We are so excited to have 6'2" Author/Speaker Katherine Smith as our next 'Women of Height'. She is a true inspiration for tall women everywhere !

The Summer is almost over !!!

I can’t believe how quickly this summer has flown by. My 20 year class reunion has come and gone. My youngest sister got engaged and married. I turned 38 in June. Stores are starting to bring in their fall and winter lines…I’ve been so busy with life that I’ve barely had a free moment. I feel like I looked up and it was mid-August.
It’s been an odd, but interesting summer. I had challenged myself to grow this summer. I had big plans of what I thought I would accomplish. I was going to take a French class this summer, I was going to go camping, and I even had thoughts of starting that workout program I’ve been meaning to get back to. I haven’t done any of it. In fact, I’ve been so busy focusing on my work, I haven’t focused on myself one bit. I even had bought 12 microdermabrasion sessions (I got a really great deal!) and I haven’t even used a single one!
So what’s the big deal? Well, I’ve realized that when I lose myself in work, I’m not as happy as I could be. This means that I haven’t written as much this summer as I would’ve liked. I haven’t made as many plans as I normally would. I haven’t traveled or visited friends like I need to and I haven’t pushed myself out of my boundaries like I do in the summertime. I also haven’t been to the beach nearly enough.
Typically I have 10-15 funny, TALL stories to share by this time in the summer because I’ve been to so many ‘events’ or small town fairs but not this year. I’ve been a bit of a hermit. So here’s what I’m going to do.
1. I’m writing about it because I know this happens to everyone. Just because I’m tall and usually outgoing, doesn’t mean I’m immune to becoming a hermit once in a while. The trick is to get back out there and keep doing what makes me happy.
2. SHOP! That’s right, I need to shop. Okay, let me back up. I need to do something I enjoy and I happen to enjoy shopping, particularly online. In fact there are some new arrivals that need my attention at LongLegs.ca
3. I’m signing up for some classes this fall. I’m nervous, but I’m doing it. I’ve picked out 2: a French conversation class and a beginner yoga class. They meet once a week and it’s for adult beginners. I like to think I’m smart, but I have lots of learning left to do.
4. I’m trying not to stress about it. I’m a bit of a worrier so the less I can worry, and the more I can actually ‘do’ is so much better for my own psyche. At work I’m a go-getter but at home I’m a no-getter. What’s wrong with this picture? It needs some attention.
5. And last but not least, I’m making a list of everything I want to finish before this summer is over. I like to feel like I’ve accomplished something and checking things off of a list is an action that gives me that feeling. I’ve started my list and it’s not going to be too long because I don’t want to set myself up for failure, but I’d better get moving or I won’t finish it all.
So, now what do I do? It’s time for me to get to get to work on myself. I’ve got appointments to make, classes to sign up for and items to cross off my list! Summer isn’t over yet and there’s still time to make this a productive summer. Who is with me???

Jennings Girls in Oregon...Living TALL

Recently I had the most wonderful visit from two of my sisters and one of my nieces. It was my older sister, Heather and my youngest sister, Hilleri along with Hilleri’s daughter Baileigh. Man, did we have a nice time! Baileigh absolutely loved playing with my three cats and I had the opportunity to take my sisters to some of the beautiful places around Oregon.
We visited the children’s museum, we had margaritas on a patio in downtown Portland (yes, sometimes it IS sunny here), and then there’s my favorite thing we did, we went to Seaside and stayed in a hotel directly on the beach.
We ran along the beach, we dug for shells, we got our feet wet and Baileigh screamed with delight as she chased the ocean. It was a magical day and it was wonderful to be with my family. I love being around my sisters because we always have such a great time.
Of course I have to bring up the whole height thing because when you have 3 six footers walking along Seaside you can be sure we were noticed. It was brought up so many times with us shopping and especially when I rode the carousel with Baileigh. My feet were hanging off my horse and I could touch the ground. People love to point out the obvious and it’s so much more fun when I’ve got my sisters right there to help answer any questions in the most hilarious way possible.
I can remember back when I played sports in high school and college and I was always surrounded by tall women. It’s a very comfortable feeling for me. I could almost advocate only hanging out with people over 6 foot if my shorter friends weren’t so darn witty and funny. My wardrobe would double, I’d never have to bend over to hear anything every again, and I would always feels safe traveling in a pack of tall women (we appear to be much tougher than we are sometimes). But I couldn’t give up my short friends because they mean too much to me. I guess it’s a good thing that some people don’t ‘see’ height. It’s just not that important (unless you are trying to get noticed, of course).
Thanks for visiting me sisters. It’s your turn next Heidi!! (she’s the one that didn’t make it this trip)

Girl, you must be at least 7 feet tall !!!

Although my blog is titled “Loving Your Long Legs”, I will be the first one to admit that being tall isn’t always awesome. Like all great things it comes with its challenges and, the other day, I met one of them.
The other day, I was working a shift at my job as a “beauty advisor”. By “beauty advisor” I mean that I sell makeup to unsuspecting customers in a big box retail store. My job consists of standing on my feet all day wearing a shocking amount of makeup while I make casual conversation about bronzers, smooth wrinkle erasing (“I promise!”) creams and lotions on the tops of my hands and say in a sing-song voice “Would that be everything today?”. Needless to say, my employment position can be somewhat on the tiring side. That day, in particular, was particularly frustrating as I was assigned to a brand new, just-launched makeup line for teens. This would be fine, except that I work in a mall near several old age homes and our mean age demographic is about seventy-five. MAC who??
So there I was, hunched over the makeup counter, my six foot frame begging to be stretched back into its proper height, when a little old lady came strolling past with her husband. Being the excellent sales person that I am (*brushes shoulders off), I smiled sweetly and asked if there was anything I could help her with. Instead, this woman looked up at me with an expression that could only be described as confused and somewhat disgusted and said “My god, girl, you must be at least seven feet tall!!”.
I winced as the other makeup girls surrounding me stifled their giggles. But, being that I have been six feet since the age of fourteen, I was less than phased by her observation and said calmly and assuredly “Actually, madam, I am exactly six feet one inch. If I was seven feet I would have trouble fitting through a doorway and would be peering down at you from this height”, I placed my hand about a foot taller than my head and smiled again.
Now, normally that would be the end of it. The little old lady would simple say “Oh, dear, you are absolutely correct. My mistake! And, by the way, you look beautiful”. But, this time, the conversation went a little something like this:
Me: *Placing a hand a foot taller than me and smiling*
Little Old Lady: Oh well, girl, you are crazy because you are a hell of a lot taller than 6’1’’. In your dreams! *Stomps off
Me: *Shell shocked
I couldn’t believe it. I was incensed! My face was hot with anger. At that moment, a colleague of mine who had overheard the whole conversation came to my aid.
Colleague: Oh don’t worry, Anastasia. These things happen all the time in retail. People seem to think that they can take out their anger toward the world on us. Just let it slip off your back.
Me: Are you nuts??
Colleague: I’m sorry?
Me: I’m not mad because she yelled at me. I’m not even mad because she didn’t buy any product (which she needed, by the way). I’m mad because she didn’t believe me when I told her my actual height!! She got my height WRONG.
Colleague: *Confused
This isn’t the first time someone has guessed at my height and gotten it wrong. I have gotten everything from five eleven to, well, seven foot three if you must know. And, no matter how tall or short someone guesses I am, I am just as annoyed at either. Believe me, I get enough “tall girl questions” per day to have sort of become immune, but this seems different. After reflecting on it a bit, I think it comes down to pride.I am proud of being exactly six foot one inch. Although it can be backbreaking, I really do love my height. I can’t imagine myself being an average 5’5’’ or even a “tall” (ya right) 5’8’’. Even though it comes with baggage, I would not be the same person if I was shorter or taller. I love being tall because it makes me who I am. When people make assumptions of how tall I am, I not only feel like they are making assumptions about the length of my body, but that they are making assumptions about who I am as a person. That little old lady was prescribing a height for me that she thought fit. She was telling me what I was and who I was. She was wrong. Six foot one inch fits me just fine and I am so proud of it.

Why I can't stop talking about being tall !!

If you would’ve told me 20 years ago that I would be writing about being a tall woman, I would’ve laughed in your face. Twenty years ago I was a senior in high school trying to figure out how to handle growing up and being tall in a world that wasn’t equipped to for me. You see, this year is my 20 year anniversary of graduating from high school. In fact, in about a month I’m going back to Northern Iowa to see as many of my graduating class as possible. Considering that I graduated with only 35 people, I hope to see all of them.
20 years ago I did everything I could to hide from something that was so obvious to everyone around me. I was 6’4” and taller than most guys. I didn’t know how to handle it and I had a lot of anger because I never knew how I was supposed to act. So…I did nothing. I pretended that my height wasn’t there and went on with my life. While that was probably the best thing I could’ve done, it took me a long time to get rid of anger.
The anger was there because of what I called ‘the couldn’ts’. I couldn’t find clothes that fit, I couldn’t blend in, I couldn’t control the anger because I wanted to be anyone else but me. I put so many limitations on myself and it wasn’t until a few years later that I realized how lucky I was.
“Just once, let a guy taller than me ask me out on a date,” was a common thought of mine but it never happened. At least I was lucky, because my family was tall and I suppose they could relate on some level but I was so much taller than everyone else. I stood out no matter what I did and although my family was a great support for me, I wished I could’ve talked to someone or had somewhere to turn.
So now, 20 years later here I am. I share my stories in the hopes that they might help someone. I know I wish I had someone like me to talk to 20 years ago or at least I wish there would’ve been the plethora of resources available that there are now. I’m a lucky girl and the best part…I know how lucky I am. I hope you do too.

A Long Legged Love Story

Hi, my name is Anastasia and I have Long Legs. Whenever I say that I feel like I have just stepped into an AA meeting but it’s true that, whenever I meet someone new, I have the urge to just blurt it out, to just get the fact that I have outrageously long legs out in the open before anyone else can comment on them. Why? Because, as I stand there among a group of people I have just met, my legs dominate the conversation. They become the quintessential elephant in the room because, as much as I ignore them, as much as I try to jut out my hip and appear shorter, they stand there ready to take over the room. Then, the conversation becomes about ME, ME, ME! Or really, more like LEGS, LEGS, LEGS!
They really are exceptionally long at a mind-blowing 38’’ inseam. People aren’t exaggerating when they notice that my legs seem to stem out of my armpits, flowing down until they meet my size ten shoes. Yes, they are size tens. Not thirteens, not fifteens – tens. You can measure them.
It isn’t easy being bombarded with the stereotypical “tall” questions when you hardly know the person quizzing you. Being asked “Do you play basketball?”, “Are your parent’s tall?”, “Is it hard to find a boyfriend?” can really get on your last nerve. It always strikes me as funny that people assume that it is perfectly fine to demand answers to these questions when you are tall. I sometimes wonder if it works in reverse and have a secret desire to ask short people, fat people and skinny people some questions of my own.
Me: Do you play mini-put?
Short person: No, why?
Me: Oh, just because you are so small…haha! Get it?
My legs certainly grab attention. And, while I didn’t always see this as a good thing growing up, I can’t help but relish the attention now that I have grown into my body (well, as much as is humanly possible). My long legs have afforded me many opportunities. People remember me by my long legs. This has come in handy in interviews where the only thing differentiating me from my competitors is that “something special” that I most certainly have. It’s helped me in modelling, in public speaking and has helped me “stand out” (ugh I can just hear the short people laughing) from the huge university classroom crowd. And, contrary to popular belief that men have to always be taller then women, my legs have given me power in relationships. Short men love long legs. Tall men love long legs.
And so you see, the questions that people ask when I meet them may annoy me, they may shock me and they may even make me blush. But do you know what’s great about them? People are asking about me because I’m special and they want to know me. And that’s more than I can say for any average gal. So, instead of gritting your teeth the next time you are asked a “tall question”, laugh and smile and answer it with pride. You have been made to stand out and rock out, girl, so take the time to create your own Long Legged Love Story!!

THE TRUTH ABOUT BEING TALL

I’ve been asked quite often throughout my…ahem, 35+ years, what it’s like to be a Tall girl and quite honestly, I’ve never given exactly the right response. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve always given a response that’s typically tailored favorably to the situation but it’s taken me years to figure out my answer and you may not like what you are about to hear.
Before I get too deep allow me to give you some background about me that may help you understand me a little bit better.
I grew up on a farm in North-Central, rural Iowa. In fact, the population of the closest town to our farm was about 200 people. Everyone knew who the Jennings’ girls were; in fact, everyone knew the entire Jennings family. Our family has been living and farming in the area since the early 1900’s and we are tall and outgoing in a small community. Everybody knows everybody.
I wasn’t the tallest girl in Northern Iowa. There was one other girl taller than I was. She stood 6’5” and although I didn’t know her personally in high school, I did play basketball against her in college. I actually felt short! However there were quite a few tall girls all over Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota, many were right at the 6’0” mark or just above.
There are so many facets to the question “What’s it like to be a Tall Girl” and the simple answer for me personally would be: ‘It’s awesome’. However, that’s not the full truth. In fact, it’s far from the truth. It’s not always awesome. I wouldn’t change it for the world but here’s what I normally wouldn’t tell you.
· Sometimes the stares and the comments get overwhelming—when I’m alone and I don’t feel like talking I can ignore it but when I’m with my very protective youngest sister, she tends to get a little frustrated. I went through a period of being angry but I realized that it did me no good. People typically don’t mean to be rude, they are merely curious.
· It’s not always fun to be the tallest person when there’s no other tall people around—yes, its true. When there’s a large group of people that are much shorter than you it can be uncomfortable. It’s difficult to hear what everyone is saying so you bend awkwardly in order to hear.
· Dating is difficult—either the guys are scared/intimated of you because of your height or some woman want a taller man. I spent my high school years and a few college years limiting myself to only men taller than me until I realized how much I was limiting myself. Even if you don’t care about your height, others do.
· Let’s face it, clothes shopping is hard—if I need a new pair of jeans I can’t go into a store and simply buy them. I have to buy them online. In high school and college, this was horrible. I was a walking mess. Now thankfully, we have stores like Long Legs to help us fashionably attire our long bodies.
So am I saying that being tall is horrible? NO WAY! 95% of the time I enjoy standing out in the crowd, I like the attention it gives me, and it’s my conversation starter. But, there’s that 5% of the time when I wish I could blend in and not get noticed because I don’t feel well or I didn’t shower or I didn’t wash my hair…whatever the reason. I’m so happy that I don’t have to dress weird to get noticed or wear crazy makeup and a Mohawk to have someone talk to me. I can simply walk into a room and immediately I turn heads. That’s some pretty awesome stuff. Thanks mom and dad.