Tall Girl in Mexico (Bueno!)

I did it! I went to Mexico and was successfully the tallest person in Puerta Vallarta (well…on the Marina anyways…I actually did meet some tall boys downtown so I suppose I can’t declare myself the Tallest Tourist).  What an amazing and wonderful trip!  Let me first start out by saying that I don’t speak any Spanish.  I know the words for beer, bathrooms, hello, and thank you.  Honestly, that’s it.  But the Mexicans were so kind and most were bilingual.  The ones that weren’t bilingual, we did the head nod dance but usually figured out what we were talking about.

Ridiculous, silly, funny, smart, talented, beautiful, loyal and downright amazing…that’s the awesomeness that I’m surrounded with here ( Melissa, Michelle, Me, & Robyn)

I went to Mexico with 3 girls that I’ve known forever and will know forever.  I won’t let them go and they won’t let me go.  We usually plan something once a year (or try really hard) and since this year there are 2 of us turning 40, Mexico seemed like the perfect ‘girls’ trip.  We zip-lined (pictured above), snorkeled, tasted a lot of good and bad tequila, played with monkeys & Mexican raccoons (true story), laughed copious amounts, got tan, and enjoyed each others company.  The world feels right when you are with good friends and that’s how my week went.  So many funny stories….

First and foremost, I caught up with my girls.  We all live so far away from each other and life gets in the way of phone calls and emails (Seattle, Denver, & Madison) so I feel like we are connected again.  I feel more centered myself because I connected with my ladies, I definitely was overdue.

Our last night in Mexico…and we didn’t sing karaoke. BUT we did drink beer while laughing and talking on the beach. Way more important!

I will say that my height was of definite ‘interest’ while in Mexico.  I’m not even sure of how many pictures I took with shorter people or even of how many times it was our opening conversation piece but we don’t care, we use it to our advantage.  There were so many free drinks that I’m almost embarrassed to try to guess how many, but it’s vacation so it’s to be expected, right?

Oh, and I should mention: The Timeshare Presentation.  We did it and got some free stuff along with an amazing room upgrade but it was brutal.  The original 90 minutes promised was really more like 4 hours.  However, we brought vodka (again, true story) and we made frequent bathroom trips so our presentation almost seemed silly by the time we were done.  In case you were wondering, we didn’t sign up to own a timeshare.

There were a couple of things that really stood out for me.  Zip-lining was huge.  I’m terrified of heights but by the time I was done, upside-down and spinning is how I careened over the 500 foot ravines.  All while screaming with bloody delight!  And I had a blast on one of our downtown nights as well.  Sometimes you just meet the right people/person at the exact right time and the fun simply begins….oh, and when you get a lap dance on your snorkeling cruise, that kinda makes your day too.

My favorite night out! Met fun people, had fun times….oh to do it again!

If I had a ton of time (and an ‘A’ on my keyboard…long story but one of the cats clipped it with his nail and now I’m short an ‘A’) I’d write about almost all of my adventures.  Some are dear and can’t be shared, some may and most likely will make me cry, and all are precious.   But suffice to say the trip was AMAZING!

I think our next trip is a back packing and possibly Spa adventure.  I’ve decided I need a goal to help whip my butt into shape and Mount St. Helen’s is a perfect hiking opportunity (not gonna lie, I also dearly miss the NW and this is a way for me to get back in a meaningful manner).  This fall may find 4 of the most fun, fearless, hilariously awesome chicks hiking up the NW’s most prized volcano.

So to recap, Mexicans are short and I am tall.  ‘Nuff said?

Tall girl in a new city

I’ve lived in Portland for almost 5 1/2 years.  I moved here in April of 2007 from Denver, CO where I had lived since July of 2003.  I moved for my dream job and my dream city both of which were happening at the same time.  I was excited, happy, bursting with energy and ready to embrace both city living and my wonderful new job.

One of the pictures from my going away party from Denver, CO back in 2007. That’s almost 6 years ago!

But now, my rose-colored glasses have fogged a bit and I think it’s time for a change.  I lived in Des Moines, IA for about 5 years before Denver and I’m thinking it’s time to get back to the Mid-West.  I miss my family and I miss seeing my nieces and nephew growing up.  And I really miss my sisters and my parents (and Grandma!)  So what’s a tall-girl to do?  I think it’s time to get closer to home.

Once I had made the decision I had to figure out where in the mid-west I should end up.  I picked 4 cities: Des Moines, IA; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; Madison, WI; and Chicago, IL.  I figured any job within this 4-point radius would be feasible provided it fit within my salary range.  AND, more importantly, it had to fit within my ‘happiness’ range.  This means that my next job must make me happy.  I want to lead a team and help people.  I used to do this and it made me extremely happy.   It’s SO important to me that I be happy doing what I love.

SO….what does this all mean….

I recently found the job that looks like it could be that perfect fit.  And it happened to be in Madison, WI.  Everything happened so quickly it was a blur.  And now, as of yesterday, I’m in Madison, WI.  I’m beyond thrilled.  I have that feeling again…the one that makes me want to embrace the city and the job.  I’m ecstatic and in my gut (which is the most important tell-tale sign), my gut says this is the right move.

There’s a tall club here and one in Milwaukee that I’m planning on joining.  I’m living downtown next to the capital so I’ll be within walking distance to all of the ‘weirdness’ that everyone here has assured me I will see.  There’s a University here where I can see college football and tailgate (although I will never leave my IA Hawks).  And best of all, I’m within 5 hours of my family.  I can actually come home for Christmas this year and maybe Thanksgiving too!  Bring on the homemade egg-nog!

So, with a fresh new city and a fresh new outlook I’m ready to get out and make some memories to share with you.  Now, if only my furniture would arrive….

More to come….in Madison, WI!

So you wanna start a Tall Club, eh?

You’re tall.  You feel like you hang out with a lot of tall people.  You think it would be fun to start a tall club.  So you talk to your other tall friends and everyone seems to think it would be fun and a great idea.  Now what?  Well, that’s what I’m here for!  I’ve got the inside info on how you can start your very own tall club and also how you too can become affiliated with Tall Clubs International.

The basic requirements:

1. Men must be a minimum of 6’2″ and women must be a minimum of 5’10”.
2. All members must be at least 21 years of age.
3. Start-up clubs should be active for 6 months prior to application for membership
4. Minimum membership prior to application for membership is 15 members.
5. TCI annual dues are $3 per member, minimum of $45, due in January of each year.

The basic steps

1. Name your club and elect officers
2. Publicize your club (Facebook, Twitter, Meet-Up, etc)
3. Begin having regular meetings and social events to attract more members
4. Write your bylaws (samples available)
5. Open a bank account and start collecting dues to fund events
6. Once you have 15 members it’s time to apply for members ship!  (you must have authorization by a majority vote of your members directing the club president to seek membership through TCI)
7. Contact TCI’s Vice President of Membership (tci-membership@tall.org) at least 60 days prior to the annual convention (usually the last weekend in June) to submit your application for membership.  You will need:

• Letter of Application from your Club President
• Letter of Sponsorship from another TCI club in good standing (find one that’s close in proximity to you or perhaps make friends with someone in a club OR contact me and I’ll direct you to someone close to you)
• Send a check for 1/2 of the annual dues (minimum $22.50 for 15 members)
• List of founding members (Include: names, officially measured height barefoot, zip code, and email address)

If all is in order, your new club will be nominated for membership at the annual Delegates meeting during Convention.

Some of my tall club members at Convention in Las Vegas in 2009 when I won Miss Tall International.

Why should I become affiliated with Tall Clubs International (TCI)?

• Charity–TCI is affiliated with several charities so your funds go to some great charities such as Marfan Syndrome and Habitat for Humanity.
• Parents–TCI is a little like your parent.  You have your local club and then TCI above your local club.  It’s a great dynamic.
• Parties–do you like to party?  Yeah, me too.  And so do many of the TCI members.
• Tall People–do you like to party with tall people?  Yeah, me too…..see where I’m going with this?
• Tall Stores–what better place to swap stories about tall stores or even better swap clothes.  Or how about this, many tall stores offer discounts to members of TCI!!!
• Miss Tall International–Are you single, female, and always wanted to wear a crown and a sash?  Perhaps you should consider running for Miss Tall International.
• Ummmm…FUN–I don’t think I need to expand on this

Me and my tall friend Jan. This was taken at a Tall Christmas party!

Now, if you’d like to start a tall club please do!  If you would like more information on this please feel free to contact TCI Vice President (currently Genie Williamson) at tci-membership@tall.org.

I can also assist if you would like to contact me at misstallgirlramblings@gmail.com.  I can direct you to clubs near you or directly to TCI for further assistance.

If I could change 1 thing because I’m tall it would be…

Why not bigger tree houses?  We need bigger tree houses to better suit our taller bodies!

I’ve actually thought a long time about this…a long, long time and I’ve wanted to write about it but it’s a difficult and personal thing for each individual.  Someone that is 5’10” is going to want something much different than someone who is 7’8″. And the difference between males and females is also going to vary greatly as well.  I think what I personally would like to change is going to be very, very different than say, a guy that’s 6’10”.  But I guess we’ll see.

The more I thought about this the more I couldn’t narrow it down to one thing.  I can think of one thing that I want more than others, but there are multiple things that I want.  Typical female…I moved my list around so many times although my #1 stayed the same.  Here goes!

If I could change 1 (okay, more than 1) thing because I’m tall it would be:

1.  Airline Seats–now I know this one is obvious but I wouldn’t actually change the width because I fit fine in the actual seat.  It’s the distance between the seats needs to be longer!  My knees are right up against the back of the seat in front of me.  And if the jack-hole in front of me chooses to recline in their seat…I’m going to be a very unhappy passenger.  Or, the airlines could save the bulk-head and exit row seats (provided we can assist in the event of an emergency) for passengers over 6’2″ AND NOT CHARGE US EXTRA!!!!

I chose this for my number one because I travel a lot.  I spend so much money on extra leg-room and checking my luggage that my trips become much more expensive than I’d really like them to be.  An extra $25-$45 for the leg room both ways and then another $20-$25 for my bags, we’ve now added another $100-$150 to my already expensive trip!  Yikes.

Who has extra cash?  Apparently me…

2.  Tall Clubs International—TCI (Tall Clubs International) is such an important part of height awareness and they have so much to give as a social club and as a charity, but unfortunately the group is dwindling.  The club began in 1939 and there are still approximately 50 clubs throughout the Unites States with nearly 2,000 members however there was a time when the active membership was nearly 5,000.  I’d like to help get TCI back on the map with some beefed up membership and more active members but I’ll be honest, even I haven’t been very active myself lately.  Life tends to get in the way.  More membership, more advertisement, more sponsors…we need to get more activity!

My 6’4″ friend Megan who is a former President of Tall Clubs International and of course, Moi on the left.

3.  Clothes–okay, let me be a little more specific because personally I don’t have a terrible time finding clothes however there are 2 categories of tall people who need help with clothing:

• Tall, plus sized-this combination is nearly impossible for women to find good, quality, and reasonably priced clothing.  Most women can’t spend $100 per shirt or $150 per pair of pants.  That’s simply too much for the average woman so there needs to be better availability of tall, plus-sized clothing as well as better pricing.
• Clothes for the super tall-allow me to explain further.  I have a friend, Chris, who is 6’9″.  He shops at 1 store for almost all of his clothes.  1 store!  I don’t know how he does it.  For those men and women over 6’6″ with inseams over 38′, they need specialty stores that also aren’t horribly expensive and they also need greater access to these stores.

This is Chris and these are actually his hats. Wait, that’s not true. He really wears hats like this to distract people from his 6’9″ height. Okay…that’s not true either.

4.  Height Awareness-I’d like to change some perceptions that people seem to have about tall people.  We all play basketball, we are all freaks, tall women only want to date taller men (okay, for those of you that read my last blog yes, I am searching for a tall guy but that doesn’t mean I haven’t dated shorter guys in the past.  Don’t judge) and all the tall men only date women under 5 feet.  We all get labeled somehow.  We’ll I’ve come up with a few examples of things I’d like for people to know that it’s NOT okay to do or say.

• It’s not okay to come up behind me when I’m not looking and stand back-to-back with me while your friends take your picture.  You might get punched, seriously.
• I may or may not have played basketball and unless you know me, you probably should be careful what you ask.  Is it okay to touch a pregnant women’s belly?  Consider my feelings like that pregnant women’s belly…tread lightly.
• To point and stare at me as I walk by is downright rude.  Learn some manners (unless you are under the age of 8, then it’s acceptable)
• Thinking you are funny by saying something clever like ‘How’s the weather up there’ or ‘What’s up shorty?’ is really your way of indicating your very low IQ
• Please don’t ask me to compare hands with you.  Yes, my hands are probably bigger.  I’d also wager that so is my brain.
• No, my parents aren’t tall.  They are very short, I’m a mutant.  Who can explain science?

My family! All right…my dad is really tall, so is everyone else in my family.

So there you have it.  4 things that I would change and I KNOW I didn’t touch on some topics that others would want to change.  I wonder how much would actually change if I could at least get my wish with the first 4…..hmmmmm, I think I’ll go ponder that for awhile.

Tall Singles Groups

You never know who might show up at your Tall events...Prince maybe?

How cool is this?  There is a Tall Singles Meet Up Group in Portland!!!  So you know I’m a member of the Portland Skyliners which in turn is a member of Tall Clubs International (TCI).  Our Tall club hosts many events through Meet Up and we have been attracting quite a bit of attention lately particularly through our Meet Up site.  We’ve been posting our social hours, dinner events, misc. events, etc and we’ve been getting quite a few new faces showing up to socialize.  Well, there is a Tall Singles Meet Up in Portland that isn’t affiliated with our Portland Skyliners!  New faces…of course I had to join!!!!

I then did a little research on Meet Up and I found 39 different Meet Ups with the words ‘Tall and Single’ in them.  Now when I filtered through the 39 I actually came out with 23 groups that were specifically for Tall People.  Some are off-shoots of actual tall clubs but some are true tall, singles groups.  They range from FL to NY to Canada and there is a grand total of 2,370 Tall Persons joined throughout the US and Canada.

Elvis always did have a 'thing' for me....

I haven’t been to an event yet but there’s a sushi dinner tomorrow night that looks tempting…I think I’ll be brave and go.  I love meeting people!!!  And I can’t turn down sushi.

This is wonderful!!!  I’m sure many of you  have already found this information but I always enjoy passing along what I hope is useful.  I created a quick list of all the groups I found on Meet Up and pasted it below so if you see one in your area you can check it out.  I also linked them so my hopes are that you can find a fun activity in your area!  Good luck all!!

Group	City, State	Members
Tall Singles Portland	Portland, OR	135
Bay Area Tall Singles	San Francisco, CA	247
Seattle Tall Singles	Kirkland, WA	92
Boston Tall Singles	Boston, MA	129
SoCal Tall Singles	Los Angeles, CA	163
OKC Tall Club	Oklahoma City, OK	12
Tall Club of Toronto	Toronto, ON	133
Kansas City Tall Group	Kansas City, MO	150
Tall Club of North Carolina	Raleigh, NC	56
Silicon Valley Tall Group	San Jose, CA	108
Atlanta Tall Club	Atlanta, GA	158
Milwaukee Talls	Milwaukee, WI	24
Tall Austin Singles	Austin, TX	161
Tall Club of Las Vegas	Las Vegas, NV	36
Tall Club of New York City	New York, NY	270
Portland Skyliners Tall Club	Portland, OR	44
Tall Toronto Social Club	North York, ON	27
Denver/Boulder Tall Singles	Denver, CO	130
Boston Beanstalks Tall Club	Boston, MA	113
Tall Professionals of South Florida	Miami, FL	170
Carolina Tall Club	Greenville, SC	9
Tall Girls Group	Palm Bay, FL	3

 

 

An Interview with Joy Dawson, Miss Tall International 2010

Me crowning Joy as Miss TI 2010.

I nabbed it!  That’s right, the exclusive interview with Tall Clubs International reigning queen, Miss Tall International® 2010, Joy Dawson.  The wonderful part of conducting an interview with someone that you know (and like!) is that it’s fun and makes my writing pastime even more enjoyable for me.  This interview is extremely special to me because I was the outgoing queen who crowned Joy as the incoming queen.  Typically in a situation like this it can be a little bittersweet but from my perspective I was incredibly excited to pass the torch.  All of the candidates in the 2010 pageant were truly amazing women, but Joy stood out amongst the group.  So today I get to tell you a little bit more about her, in her own words, and what makes her so special.  I’m also going to give you some information regarding the next Tall Pageant so if you are interest in attending, you’ll know the 4-1-1 and who to contact.

Without further ado, let’s talk about Joy!

___________________________

Height: 6′ 2″ barefoot

Local Tall Club:  Tall Club of Greater Washington, DC

Advantages of Being Tall:  When you find an item of clothing that
fits, it looks fantastic.  Even a simple piece looks elegant and
dramatic on a tall person.

Disadvantages: Sometimes you have to go to go as far as Canada or
England to find something that fits!  Shipping charges are a bear.

What is a day in the life of Miss TI:  I get dressed and go to work
just like everyone else.  However, I am referred to as “Your
Highness” in the places I frequent, which is hilarious.  When I go
somewhere wearing the crown and sash and someone says, “Oh…who are
you?”  I smile and tell them my name is Joy…feigning as if I were
not wearing a sparkly crown and a regal sash.  The person laughs and
it starts a conversation about Tall Clubs and what we are about.

If I may talk a bit about my life as Miss TI when I am doing publicity and
raising awareness, I am so honored that I have been able to bring
attention to my platform, which is bullying.  My platform is
height-related, as is expected of Miss TI.  I was 6′ tall in middle
school and kept growing.  Because of it, I was ridiculed and harassed
mercilessly.  Plus, I didn’t play basketball.  If I had, it might have
taken some of the pressure off me because people would have seen me
using my height to my advantage.  It would have earned me some
respect.  However, I had to be who I was.  I was not going to let
anyone else decide what was best for me just because only fit into one
acceptable, ideal box in the minds of the public.  I have noticed that
tall young people, before they figure out who they are, are always
singled out.  I wanted to use my experiences to help them and other
unique young people.  I have been traveling the country doing speeches
in middle schools.  Why did I wait until I was crowned?  Because few
things make people pay attention like a crown.  And when I wear it and
my fiercest pumps, I look about 6′ 7.”  With that and my message, I
have kept the attention of huge crowds of children for an hour at a
time.  It is energizing.  I only hope that I was able to help someone
and provide some encouragement.

Any favorite moments as Miss TI:  It is hard to choose, but a day
after I was crowned in New Orleans, I got to ride a police horse!!  I
was not going to let the fact that I was wearing a long gown and high
heels keep me from riding this horse.  The dark beauty was eighteen
hands high (gigantic for a horse).  I knew that perhaps I would never
again have a chance to ride a horse that was tall enough for me.  So I
hiked up my dress and hoisted myself up.  However, it
was one of the most beautiful moments of my entire life.  I giggled
like a twelve-year-old the whole time.

Joy atop a NOPD horse!

Where do you buy your clothes?: I am probably Long Elegant Legs’, Long
Legs’, and Long Tall Sally’s most popular customer.  I am becoming a
frequent shopper with Simply Tall, too.  I have noticed that the
selection has really improved in the last decade.  Now I can get
clothes in colors other than black, brown, navy, and white.  Also,
smaller sizes are more readily available.  I really appreciate that.
You may be aware that pretty much all of the storefront locations of
the tall women’s specialty shops have closed down in the last couple
of years.  Long Elegant Legs has a warehouse sale twice a year in
Hillsborough, NJ.  I drive up there every year for at least one sale.
It makes me feel like everyone else for a change.  I think women of
average height can not understand what it is like to never be able to
walk into a store and buy clothes.  I am sure it would be a rude
awakening for anyone if one day he or she walked through an entire
mall and only bought a magazine and cup of coffee because nothing else
will ever fit.  We must frequent the businesses I mentioned so that we
statuesque ladies can engage in retail therapy at the mall just like
everyone else.

Any funny moments as a tall woman: Forgive the personal nature of
this story, but I think it’s hilarious.  I was in a very, very old
building.  You know how much shorter people were a hundred years ago,
right?  Well, nature called and I went to the ladies room.  With the
size of the stall, the height of the bowl, and the length of my legs,
let’s just say I had to choose between sitting down or being able to
close the stall door for some privacy!  Actually, it’s only hilarious
on hindsight.

I would like to close with a few things people/children have exclaimed
upon seeing me.  Sometimes I had on my crown and sash, sometimes I did
not.

“Now that’s a tall, COOL drink of water!” (It was the “cool” part that
made me laugh).
“Look at that tall little girl!”
“Look!  It’s Princess Tiana!”
“Oh!  I thought you were a mannequin!”

___________________________

A HUGE Thank YOU to Joy for helping to make this interview happen.  Being Miss Tall International has lots of responsibilities on top of your daily life so I appreciate the time Joy took out of her busy schedule to make this happen.

The 2011 Tall Clubs International Convention will be held in Seattle, WA beginning June 27th through July 2nd.  The Miss Tall International Pageant will be held on Wednesday, June 29th.  Details can be found at the Miss TI Blogspot or Tall Clubs International (TCI) website.

How Tall is TALL

Today I went into a coffee shop near my place of work and there were 2 young girls at the counter. They were quite friendly and we began chatting about random topics when of course, one girl asked how tall I was. I answered that I was 6’4″ and she came around the counter to see what kind of shoes I had on (thong sandals, I’d just had a pedicure) and to make sure I wasn’t wearing some type of heel.

I asked how tall both of the girls were and they were each 5’8″ but they both began lamenting to me how difficult it is to be tall.  At this point in the conversation, I politely smiled, got my coffee, and went to read my book.  When did ‘Tall’ become 5’8″?  I was already 5’7″ in 6th grade but so were 3 other girls in my class (Lori, Nicole, and Heather).  I’m fairly certain the girls at the coffee shop were college age girls so they aren’t going to grow anymore or very much anyway.  So now I ask the question; in this day and age of taller human beings, how does 5’8″ equal tall?

With best friend, Molly from high school. She's 5'10".

There are so many more resources available to the 5’10” woman and below it seems to me that 6’0″ should be the new 5’10”.  Similar to how 40 is the 30.  (I’m probably going to get lambasted for this statement)

I have no idea the trials and tribulations of today’s youth (spoken like a true 80 year old…sheesh!) I know that I didn’t pay much attention to my height because I had other things to worry about: sports, school, my family, my jobs, etc.  But I can tell you back in the late 70’s and early 80’s here is what we put up with just because we stood out in a crowd:

• 

  Heather and I in Aug, 1978. I'm sure I wore Heather's outfit in 1979 when it was handed-down to me.

  There was no such thing as ‘tall’ pants or ‘long’ shirts.  You wore what you had, and that’s it.  If you were a first-born, you were lucky because then you got to pick it out, wear it out, and then hand it off to the next kid in line. (Obviously this only works when the siblings are all the same sex, such as my family of 4 sisters.  Or 4 little dish-washers as my mom used to call us but that’s another story)

• You were either the first one picked on the team or the last one, there was no middle ground.  When you are Tall, you make a choice (or body-wise, it’s made for you), you either excel at athletics or you don’t.  I was lucky, I was pretty good at sports but I know plenty of Tall people who excel at other things.  That’s completely normal.
• Tall people are made fun of no matter what, even if we were popular.  I was called Stretch, Daddy Long Legs, the Holli Green Giant and so many more.  In fact, in high school I was referred to as ‘The Tree’.  Not Tree…’The Tree’.  Some people didn’t even know my real name, they only knew me as ‘The Tree’.  I considered it a badge of honor because I learned not only to take it, but dish it back
• You were expected to want to date someone taller because that was supposed to be the way it was.  I hardly dated in high school because of that ridiculous expectation.  Good luck finding him (when you are over 6’0″).
• You either stand in the back for pictures or you squat so that you don’t appear to be dis-proportionally tall compared to everyone else.   This still happens today so technically I could leave this point out, but I like the picture below of us girls in Breckenridge, CO celebrating Oktoberfest.

See me in the background? Looming over everyone else.

So back to my original questions.  Is 5’8″ considered tall?  Is 5’10” even considered tall?  Would a little above average be considered tall?  Honestly, it actually helps if ‘Tall’ is a little bit shorter.  Then those whom are truly Height-Blessed are afforded more options as height-awareness becomes more mainstream.

When the California Tip Toppers was first began by Kae Sumner Einfeldt, height requirements were established for membership in the club.  Women must be 6’0″ and men must be 6’4″ in order to join.    Most Tall Clubs International groups now follow the 5’10” requirement for women and 6’2″ requirement for men.

So what is considered Tall?  I’ll let you decide.

New clothing and shoe choices

That's me on the prowl for a good deal!

I am always on the look-out for tall clothes.  Wait…quality tall clothes at reasonable prices.  I’m constantly searching online and I’ve even taken to reading user blogs because you can pick up all kinds of tidbits regarding little known shops or even gently used shops.  But I think it’s even more exciting when companies contact you.  They know you are serious about finding quality clothing (of course I admit to my own online shopping addiction all the time and my closet is a bit overflowing these days).

In my years of playing volleyball and basketball as well as being a member of Tall Clubs International, I’ve come across many women (and men) who simply can’t find clothing.  I can remember being in high school and dreading ‘Game Days’.  Game Days meant we had to dress up.  My older sister and I shared a closet most of the time and we would switch outfits on a bi-weekly basis.  Yes, that means exactly how it sounds.  You might see Heather wearing an outfit on a Tuesday, then I’d be wearing that same outfit on Friday.  The horror!  (And if you are reading this and know Heather and I personally, you KNOW how different we are and how awkward this was for both of us!)

So how exciting is this? I’ve gotten several e-mails from TALL clothing resources letting me know about their products. YAY for anyone who is clothing our tall bodies in fashionable attire!  Hats off to you.

Hot shoes

Barefoot Tess – Um, can you say GREAT SHOES!  Holy cow.  I didn’t realize there were so many choices and it almost makes me feel guilty that I ‘only’ wear a size 10.5 to 11 shoe.   I must have the shoes on the right.  In fact, if you are on Facebook (as I am) and you ‘Like’ the Barefoot Tess page, click on the ‘Shop Now’ tab to receive a coupon code that will save you an additional 15% (this is a one time code and make sure you write down the code on the same day that you Like the page).

They carry wider sizes and fit up to size 15 for women.  Additionally, if you have a smaller foot, they are linked with a company called “Lori’s” which carry’s size 5 through 11.5.

Lanky Bird – Wow.  Beautiful clothes.  As I was looking at the clothes on the website I noticed they all have a little ‘extra’.  A bit of flair, if you will.  The dress below shows a bit of the tailoring and the added splashes of color make this dress timeless.

Adorable little dress.

I should mention that I’ve never ordered from their website but I must say that I was impressed by their ‘About Me’ section.  If you aren’t sure of your size; E-MAIL THEM.  They seemed very willing to assist in sizing.  I know I’ve ran into sizing issues between countries and it can be costly returning clothes so if they are willing to help figure out your best fit, I would absolutely enlist the help of professionals.

Simply put, I love this blouse.

Simply Tall – I mentioned Simply Tall a few months ago but I’ve since ordered several pieces of clothing from their catalog and I have to say that I’m quite impressed.  I’m leaving for Europe in less than 2 weeks and you can bet that you will see lots of pictures of me in the the shirt pictured.  I love it.  It’s flattering, drapes in all the right places and I have the right jewelry and hats to make it an ‘Outfit’.  You know what I mean.

I’ve also gotten a couple of other items from Simply Tall but this one is my favorite.  I can’t wait to wear it in Paris or maybe Brussels or even London!

Speaking of Europe we’ve got our trip all mapped out so I hope to have some wonderful stories to share (pictures too).  I’ve got this crazy idea for another ‘Taking Pictures with Short People – European Version’.  Whaddya think?

New Year’s Resolutions–Part 1, 2010 Memories

Yes, the resolution time has come and like everyone else I’ve taken stock of my perfect life and decided that there a few things I could work on. Shock! I’m not as perfect as I thought. I guess that change is good although it can sure be a difficult thing to do.

2010 was a good year with some amazing memories.  It’s always nice to take a look back to see what actually happened.

Crawfish, crawdads, crayfish...New Orleans Tall Convention.

Some of my best memories of 2010 were of course, reigning as Miss Tall International® for the first half of the year.  I was able to visit several Tall Clubs in 2010 and celebrate new friends and new memories.  We had some pretty awesome weekends in Chicago, Detroit, Florence, OR, as well as the annual convention which was held in one of my favorite cities, New Orleans.  Any time you put Tall Club International members together…it’s a party.

The New Orleans Convention holds many memories for me because this was it.  No more Miss Tall International title for me and it was time to pass the crown to the next (very deserving) Queen.  Great memories.

Napa Valley wine tasting (look at the bright red hair!)

Another great memory of 2010 is TRAVELING.  Simply put, I love to travel. If I was independently wealthy you’d be hard-pressed to find me because I’d always be somewhere.

I take weekend get-a-ways the most because they are the easiest with my job and it’s also the fastest way to pack loads of fun into a small amount of time.  I think we hit Seattle, San Fransisco, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Vancouver BC, besides of course my other trips listed above.  I’m sure I’m missing a few trips but that’s okay.  I’m grateful that I was able to go and have all the fun that I did.  One of my favorite trips was to Napa Valley.  We were able to do some wine-tasting (which was delicious) and see some beautiful countryside.  It also came at time when I was the most stressed in my life and I think that’s why I have the fondest memories of my Napa trip.

Of course, I can’t forget about the surprise we threw my sister Heather.  Her birthday is in November so in September my youngest sister and I surprised her by throwing her a surprise birthday party.  My parents were there and about 40 other people.  We met at a bar near the MN Twins new stadium and then we went to a game!  It was so much fun.  Of course, getting to see my family that lives back in the mid-west is always a treat for me since I live so far away.

Mom and I at Heather's birthday party.

Darcy, Miss Tall International 2010 Joy Dawson, and the 2 other MTI Judges.

Another fun memory I have is beginning to write on the Tall Blog.  Here’s how it happened:  I met Darcy (the founder of the Tall Blog) at the Tall Club Convention where he was judging the 2010 Miss Tall International.  We chatted after the pageant was over and voila!  Here I am.   I even happen to have a picture of Darcy along with the other two judges of the Miss Tall International contest as well as Joy Dawson, the reigning Miss Tall International 2010.    I think they were dancing in this picture but I’m not exactly sure.  Either way, doesn’t everyone look so happy?

So, what could 2010 possibly be missing?  I spent time with my Tall Friends, a lot of time working, and as much time as I could with my boyfriend traveling.  Part 2 of my blog will talk about what I am doing already in 2011 to make sure I don’t miss out on some very important people.  I’m also going to talk about my resolutions that I’ve made for this year. I’ve already started on mine and with some perseverance and a little bit of luck, I might actually complete them!

Till next time.