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 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.

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'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.

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 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.

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.

Re: men's clothes- I have a couple of hand-me-down (up?) t-shirts from ds1 (and a thermal long sleeve top for winter) that fir perfectly. Broad enough in the shoulder (I have broad shoulders), but narrowing to fit at the waist. I think they were probably the fitted style, rather than boxy.

Bonus- they're years old and still look good for their age because they're made of better fabric than most women's t shirts.

Yes, I’m 5’4” which is pretty average but so many things are ridiculously long on me. Not just trouser length but sleeves, straps, the waist of tops just being in the wrong place.
I’m usually too tall for petite ranges though.
I agree petite, standard and tall ranges would work better for most women.
Men usually get more than one leg length option after all, and short/long shirt and jacket lengths

@Shodan I agree. I wear small or extra-small ones (topman) or teenager ones (next) as vests in the winter.

What does the TV stand for?

@Allseeingallknowing , they were tights made to fit men.

Transvestite

I'm 5ft 5in tall and I often have trouble with the lengths of clothes! I usually find tops and T-shirts too short, and trousers/leggings too long. I get fed up with tops constantly creeping upwards and having to keep tugging them down. I gave up wearing tights years ago because the crotch always seemed to be heading for my knees. As for trousers,I always have to check that I am buying the shortest length,usually 29 in inside leg. Guess I must have a long back and short legs even though I'm not particularly tall!

I’m a shortie and it’s a nightmare. I just don’t bother trying on anything maxi or long trousers. M&S I find good for the short size options. Mostly I buy midi dresses or skirts which are then maxi on me!