Short Women Unite! (Under 5 Foot?)

Updated on March 16, 2012
J.K. asks from Audubon, IA
18 answers

Hello ladies!

I was standing around on work break with a coworker, another female, and I realized just how tall she is and just how short I am. This is obviously not a new realization for me - I haven't grown since I was 14. But sometimes, it can be pretty irritating just how short I am!

While in college, someone asked a friend of mine, "Who is that 15 year old and why is she in the college dinning hall?" -- that was me! And I was 19! Some coworkers mistake me for being 16! I know I'm going to love this when I'm older but it is a bit frustraiting.

More than the age thing though, it's just awkward being short! Can't reach things, pants never fit right, shirts are too long, you don't fit in the drivers seat of the car. I'm 4'10" without shoes. I think my height is due to a congenital disorder but I've never know for sure. Yes women in my family are known to be short but I'm shorter than the most of them by 4 - 5 inches!

Are there any other short women out here? Tips on how to keep our spirits tall? :)

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So What Happened?

I'm still shopping in Juniors myself... Which for my age (22) it works out alright, but I suppose as I get older petites will work. I've never found a lot I like because it all looks like "old women" clothes to me. Ironic because I LOVE old sweaters, but I have such a peculiar style that most these clothes don't work with it.

Also I have a huge butt and I find that pants made for small people don't take it into consideration! I have a thin waiste but my butt is a big'un.

Wish I had some of those big boobs you guys do :) I was flat chested until I started birth control and they got a bit bigger!

Featured Answers

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Not short but just remember you could have big boobs too. :)

Sorry its all I have. I hate buying clothes too. :(

3 moms found this helpful

K.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Humor ... that's how we get through it ... I was once the shortest, now it's my SIL. Just another Dwarf Clan here!

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

I am 5'11" and when I come around people of your stature I feel like the jolly green giant. I feel huge and awkward. I am the one that the little old ladies ask to get things off of the shelves because they can't reach them.
I have the same problems you do...just from a different angle.
The grass is always greener!
L.

4 moms found this helpful

R.D.

answers from Richmond on

AWWW! I'm 5ft 2in, ALWAYS the shorty, and I'm almost uncomfortable with people shorter than me (adults, I mean, not kids), because I'm used to literally 'looking up to people'.

One of my good friends from high school is 4'11"... other than her, I'm almost intimidated by short(er) people ;)

I have full sleeve tattoos, but it never fails: I get carded for EVERYTHING. I get asked for my hall pass if I enter an elementary school during school hours.

Good news: most 'undatable' short guys, are still taller than me :) Unless I wear 5 inch heels ;)

Embrace it! I love being a shorty. My 2 'little' brothers, are both over a foot taller than I am!! They use my shoulders as arm rests.

If you look at some of my old posts, I'm always asking 'can a short person wear a pencil skirt? Skinny jeans?' etc... but yeah, I'm proportionate, just bite sized :)

2 moms found this helpful
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S.P.

answers from New York on

My department at work seems to attract short women. At one point we had 4 women under 5 feet tall. The funny thing - they were all in positions of power! At 5'3" I was one of the taller women running the department. We used to joke about short but powerful and female Napoleon complexes.

So, little in size, but big in personality and power!

1 mom found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Houston on

I'm just under 5! My continued loathing is with pants. Petites are either crazy expensive or look like mom jeans, and everything else is made for super model heights.

1 mom found this helpful
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☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

OI come from a long line of short women. My SIL is 5'3 and she's a "giant" in our family! LOL
Truthfully, it has never bothered me.
I'm about 5'1".

1 mom found this helpful
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B..

answers from Dallas on

Well, I'm 5'4...so not super short. The problem is, I'm REALLY small. I weigh like 98 pounds and I have big boobs. And, I'm REALLY long. Abnormally long arms and legs for my height. That means, petite sizes are inches too short for me. Not only that, my boobs threaten to bust out of everything! Finding clothing is darn near impossible. They do NOT make women's clothes for my size. I'm doomed to shop in the juniors department forever, I'm afraid.

People generally think I'm 5-10 years younger then I am. (I'm almost 30) Sigh.

All that said...I don't think I'd want to be a super tall chick with no boobs, who looks old. I'm learning to be fine with me :)

1 mom found this helpful
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M.B.

answers from Lancaster on

I'm 4' 11" - and clothes shopping is the worst! Like you, I have a tiny waist, but my rear more than makes up for it :) Not only am I short, but I'm just plain old small boned with narrow shoulders and skinny wrists. For sweatshirts, I just gave up and start buying 'em in the kids department, but even kids sweat pants are too long on me!

On the plus side, I've always found that people seem more than willing to help you out when you're short. Back in my younger days, it was easy to wiggle my way to the front at concerts and nobody cared becasue I certainly wasn't blocking anyone's view!

1 mom found this helpful

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

Im 5'2.
My mom is 5'3, my younger brother is 5'4, my dad is 5'6, my older brother is 6'4.. he is the giant of the family lol

My 15 yr old is 5'6, my 11 & 12 yr old are 5'0.

I dont mind my shortness most of the time, the holy cow your short! comments is what gets old... you really think that after 34 years I didn't realize that?!?

What I need is some great come backs to the dumb comments!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi J.,

I'm not under 5 feet but I am barely over it and get tired of getting patted on the head by taller people!!! I understand your frustrations and issues with the height. Hang in there!

1 mom found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Dallas on

I'm 4'11", and I teach high school. Students and teachers are telling me all the time that they think I'm a student. I think it's hilarious. I mean really - I'm 41. Are they going to think I'm a student when I'm 60 just because I'm short? ;)

I've always loved being short. I'm very small, too, 95 pounds or so. I do have the big boobs issue that others have mentioned, but I buy minimizing bras, and that helps. My husband is 6'2", and I love our difference in height.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.L.

answers from Dallas on

Rounding up I am 5'2. My husband is 6'3 haha, so I always feel short. My 9 year old son now comes just above my chest, so give him a few more years and it's inevitable that he will in fact surpass me in height. Sometimes pants are awkward on me as well...sometimes "SHORT" or "PETITE" can end up being a little too short and AVERAGE is too long. Can be irritating sometimes. At least I usually have a tall man around to get stuff off the top shelf :)

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Well I'm sure you already are, but buy petite sizes.

In my family, my Mom and a sister are short like that.
They don't have trouble finding clothes though... they just buy petites.
And capri length pants. Or hem it via a seamstress etc.

Here in Hawaii, there are a lot of short people.
When anyone can't reach things, you just find some person in the aisle and ask them to reach it for you. That is what my Mom/sister do. They just make the request with humor.
They fit in Toyota cars per the driver's seat.

Think of the phrase "Small but mighty..."
Think of Napolean. He was a small short man... but big on capability.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm 5ft 1/2 inch....most days I round up. My height is because when your momma's 5'2" and your father is 5'4", you're not going to be very tall. Clothes (pants) irritate me the most. Petite Sophisticate was terrific when it was around but now...try to find jeans that fit!?! It doesn't bother me except for when I'm shopping for clothes or if someone thinks small = must pick up off feet. My SD is taller than her dad now and I knew very early on I had to teach her to respect age over height.

And I so hear you on a woman's body and kids' clothes. I don't want super low rise jeans, but I have a small waist and am not stick thin. Petites seem to cater to the very thin and straight or the old. I went jeans shopping and not only are they STILL too long, but some even had elastic waists!

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm the shortest in my family at 5'8". My mom is 5'9", my dad is 6'3, my brother is 6'6" any sister is 6' even. So yeah - I get how short you feel!!!

i had a friend that was 4' 11 AND 3/4 inches. that 3/4's was TOTALLY important.

Now I can tell you that my brother's family is tall. My niece is 6'2" and she slouches because people have made fun of her height. I tell her to be PROUD of it. My 15 year nephew is now 6'7" - yeah - he's not done growing yet. And my other nephew is 6'7" and no. They don't play basketball. that's what EVERYONE asks....so for tall people? It's not all peaches and cream!!!

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E.J.

answers from Lincoln on

Yep... I'm 5'2. Recently I was wearing some pants at my moms and the bottoms were folded up to make a cuff. She asked, "Is that the style?" I said, "It is when you're 5'2."

Overall I don't mind being short. It does get old having to hem my pants all the time (hence the lazy cuffing that I did). I'm only 26 and already loving that I get mistaken for younger.

When I was around 16 I wore heels all the time to look taller. I now like to rock the flats and embrace my true size. I figure a lot of guys like a petite woman. :-)

One time I was at a carnival with my son and I was wearing a babydoll cut sundress and flip flops. Though not intentional, I guess I did look rather young. We were getting a balloon and the clown asked me what kind of balloon my little brother wanted. Not flattery, I think he honestly thought that of me. (The best clown ever!!) haha

I never fold up my step stool in the kitchen, there's just no point. It has a home all unfolded by the counter.

Overall I don't mind being short. I certainly never have an issue when I'm on an airplane or sitting anywhere else with limited leg room!!! I guess I've learned to make it work. If I'm at the store w/my son and I can't reach something I will pick him up and have him grab it! It all works out.

Be short and proud!!! :-)

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S.E.

answers from New York on

do i count .. im exactly 5ft lol .. and i have the exact same issue.. people see me and think im like 16 yrs old .. right now im about 5 months pregnant.. if i go out without makeup on wearing my glasses n a sweatshirt with my hair in a ponytail u should see the looks i get... on 2 seperate occasions with my fiances family i have been mistaken for his 15 yr old cousin..we r the same height and have the same hair so if u look quick i guess i can see how it could happen..up until recently i hated getting dressed up but now i like it i see it as an excuse to wear heels plus normally i only wear mascara n eyeliner but going out gives me an excuse to do my hair and put on more makeup.. then u can tell him older.. i still dont look as old as i am but at least that way i pass for 20... before i was pregnant i would go out to bars and the bartenders would stare and me and study my license for a minute before actually getting my drink..if i was all done up they just glance at it n then serve me(tyhey still ask tho, none of my friends ever get id;d) its frustrating but everyone says oh enjoy it ull appreciate it wen ur older
..and buying clothes,mostly pants really sucks.. (b4 i was pregnant) i had a small waist but big thighs and a giant butt.. id have to get a bigger size and even if the jeans i bought came in "short" lengths theyd still be too long

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