They arrived in the mail today, and I excitedly ripped opened the package and unrolled the contents.
And unrolled,
and unrolled,
and....
and unrolled,
and....
...unrolled.
Guys, these suckers are as tall as my shoulders, UNSTRETCHED.
I know I'm short, but I've yet to meet a woman whose pelvis is eye-level with me. So I ask you: WHAT. THE. HECK??
Also, what's with this crappy "one size fits all" thing in the world of hosiery, anyway? Every cool pair of tights out there (Sock Dreams, I'm looking at you) is one size. ONE SIZE. Since I'm five foot tall, that means knee socks are thigh highs, thigh highs are nipple-highs, and tights can keep my neck warm - while I'm wearing them.
THESE tights, however, take the proverbial cake for sheer insanity. (Heh. "Sheer.")
Harrumph.
Ok, rant's over.
'Scuse me while I go find the scissors...
You are indeed sewing goddess if you can cut and sew nylons! how about just rolling them down, that would also act as its own garter.
ReplyDeleteI can't stop giggling at those giant tights. I'm sure there is SOMETHING you could do with tights that ridiculously long. Like maybe use them to go Bungee jumping?
ReplyDelete*sigh* It's a tall girl's world out there. I learned a long time ago how to convert tights into stockings (in tiny person height). Why oh why can 't retailers start offering a smurf-size AND a human-sized option?
ReplyDeleteI would gladly give you a few of my inches! For me, one size means the crotch will warm my knees or my thighs. Preeeety.... XD
ReplyDeleteAs a 4'10 1/2" woman, I completely sympathize!
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, I had a pair of tights once that came up about to my armpits, and I'm 6'1"! They had to have been made for someone 10' tall! I don't remember if they were 'one size' but probably.
ReplyDeleteI agree the one size thing is crap!! Have you tried Hot topic. They have lots of sassy tights. =-) Hope you found the scissors..
ReplyDeleteI think you should post a picture of yourself wearing them. Wouldn't it be great if they came over your head?
ReplyDelete("great" as in "hi-larry-us")
Just cut some arm holes and the tights can be your WHOLE costume!
ReplyDeletewhere did you find such long tights? at 5'9" I don't consider myself a giant, but can never find tights that don't leave the crotch halfway at my knees!
ReplyDeleteI have the opposite problem! I'm 5' 9" and I can never find tights that are long enough on me! Thigh highs end up being knee highs, knee highs are mid-calf, and so on. They really just need to understand that tights aren't THAT stretchy that they're gonna fit everyone!
ReplyDeleteI bet you've probably figured out (or been pointed out), that they're not that tall when they're actually on. They will get shorter as they get wider, so they'll prolly still a bit long (tall?) on you, but not nearly body-suit size.
ReplyDeleteBlargh. Agreed, except the opposite. Sock Dreams has so many preeeeetty things, but so many things are one size and that just doesn't work. >=\ Grr.
ReplyDeleteWhen I'm 5'10 and 170 pounds, something that's made for a 5'4 110 pound person isn't going to cut it. I hate everything fitting like dolly clothes. =( Sleeves way too short, high water pants... can't win!
So with the tights though... if you cut them, do they unravel? How do you make sure they don't fall apart? Inquiring minds want to know!
The extra length is to account for rounder people. I am only 4 inches taller than you, but cannot wear most tights, because I am too wide. THose tights that go over your head end up around my knees. I would LOVE to wear awesome tights with rockin' patterns without paying a fortune. Oh well. :p
ReplyDeleteOne girl's "too long" is another girl's "too short." I'm 6'2" and have NEVER had a pair of hose or tights that fit properly. I used to have to wear them with the crotch section somewhere just above my knees because they didn't show under my skirt or dress. Now I just don't wear them anymore. Ever. Good luck in your quest!
ReplyDeleteOh! It's a courtesy feature, so that the extra length can do that really attractive "roll up and shove your waist into neat shapes" thing! This version can be bunched up at several levels, to give that desired roll around the ankles, knees, waist, AND throat! Or you could rob a bank on the fly without messing up your hair by pulling them straight up!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Jen! Glad nylons are rarely necessary now as they used to sag/wrinkle around the ankles. I have bought walking shorts and wear them as Capris. Capris are normal length trousers for me. The only good thing is sometimes I can get away with kid sizes, which are usually cheaper-especially in shoes. I wear boys size 5 shoes, which saves me money buying sandals are REI!
ReplyDeleteJeans are the same, even the petite ones. Plus the aforementioned gloves, and necklines that try to show off my navel, never mind my "tracts of land." I'd try the kid section for clothes, but they're built for stick-thin pre-teens.
ReplyDelete... I understand your pain. I'm 5'11 and for much of my life was super thin. The world of one size fits all hosiery never fit me... the crotch would stop mid thigh. And since I'm not THAT much taller than average, I couldn't even begin to wear any specialty hose for taller women. If I could even find them. And this is how it used to be for all clothes.
ReplyDeleteNow though, they started making things longer and I've gained enough weight to fit the normal sizes. Thank goodness.
Hopefully you can find some awesome striped tights that is more your size.
What are you planning on doing with the too big ones?
Ugh. I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing worse than being at school and having to hike up your stockings because they're "one size fits all".
I think that you and garters would work well with each other.
ReplyDeleteI have to say though that I know how you feel about "the one size fits all", except from the other side of the height spectrum. Being 6' tall I have the problem of tights not being long enough even after being stretched allll the way. It's aggravating (I also have a problem with stores not making pants that are long enough. Regular does not = tall. Regular = high waters for me.)
I feel your pain, but in the opposite direction. I'm a short girl but with big calves. Embroidery stretches and looks funny, thigh highs become knee highs, and don't get me started on tall boots which NEVER fit my calves. It's a tough world :(
ReplyDeleteI hear your pain Jen, I'm only 2 inches taller and have a similar problem. What's funnier tho, is that my other half is 6'2" and his track pants come up to my neck!
ReplyDeleteChristina
I'm a plus size and that happens to me with pants. I'm not even short - about 5'5", and most pants I try on, well, basically I am standing in the knee. Plus does not equal Tall.
ReplyDeleteThose tights are ridiculous. Cute, but, gee.
As a short and chubby chick I feel your pain. Things are either too long (like pants; I actually tried on a pair of capris that were too long to wear as pants!), or won't work because of my "roundness".
ReplyDeleteMaybe try we love colours (http://welovecolors.com/) - lots of different colours and its not all one size fits all (at least they have two sizes)
ReplyDeleteIf you try online again, maybe through Hot Topic, try a teen/junior style one-size. They are ridiculously short (sorry, I'm 5' 10" so finding tall stuff is sometimes impossible). My sister is 5'5" and their junior stuff is sometimes still too short for her, so maybe it would work for you. :)
ReplyDeleteI am also 5 feet tall, and a bit round. I do alshave trouble finding tights sometimes. I don't know if you have ever heard of them, but I've ordered from www.welovecolors.com and they seem to have a good sizing chart. They offer S/M and M/L for women depending on height/weight, and also children sizes ( yes, I've worn their large children sizes). I am sure you could find some nice fitting tights :-)
ReplyDeleteAnne D. - I can't wear hosiery, no matter the size, due to that "feature." I've even bought tights that were meant for a larger weight and height category, and they STILL do it! I'm just too squishy everywhere, I guess. I'm not overly tall (5' 6"), and I'm overweight, but not so large that I don't fit in the average weight range for hose. It bites because I hate showing my bare legs (scars and pores/dots), but I love cute skirts.
ReplyDelete...now that I think about it, does pantyhose actually fit ANYONE correctly?
Thanks for the feeling of sisterhood on Sock Dreams, too, Jen. I can't trust the sizing on legwear, so I stick with armwarmers. So cute!
and as a 5"9" woman, who regularly greens herself up on Halloween as the Wicked Witch of the West, I can't seem to find red striped tights longer than 24 inches. Sure, I can stretch them to my waist, but sooner than later, they'll slide to my knees and I'll be waddling like a penguin-panted, chimney sweep Dick Van Dyke.
ReplyDeleteMakes a change. In the UK, one size means the crotch is somewhere round my knees... and I'm only 5ft 9!
ReplyDeleteI think you should send them to this woman:
ReplyDeletehttp://articles.nydailynews.com/2008-11-11/entertainment/17909968_1_guinness-world-records-day-record-books-first-woman
Being 6' and never finding anything long enough for my 34" inseam, I would LOVE to have those. Of course not after you've taken the scissors to them.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I have little sympathy for petites who have entire stores devoted to them and I have to buy ALL my pants from catalogs. Shirt sleeves that aren't long enough are the story of my life. Thank God for Eddie Bauer's tall items. (Though I still can't find a super warm winter coat with sleeves long enough for me.)
Oh um, sorry, went on a tall rant on your short girl rant. That's probably sorta rude...
Jen
ReplyDeleteI have the opposite problem.. With my super long legs, I can't fit into the one size fits all tights. The crotch always ends up somewhere round my knees.
PEOPLE ARE NOT ONE SIZE!
Grrr.
I'm feeling your pain at the other end of my body! When will. The ubiquitous "they" learn that plus size isn't a euphemism for "should work at Hooters"??? I'm 41 years old and I have to stuff my bra to make even a simple t-shirt fit properly :(
ReplyDeleteOh, the agony of shopping! I'm 5' and size 2, which most places don't make for women, leaving me with trampy teen styles.
ReplyDeleteMy calves fit low in the tighter part of knee high boots and I wore knee socks for Halloween at the top of my thigh attached to a garter. I have to hem even petite pants. You can forget v-neck shirts and long sleeve shirts hang over my fingertips. I do have children's clothes like sweats, jackets and shoes, but my hips and thighs are too wide for their pants. Bleh! If I were rich I think the first thing I would do is hire someone to make me clothes that fit.
stripey knee high socks might have been a better bet, they'd have probably gone to your thighs ;)
ReplyDeleteWelovecolors.com does tights in a variety of sizes (and obviously colors) We use them in the costume shop where I work to fit our teeny girls and our Opera-sized men
ReplyDeleteAdd me to the list of people with the opposite problem. 5'7 and what I'd call "ample" and "curvy". But even at just "curvy" tights and pantyhose never fit properly. I learned to really like garter belts and stockings - at least if one gets a run you can toss the ONE, buy a new pair and have a spare now.
ReplyDeleteI also had to become rather adept at sewing my own clothing. According to size charts my hips are one size smaller than my bust, and my waist one size smaller than my hips, making my bust 2 sizes larger than my waist. Try and find a nice-fitting dress with sizing like that! It's either way too tight across the chest or way too loose at the waist. At least when I sew my own I can get a proper fit, and in the material I want.
I feel your frustration. I am also only 5 feet tall, and have trouble finding pants or tights that fit.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do is shop in the kids department. I go to the boys area for khaki pants, and the jr girls area for things like tights.
I'm 5'2". I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteany kind of hosiery that I by is always too short. I am 6 feet tall- anything that is not just a thigh-high deal leaves a nice 2 inch gap at the crotch level. They should call this stuff "one size fits no one"
ReplyDeleteUgh, I HATE trying to find tights that fit. I'm 5'7" and weigh 210 so freaking NOTHING fits (I can find sheer pantyhose that fit OK but never opaque tights which makes me a saaaad panda). I feel your pain. I also think those are the most bizarre tights I have ever seen! XD
ReplyDeleteI'd say "Epcot alert" (or would it be an Epbot alert?) simply because it's either "I hear you... but I'm the opposite" or "I hear you... I'm the same." But at least everyone's good natured about it. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo, listen up, hosiery manufacturers... one size fits all VERY AWKWARDLY! I don't know how you wouldn't know this, as I imagine you're mostly women (since men don't understand the point of hose). But the tall girls don't want their crotch at their knees, and the short girls don't want their knees at their shoulders. Kthanxbye!
While I'm with you on those not ever possibly fitting me right....I have a friend who would fit those perfectly. She's always complaining about being too tall. She's over 6ft and mostly leg.
ReplyDeleteI think she's gorgeous and I'd love to have some ofthat height. I was a bean bag in high school.... literally.
My friend Sarah and I have often joked about starting a clothes shop for people of real sizes - she is 5', I am 5'11", and we both have actual shape to our bodies and curves to match. This is just another reason to do that - there is no such thing as "one size fits all"!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have good luck with the modifications. If it helps, I've had some luck with cutting the tops off of tights and then cobbling up something to use as garters, to keep the legs from rolling/sliding down my legs.
I feel the same way about bras. Only the flat or near flat chested get the cute stuff. D or bigger and you get the boring stuff. Why can't big girls get cute stuff too?!
ReplyDeleteHave you checked We Love Colors? I think they have striped tights, and their sizing system goes by height and weight, unlike sock dreams. (which, in my opinion is socks dreams' only flaw. As I type this wearing a pair of their armwarmers....)
ReplyDeleteI'm just over 6 feet tall and even those look to be too long for me! I feel your pain though. Knee highs for me end up being just high socks, thigh highs are like knee highs and usually with tights the crotch ends up somewhere far south of where it should be and I end up walking like a penguin. Plus, don't get me started on pants... Lucky for you shorties you can hem pants to make them fit - you can't extend pants for tall people!
ReplyDeleteAMEN. Nothing ever fits my mini-squished-super short torso.
ReplyDeleteHey! I've got a 38in inseam... they'd probably fit me! =]
ReplyDeleteJust remember: you're not short, you're fun-sized! I saw that on a t-shirt and it made me smile (I'm 5-foot-2).
ReplyDeleteWV: ressess. Ressess is my favorite part of schol. ;)
Someone already mentioned We Love Colors (sadly though their tights do some in plus and regular categories, they are still one size within those)
ReplyDeleteThey do, however, have thigh highs which may work as tights depending on your outfit?
http://www.welovecolors.com/Shop/BlackStripedThighHighs.htm
And they come in black and brown
is it safe to assume you tried shrinking them in the washer/dryer before cutting them? I'm sure you did. Tights are a nightmare for us all: tall, short, thick and thin. Thankfully we're smart and resourceful and we make it work. Amirite?
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, I understand what you're talking about SO HARD.
ReplyDeleteI wanted skinny jeans for so long, but everytime I found a pair I liked they all were SUPER long (I'm 5 feet tall too) and bunch up like crazy at the ankle. The solution? I found a pair that were SUPPOSED to be "flood length" and they fit perfect!
Good luck with the Dragon*Con costume, we'll see you there!
I totally sympathize! I'm 5' tall and since I'm not a size A in tights they are all so long. Why can't they make petite tights?
ReplyDeleteCan we just agree that in tights and stockings, "one size fits all" doesn't actually fit anyone? Seriously, i don't know that i've met someone who fits comfortably into those things. I think it's just manufacturer code for "We're too lazy to figure out appropriate sizing", which usually means they're also too lazy to make sure they stay up properly.
ReplyDeletePersonally, i only wear tights or stockings when come circumstance absolutely forces me to; i've never found a pair that fits comfortably, though a friend in college once spoke highly of a sized bodystocking she found (like pantyhose, but with shoulder straps instead of a waistband).
As for one size, unless i'm looking at a pair of wrap pants or something like that that's clearly designed for a range of body sizes, i skip it; and even then, i know that "one size fits all" never actually fits all (i'm looking at you, glove manufacturers).
I'm especially fond of manufacturers' inability to realize that XL does not necessarily mean taller, a size 14 jeans needs to have bigger rear pockets than a size 2, and because plus size often means a bit plushier build, the "tracts of land" might be hillier.
ReplyDeleteHarley-Davidson, I'm lookin' at you!
The guys are allowed to have guts down to their knees and can still find t-shirts, jackets, etc. in a 5XL. Heaven forbid you be a well-endowed, short-ish, stocky woman.
I ride my own bike, is it too much to ask that a few of the clothes fit me, too?
*ahem* Sorry about that. Evidently I was more upset about that than I thought. Good luck with the tights!
My theory is that somewhere in the world is a woman named "All." One size stuff was made for her and she's exquisitely well dressed with endless options to choose from. Unlike you or me (5'8").
ReplyDeleteYou might be able to stitch a new seam at the toe to shorten them - as long as the leg isn't too baggy where you put the new "foot" and you are wearing boots to cover any weirdness. (I'm guessing boots because of your love for steampunk.)
ReplyDeleteYep, hosery sizing totally stinks for everyone! I'm 5'3" and despite my long legs (I'm extremely short waisted), I'm too skinny to make any of the fun costumey tights fit without being too tall or baggy around my ankles. And I have yet to find real stockings (the retro kind that require a garter belt) that aren't too long. Because those don't stretch.
Not a comment on this post per se, however when I go to Epbot to read the day's hilarity, the titles of the posts and all your nice links to FAQ etc disappear after about a second and half :). Not a huge issue as I can still see all the great geek girl awesomeness, but I like being able to see the titles too!
ReplyDeleteYou can use the extra fabric to make forearm covers? Yikes. If you want funky socks that tend to run on the small side, try Little MissMatched. They sell socks in packs of 3, so you will never have socks that totally match. They use common colors so they just sort of go together.
ReplyDeleteTrust me I know! Ok, I'm not 5' tall (more like 5'6"), but I'm on the fence between largest regular size and smallest plus size. Once size fits all NEVER FITS! Including hats (because I have a big head). This is especially cruel as I love funky socks and tights.
ReplyDeleteMy mom is 5'1" and she always gets "elephant ankles" when she wears pantyhose. I, on the other hand, am 5'7" and have had the issue myself. It's crazy! I'm plus-sized and I bought myself some plus-sized tights a few months back. They didn't quite fit, so I exchanged them for the next size up. When I got those, I realized that the weren't making them wider, they were making them longer. So frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI get lots of fun patterened tights from a site called Foot Traffic.
ReplyDeleteHere's the link http://www.foottraffic.com/?gclid=CJT7ps-f6KoCFWc0QgodnU7r9A
When I just went to their site they too seem to be one size fits all, which I didn't remember from my previous dealings with them. I'm 5'4" and they always seemed to fit me ok.
oooooh, I need those tights. For us tall girls, nothing fits either!
ReplyDeleteI frequently have the other problem with "one size fits all" hosiery. I'm 5'8" and my pants size varies between 12 and 14 depending on where my weight is; so I'm not a giant. Just the same, many "one size" tights, knee-, and thigh-highs are too short or not big enough around.
ReplyDeleteI love SockDreams but figured out that I can't wear most of their products as intended. The thigh-highs and knee-highs don't go as high as expected and tend to create a visible dent in my leg where they end.
My sister is in the same boat-she is only 4'10" and she loves Sock Dreams, but every pair of tights she gets slinks down and soon she has a huge clump of fabric around her toes and in her shoes.
ReplyDeleteI had the opposite problem-I got a pair of striped tights for a pirate costume and the crotch part came right above my knees! I had to cut them off and make thigh-highs w/ an elastic casing. Apparently that "one size fits all" means a lot of things to a lot of people! (and boo to not being able to find striped tights anywhere that aren't emblazoned with hello kitty or some other nonsense on them!)
ReplyDeleteOr, if you are slightly "fluffilly" enhanced as I am- the "one size fits all" actually means "if you are a size 0 to 2."...or it's a tent.
ReplyDeleteAt six foot, I'd like a pair of tights I could wear as tights and not have the crotch chilling out near my knees. I don't know who in the world fits this One Size things.
ReplyDeleteJust went through the comments and hit the "plus size does not equal taller and/or mega boobs" vibe. I so agree. My bottom half is larger but when I look at plus size shirts, the ones that fit everywhere else nicely obviously were made for women with triple d top ends; and for pants wider girth does not mean that I am suddenly 6 ft tall nor do some of us have the money/time for hemming everything. grrrrr.
ReplyDeleteFantastic. I'm 6'1" and I still think they'd be too long. Yes, one size fits both you and me?? I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!! =)
p.s. those hose would work well for supporting squash growing off climbing vines (gardener's trick). =)
Put them on the Giant Chicken. =)
ReplyDeleteYou see I have the opposite problem with one size fits all! I'm tall, and I have to cut the feet out of tights to be able to pull them up to my waist! It'd be nice if they came in lengths, like pants. I'm sorry they won't work for you, but I'd LOVE to find some that long!
ReplyDeleteSo...I have the opposite problem as a tall girl lol! Can never find tights quite long enough - oh, they start out okay (once they've been stretched, and stretched and stretched) but the more I move and walk throughout the day (which is kinda nice to be able to do I've found) they slowly begin to descend downward and I have to dart back into the restroom to attempt to tug them back into place for the fortieth time. Is it so wrong to ask for tights/leggings/hosiery that fits short and tall? ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm 4'11". I know EXACTLY what you mean.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you all buy your tights, but as a 5'10" plus size gal, the ones I find in "regular" stores only allow the crotch to come to my knees. Therefore, I must spend an absurd amount of money to find ones to go over my chunky legs. And let's not even get me started on pants. Basically, if you are not 5'5" - 5'7" in the USA then you had better get used to spending a good majority of your life and money shopping in specialty stores that cater to the vertically and horizontally challenged.
ReplyDeleteaaaauuuuugggghhhhhhh...
ReplyDeleteI am 5'2 and three-quarter'', so i feel your pain, sister.
It might be too late for this time around, but try We Love Colors. They come in different sizes. I'm not sure about height, but the ones I've gotten from them are normal height. And they have striped tights.
ReplyDeleteI too have a problem with "one size fits all" products because of my petite size and weight. Because "everyone" is supposed to fit into these clothes, they are made larger rather than smaller. Finding clothes that fit can sometimes take the fun out of shopping... *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI have been noticing that some of those tags are now reading One size fits most, and one size fits some.
ReplyDelete4'11 here and have given up. I now buy longer skirts and wear knee highs. But of course the knww highs have to be queen size to go over my calves and not squish me.
ReplyDeletesigh
Oh, Jen...I agree. The manufacturers must be crazy! This back-to-school season is driving me barking mad. My son is firmly stuck between toddler and "boys" clothes...too skinny for the older jeans, too tall for the younger. Too thin for the big tees, too old to have a teddy on his tummy. And me...at normal times I'm too busty for regular clothes and too small for plus sizes. Add in early pregnancy, and I'm living in ancient running shorts and whatever top doesn't ride up to my ribcage. The only person I can dress in this household is my husband (and, I imagine, the cat...if she'd stop with the hissing and the biting and all...)
ReplyDeleteAs a TALL girl myself...where did you get them. B'cause I've lived my life with every pair of tights ending with the crotch MID-THIGH.
ReplyDeleteSure...it's a tall girl's world...if you're 5' 8"...if you're 6 feet tall...who's figure is on the "after" side of 4 kids...it's NEVER your world.
curses on you for introducing me to Sock Dreams - my wallet will never be full again (my sock drawer on the other hand will overfloweth)
ReplyDeletecurses on you for introducing me to Sock Dreams! My wallet will never be full again (my sock drawer however will overflow)
ReplyDeleteAre we all super tall? I'm six feet tall, too. We need to all get together and start a tall clothes chain store! Come on!
ReplyDeleteDang that's long and skinny. A chubby girl probably can't get into those either.
ReplyDeleteI don't wear tights often, but I have the same problem with socks. They should never be One Size Fits All, either! I wear a ten in shoes, and there is no way that socks made to fit a size 6 will also fit a size 10!
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time I could wear a "petite" size anything and it was the perfect length. Then I noticed a couple of years ago some gooberhead decided that there was no such thing as "petite" any more and all "petite" women had morphed overnight to "average" height. I KNOW I personally have not shrunk, even when washed in hot water, yet "petite" length is now about two feet too LONG. There is now enough material in one leg of "average" length anything to cover BOTH my legs. I shiver to think what has happened to "tall." What's up with that Clothing Manufacturing Gods?
ReplyDeleteI have the exact opposite issue with one size fits all tights, leggings, etc... The waist on those would probaly only hit my thighs. The sad part? I'm honestly not even that tall I`m only 5"8". Yet NOTHING fits my legs. Sigh I guess the grass really isnt greener on the other side. :(
ReplyDeletei'm a professional dancer, but curvy and only 5'4", so i know what it is to not fit designer's expectations. in the dance world there are two sizes: little girl, and taller little girl. while this is very hard for someone with my proportions, there are some good options online at dancewear solutions or discount dance or even danskin. stripes and bright colors are making a huge comeback in the dance world and the prices a little better too.
ReplyDeleteI think everything needs to be sized like guys pants - inseam and waist. People aren't 'one size' why on earth would anyone expect 'one size' would fit most let alone 'all'.
ReplyDeletePS word verification was 'mingita' which made me think all sorts of not quite right thoughts.
I have met a women whose hips were about shoulder blade high to me (and I'm a short 5'0")... she married at 7' basketball player and they have a great dane...
ReplyDelete*sigh* one size doesn't cover fat legs either.
ReplyDeletelooking at your comments here - I think you could happily give them away! I know I keep buying the ones that end up too small,but heaven help me if I don't stand there begging for them to reach my crotch! Maybe we could have a 'giant and hobbit stocking swap day' :)
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, I hear ya. I'm short as well and end up with an attractive tube top to go with my tights.
ReplyDeleteOn the other side of being annoyed, my really tall friend ends up with a crotch that's down at her knees.
I think the only person who those "one size fits all" fits are the models.
Being 4'11", I know exactly how it is. Manufacturers really should start realizing that not everyone is 5'5", and that there are a lot of short girls and a lot of tall girls.
ReplyDeleteAnother problem I have is that "petite" usually means "washboard". Not only are petite clothes made with no chest area, finding a 32D or a 32DD bra that isn't a granny bra is impossible.
I'll have them :)
ReplyDeleteI'm 5'10" and curvy, so one size (does not!) fit all are generally a guide to wearing hobbles not stockings for me...
Hi Jen! My name is Zaftiq and I work for Sock Dreams (specifically, I work in the shipping department and I run our tumblr). Our warehouse manager follows your blog, and sent this my way because I'm just under 5' tall and have lots of the same problems with fit when it comes to socks and hosiery.
ReplyDelete'One Size' is kind of the bane of our existence--but as it comes pre-printed on the packages, we have little control over that. We do the best we can by having people try on the products and getting all those embarrassingly specific measurements.
While we don't have black and brown striped tights, we do have black and brown striped thigh highs (http://www.sockdreams.com/products/socks/thigh-highs/foot-traffic-striped-thigh-highs) which are mostly opaque and fit me really, really well. They do come all the way up my thigh, which actually is a benefit here because I don't need a garter to keep them up.
If you ever have questions about fit, we can help you more if you contact us at orders@sock-dreams.com (attn: Zaf), and you can always reach me specifically by replacing 'orders' with 'zaffie'.
Sorry for the long rambliness! Cheers, Z.
Course the flip side is going shopping and knowing I will have to look at 3 different pants sizes in two separate departments to get maybe one thing that fits.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the tights and hope to see that mystery costume at D*C!
Whoever, wherever they make pantyhose and tights they think all women at 8 ft tall. I just pull the things up to my armpits and skip wearing a bra. Party on! :)
ReplyDeletethe way tights are woven in the round, they are like a Chinese finger trap they can be short and thick or long and skinny. They're not betting on women being giants they're betting on the being heavy with thick thighs that eat up all the length...not that that's an excuse. I'm 5'7" and I have tights I could cut armholes in and wear as overalls.
ReplyDeleteI am 5'1 and I actually buy extra long tights... I find if I don't have to stretch them putting them on, I never have to pull htem up during the day...
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with buying tights that are a bit on the long side. A pair of tights I can pull up to my bra band is about ideal. Tights that sit at my waist seem to fall down all day as I move and bend.
ReplyDeleteHave you checked out WeLoveColors.com? THey have lots of leg-gear for EVERY size. Screw that one-size-fits-most crap.
ReplyDeleteWhat brand are they? I'm 5'10 and can never find stockings long enough. I'd cut mine into thighhighs.
ReplyDeleteAs a good friend of mine once said, "One size fits all... poorly."
ReplyDeleteRealistically, though, as a chunky 5' 5" girl, I really don't wanna hear it. You can cut things shorter. I struggle to find socks large enough for my calves, and anything that doesn't cut painfully into my thighs. It's sh*ttons easier to make something smaller than to make something bigger.
Where do you live Jen? Unfortunately there seem to be many amazonian women here in NY who might be able to fit into those outragous tights! I'm 5ft tall and I'm not exaggerating when I say that if I wear super flat shoes while on the subway during my commute i often see tall women in heels whose waist height approaches my shoulder height. can one of you tall girls please tell my why women who are already over 6ft tall are wearing heels anyway!? is it to make me feel even shorter than i already am?? because if it is, it's working!
ReplyDeleteWow, well I think I must be one of those amazonian women you're referring to Janet. I'm 6ft2 and have a 39" inseam. I'm sorry. I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to wear heels just because it makes very short women like you feel even shorter! Should I accuse 5ft tall women of wearing flats just to make women my height feel extra tall?! :)
ReplyDeleteI see your point Elaine. I wasn't telling you not to wear heels, just wondering why at 6ft2 you would feel the need to be 6ft5 or 6ft6? If your inseam is 39" your waistline is probably 50", or 54" in heels. That's 4ft6! That's like up to my nose level! I know I'm short but don't you feel weird making yourself so tall that short women are practically eye level with your belly button???
ReplyDeleteBefore all the tall girls gang up on me I have nothing against you! i'm actually very jealous of your height and your super long legs. i just think i'd be self conscious making myself 6ft6. jen what did you ever wind up doing with these extra long tights? did they shorten a lot once they stretched out to their proper width?
ReplyDeleteJanet, just for your sake i grabbed the tape measure and measured my waist height in the heels i was wearing and i'm sorry to report that i only got a measurement of 53", or 4ft5. and to answer your question it doesn't make me at all uncomfortable to have legs almost as tall as all of you. if anything you seem to be the one with the height complex, not me!
ReplyDeleteWow. I said earlier that I often see tall women whose legs come up to my shoulder or chin height, but 53" is more like up to my nose. And I'm 5ft all. Holy cow. You just made me feel really super short. Has anyone else noticed what a tall girl's world this is becoming? :(
ReplyDeleteSorry Janet, but if you're only 5ft all you don't need someone 6ft2 to make you feel short. Even my 8 year old niece is taller than you. My advice to you would be to stock up on heels and get used to wearing them because this next generation of girls is going to average about 5ft7, so if you feel like a dwarf now......keep your chin up shorty. :)
ReplyDeletethis may seem unrelated but speaking of height i read today that the minimum height requirement is 5ft6, though it used to be as short as 5ft4. But what caught my attention was a mention that they may increase the minimum height to 5ft7, though they would cap it at 6ft tall for a maximum. now that just seems crazy to me that a 6ft tall woman could qualify to be a rocket but a 5ft6 girl couldn't. is this suddenly the WNBA? what do you girls think? i'm shocked. i had no idea you had to be THAT tall to be a rockette.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this Jen. it infuriates me that petite stores are closing and tall girl stores are opening, while height requirements for everything keep getting higher and higher. will anyone see my comment way at the bottom of a 3 month old post to potentially commnet on, or is there some more current prominent place you could place it if you think it warrants some good old fasion debate and discussion between the tall girls and us short girls?? we need to take things back from the amazons! lol. thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling, Jen! I'm 5'2" (and proud of those two inches!), so I have a hard time finding pants/tights/whatever that isn't too long. On a side note, I have this particularly bad habit of not minding where my body is in space, so I subsequently run into doorknobs on a regular basis. I get bruises just below my elbow, which is approximately where my husband's hips are (we're an odd couple). So, like I said, I know that feel. Short ladies of the world, unite!
ReplyDeleteAs a bigger girl myself, I share your pain about the "one size" BS, only in my case, it's hard to get the cool/colourful pantyhose/tights BIG enough! I'd take an over-the-boob pair any day over ones that barely make it past my lady parts LOL.
ReplyDeleteMy problem is with knee socks. I have big legs, and they never get over my calves. One size does NOT fit all. Sometimes, XL doesn't even fit! Most knee socks are crew socks for me.
ReplyDeleteThe real issue is that we're all unique individuals with unique and individual shapes and sizes. Hosiery offered in A, B, and Q doesn't cut it. When the "A" graph for size covers a range of women from 4'10" to 5'7" and with weight ranges varying between 85 pounds and 150, how could it really fit anyone? I just pin my pantyhose to my bra in five places and hope I don't have to urinate. Then I think about a redesign while I'm pinning myself back together.
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