Any woman that stands tall enough to nearly touch the sky must be heaven-sent.
Studies have shown that height is associated with strength, power, and dominance. For women, it can cause others to feel intimidated by this unique trait, especially men. Imagine standing 5-foot-10 in flats and the moment you put on heels, you're 6 feet. No one wants to be inundated with thoughts of being smaller just to satisfy others insecurities.
We chatted it up with some captivating tall women who exude power by walking it like they talk it. No matter their height, these women have found solace in their gorgeous gams because it makes them extraordinary.
Tanasha
Her Story:
I am 6'4" tall and I believe I really started to own my height back in 2012, when I created prettytallstyle.com. I found myself in a fashion rut and found it a bit difficult to find affordable and stylish clothes that fit my tall frame. I was tired of wearing mainly standard size clothes and making them work. When I started my tall blog, I knew I wanted it to be a tall women's resource, to make it easier for girls who were vertically blessed like me, to find items that were made specifically for their long-limbed bodies and feet.
It forced me to step out of my comfort zone and virtually break out of my shy shell and put myself out there. It's like before where I would shy away from people staring at me and try to shrink myself, with my style blog, it was the opposite, like "Hey everyone, I'm really tall. Look at me and this maxi dress that sweeps the floor, jeans that cover my ankles, jacket with sleeves that cover my wrists, or check out these bright yellow size 13 shoes I'm wearing." (Laughs)
It forced me in a good way to own my height, long legs, arms, feet, and all.
At 15, I hated being tall because I didn't know anyone else like me, and thought very negatively about it because it was so hard to [find] cute clothes like my friends that fit right and I was taller than all the boys. But once I was older and went to college, things changed, the boys were taller, there were more tall size clothing retailers. I started to gain my confidence then.
And now at 42, I'm still blogging and surrounded by a virtual community of tall, inspiring, supportive women who help to reinforce that confidence in me that tall is beautiful, plus I have a wonderful tall husband who thinks so too.
Hannah
Her Story:
I've been over six feet [tall] since 6th grade. For a very long time, into my twenties even, I was very uneasy with my height. I seldom wore heels and was always shrinking myself by scrunching up my shoulders. But, I was so tired of wasting time with this insecurity. I started to write honestly about being tall and had an article published in Bitch Magazine. In 2014, I won Miss Tall International and co-hosted a tall girl flash mob with Bree Wijnaar in Grand Central Station.
For me, embracing my height has been a journey of body positivity, one where I have sought to like all of me no matter how they are received by someone else.
I still have my awkward moments, but I can honestly say that today, I really enjoy being a tall woman.
Jessica
Her Story:
I thought it was a curse! It all started in high school. I was mocked often because I was taller than most of my classmates. On those occasions, when we had to be on a queue, I was made to stand last on the queue. I felt bad always, I wanted a reduced height, I wanted to be friends with the 5'5''--foot girls. Most of the time, I cried because I was called a walking tree. It was terrible. They made fun of me and I thought I was abnormal. I lost confidence and I hid from the cruel world.
Then finally, I went to college to study law. The game changed. I became aware of how beautiful my height is. I guess I listened to a lot of inspirational messages because I was in search of closure. My confidence grew and it was a major comeback. I wore sky-high heels and knew the only boundary I had is myself. "Oh! She is a model." No, honey. I am not a model. I don't have to be a model to be proud and confident about my height. High school made me feel like being 6-foot [tall] was a curse.
I channeled all that newly acquired confidence. Who wouldn't want to watch a 6-foot lady confidently arguing in court on a lawyer's rope? That is a great sight, you know. I found myself. Sometimes you must chill and avoid mounting pressure on yourself and never forget to show those never-ending legs.
Tall is confidence.
Ebony
Her Story:
Growing up tall was probably one of the hardest things I had to go through. You get called names, you can never find pants long enough, you're taller than all the boys, and the mere thought of wearing heels was definitely out of the question! It's like being forced into the spotlight everywhere you go. Not to mention, growing up in a small town, just made it 10x worse because you feel like you're the only one going through this. I get it, I've been there.
It wasn't until I reached my mid-teen years that I realized being tall had taken a huge toll on my self-esteem and I had to do something about it. [From there] I learned how to use my height as an advantage! I never was an athlete, so I had to find another approach: modeling.
Modeling was something that I always wanted to do since I was probably old enough to walk but being that my self-esteem was so low growing up, I didn't want any extra attention. Once I reached the age of 17, I had my first photoshoot and all I could think to myself was, "This is it! This is what I want to do!" So I started researching everything fashion/modeling-related. When I found out that the modeling industry is mostly made up of tall girls, you couldn't beat me to a casting call! I'm telling you, I was on it!
Now that I'm 22 years old and 6', I look back on what I've been through. I wouldn't change anything because that molded me into the strong individual I am today! I wish I could go back and tell my younger self, "It'll all come together in the end. The people that make fun of you now will be begging to be your friend and telling people how they know you in the future. Your height is a blessing, not a curse."
Cindy
Her Story:
I love being tall and have embraced my height for a long time. Yes, when I was younger and in school, it bothered me being called names, such as "giraffe". But being tall is considered beautiful! I love my height because it literally makes me stand out. I don't let my tall frame make me insecure if pieces don't fit me just right, like with pants or long sleeves tops. If they fall a little short, I rock them anyway with confidence! How do you think the trend crop pants and ¾ sleeves trend got started? Us tall GLAMAZONS are the reason! I never viewed it as a #tallgirlproblem but just a simple #tallgirlsituation that I have learned to adapt to. I do try to find pants with longer inseam but if I don't, and it is cute, I will buy them anyway.
Being 5'11" has also never stopped me from wearing high heels either, even when it makes me just as tall or slightly taller than my husband who is 6'3''. I usually wear between 3 to 4.5 inch heels. Being tall is who I am and I want to show that I love my height because I know there are tall girls and women out there who are still insecure about their height. So, if they ever see me on the street in heels and pants that may be a little short, perhaps it would give them the little boost of encouragement that they can embrace their height too.
Cheyenne
Her Story:
The older I get, I recognize that God gives us gifts, some of which we cannot comprehend. Height is one of those gifts. I am currently 22 years old and I am 6'2''! Although I am aware of how tall I am, I have always for the most part felt "average", being tall is my normal. That is also because my whole family, from immediate to extended, are tall, so I never felt out of place or awkward. It was not until I got to high school that I started to feel out of place and different compared to my peers.
I never fit into anything, so my clothes never really fit correctly and I did not think I was pretty, so I hung my head low. I hated when people would stop me in the store and ask me questions or make jokes. I felt that I was being put on the spot and I feel because I was a tall young girl that is what made heads turn. My brothers were also tall and never received half the looks or questions I did. I started to take God's gift and let the world make me feel it was a curse. It was not until I was a sophomore in college that I really started accepting and embracing my height within this world.
The one thing I always hear people say is "you are too tall for heels", and that is so far from the truth. One day, I was at the mall and I saw these size 11 sparkly gold heels on the clearance rack. I fell in love and I knew these were meant to be my shoes. The first time I wore them, friends and even other random people, kept questioning why I would wear these 4-inch heels if I was already so tall.
I realized that God did not make me tall to be quiet and scared to be present. I am tall because when I walk into a room, God needed my presence to be known he needed my voice to be heard.
Not many people know but with height comes authority and power and that is not something God just hands out. God needed everyone who gazed upon me to know I, Cheyenne Tyler Jacobs, had purpose. So I no longer hide.
I started loving who I am and not giving a thought to those who joked about my height. I get stopped often by people asking questions about my height and I think it is amazing. I found stores (mostly online) that I could buy clothes that fit and are stylish. I started hanging with people who lifted me up, who did not bring me down. I started to dig up that young girl with that vibrant spirit and I made her a woman. I realized tall was not only my normal but it was my blessing and I am proud to be 6"2. If there is any advice, I could give to any young girl or woman who is struggling with height is keep your head high.
Your height is a gift and you are beautiful, even if society and those around you cannot see it. Just know you are not alone. There is a community of tall beautiful tall women waiting to welcome you with open arms. Be blessed and stay beautifully tall.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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And so, since this is the time of year when catching a cold (and/or the flu) is common, let’s talk about the impact that sleep (and again, a lack thereof) has on your immune system. That way, you can remain as healthy as possible during the fall and winter seasons.
1. Less Sleep Means More Colds
GiphyLike I stated in the intro, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard somewhere that the fall and winter are the seasons when people are most susceptible to catching a cold or coming down with the flu. And that’s exactly why I thought I would start this all off by sharing the fact that some studies reveal that if you get less than six hours of sleep, on a consistent basis, you end up making yourself more vulnerable to coming down with both. In fact, some research says that only 18 percent of people who get six-plus hours of rest caught a cold while almost 40 percent who got less than that did.
The logic behind it all is sleep gives your body time to build up the proteins and cells (like cytokines and T-cells) that you need to fight off certain viruses. So, if nothing bothers you more than having a stuffy nose or stubborn cough when it’s cold outside, getting more sleep is one way to prevent that from happening to you.
2. Less Sleep Means More Allergy Symptoms
GiphyAt the end of the day, an allergy is basically what transpires whenever your immune system “overreacts” to something that other people’s systems do not. And since sleep is what helps to keep your immune system nice and strong — well, I’m sure you get how less allergy-related symptoms and more sleep go hand in hand. Also, since sleep helps to decrease bodily inflammation (more on that in a bit) and inflammation can also intensify allergy symptoms, that’s just one more reason to get as much shut-eye as possible.
3. Less Sleep Means Potential Diabetes and Heart Disease
GiphyDid you know that in 2024, Black women were diagnosed with diabetes 24 percent more than any other adult demographic. Also, it continues to be a reality that heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black women. These two sobering statistics alone should be enough of an incentive to do whatever you can to keep the risk of diabetes and heart disease way down.
One way to do that is by getting more sleep. Aside from the fact that sleep strengthens your immune system to where it is easier for you to fight off illness and diseases, sleep can keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy space; plus, when it comes to your heart, it gives it, along with your arteries and blood vessels a break.
4. Less Sleep Means Less Time for Your Body to Push “Reset”
GiphyIf you really stopped to consider all that your body goes through during the day (you can read some about that here), you definitely would respect it enough to do your best to thank it by giving it no less than six hours of sleep, each and every night. Sleep is what helps to slow your brain and body down so they are able to “refuel” for the next day. After all, how can your body prevent you from getting sick if your immune system is too worn out to fight ailments off? Exactly.
5. More Sleep Helps You to Fight Off Infections
GiphySpeaking of, in order for your body to fight off infections, there are certain cells and antibodies within you that need to be healthy and strong — one way that they get and stay that way is by you getting a good amount of sleep. For instance, remember when I touched on cytokines earlier? Well, the same way that they help to prevent colds, they also help to prevent infections too. And since sleep lowers your cortisol (stress) levels, rest gives your body the time and space to build up an army that can fight off free radicals and other health-related challenges while you are awake.
6. More Sleep Lowers Bodily Inflammation
GiphyWhenever a health-related issue is mentioned on this platform, inflammation is something that is mentioned quite a bit. Probably the easiest way to explain inflammation is it’s how your body responds/reacts whenever something is happening to your body that shouldn’t be, whether it’s an illness, an injury, a germ or something that you may be allergic to.
If you happen to have chronic inflammation, some symptoms that are associated with that include fatigue, stiff joints, skin rashes, weight gain and moodiness.
The interesting thing about all of this is if you aren’t getting enough rest, you could be triggering inflammation in your body. That’s because studies reveal that a lack of sleep can elevate molecules that are associated with inflammation. So, if you don’t want inflammation to increase within your system, you should definitely catch more zzz’s.
7. More Sleep Regulates Hormones
GiphyWhen it comes to hormones like serotonin, estrogen and cortisol, believe it or not, they play a role in how your immune system acts and overreacts. That’s because, if your hormones are out of balance, that can cause your immune system to work harder than it actually should and that can make you more vulnerable to sickness. One way to keep your hormones leveled out? SLEEP.
That’s because sleep gives your body the opportunity to rest, repair and restore your hormone levels. On the other hand, when you are sleep deprived, that can put/keep your hormones on the ultimate roller coaster ride. #notgood
8. More Sleep Strengthens Vaccines
flu shot GIF - Find & Share on GIPHYGiphyIf you’re someone who is good for getting some sort of vaccine around this time of the year, make sure that you rest up before and after getting your shots. Not only does adequate rest before a vaccination help your immune system to be better receptive to your shots but sleep also helps your body to build up enough antibodies to make your vaccinations effective after getting them. Because if you’re gonna get pricked, shouldn’t it be worth it? My thoughts exactly.
Get some freakin’ sleep! Your immune system depends on it.
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