Even as the former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama never stopped wearing high heels – despite already towering over many people at 5’11“. In several interviews, she has openly discussed her experiences as a tall woman, providing insights and encouragement for other tall women.
From „Too Tall“ Outsider to Style Icon
In a recently conversation with Kylie Kelce on the podcast „Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce,“ Obama made headlines by stating that 5’11“ is a „normal height,“ revealing her current perspective on her height.
Obama’s journey to self-confidence wasn’t always easy, though. Speaking to comedian Conan O’Brien on „The Light Podcast,“ she shared painful memories from her childhood:
„I was the tall girl… The whole thing, you grow up, nothing fits you. Clothes weren’t made for you. I spent my life tugging on my pants sleeve,“ she recalled. „My mother sewed my clothes and all I wanted to do was go to the department store and get the jeans with the Gloria Vanderbilt label on them. I just desperately wanted to be like the girls I saw, the peppy cheerleaders.“
But she emphasizes that she never tried to hide her imposing height. On the contrary: „I love a heel,“ she confessed in her conversation with Kelce, who agreed: „I don’t shy away, especially in my adult life. I love wearing heels.“
Asked if she had always been comfortable with her height, Obama gave a nuanced answer on Kelce’s podcast: „I think it’s a bit of both.“ What tall woman doesn’t know that feeling?
The Dating World from a Tall Woman’s Perspective
Another topic in the podcast conversations was the dating life of tall women. Obama spoke candidly about a common frustration many tall women share:
„Doesn’t it irritate you when the short girls take the tall guys?“ Obama asked Kylie Kelce, who confirmed this experience from her own youth:
„When we were in high school, we would always complain: ‚Well, this girl is, like, five feet tall, and she’s dating the guy who’s 6’5″.‘ ‚Can’t you save that for us?'“
Obama added that she dated a lot of guys from her brother’s basketball team and that, in her experience, men often lie about their height. Also a universal dating experience for tall women.
Michelle Obama’s Message to Tall Women
There is a clear message to tall women from Obama’s conversations:
- Define your own normal: Instead of seeing yourself as „too tall,“ see your height as normal – for you.
- Tell your story: Share your experiences to help others with similar challenge.
- Don’t hide: Wear high heels if you want to, and literally stand tall.
- Use humor: Humor helps to deal with challenges from clothing to dating.
- Live authentically: Never try to be anything other than yourself.
In summary, Michelle Obama’s advice to tall women is: „Stand tall, in every way“ – and with high heels, standing tall feels even better.
This could also interest you:
- „Girls, enjoy being tall and enjoy standing out!
- 550 Celebrity Heights: How tall are the stars really
Image: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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