter women?

I'm 5 foot 9 and that's not my experience at all. Standard trouser legs are usually too short for me and tall is too long. I absolutely cannot wear standard sized body suits. My sister in law is 5 foot 5 and standard length fits her perfectly.

I have a very long torso, it's hard to get tops that fit. They all seen to be made for women with very short torsos. I'm not sure what the average is here.

I am 5’5” and have noticed in the last couple of years I’ve often had to buy short length in jeans and trousers which I’ve never had to do before. I’ve always bought regular and occasionally long.

I’m also regularly having to buy a size or even 2 sizes down so they’re making clothes longer and wider.

The pictures are not always accurate. I’ve bought clothes based on the model being tall and it looking like it fits her and then it arrives and looks ridiculously short on me. I don’t buy any clothes in regular shops anymore.

Ive mistakenly bought quite a few lovely dresses and skirts from Sainsbury’s in the last couple of years that would look great on someone your height. On me (5ft3) they looked ridiculous. Even on someone eg 5ft6 they’d be too long really. Quite why Sainsbury’s think all women are that tall I’ve no idea.

5"9 and size 10-12.. Long trousers fit. Men's hoodies fit. Waistline s are always too high, which is a shame, because my waist is v small.

Dd is 5'4 and about size 4. Everything fits her perfectly. She's a teenager.

5’ 9”, long legs, nothing fits

5’1” with big boobs and tummy so clothes shopping is a nightmare. Well fitting bras are impossible to get and are very expensive, dresses and tops that fit the boobs are massive everywhere else. Everything is too long and knees on jeans are in the wrong place. Even the petite range is too long and I generally have to size up too as they expect short people to also be skinny. I’m not happy flared jeans are back in style either as at least skinny jeans can be rolled up to keep them dry/ clean at the bottom.

Because it's easy to hem things and make them fit short people. You can't add length to make them fit taller people. Also don't agree, think things aren't often made.for.tall people and hard to find things that are actually long enough.

H&m was great about 20 years ago, because most of their stuff seemed geared towards a Scandinavian average height- so decent length sleeves; trousers; jackets. But now the sizes there seem random.