By Jeanine Biggs
Being different isn’t easy. Standing out isn’t easy. Being self conscious about your body isn’t easy. These are realities for so many young girls out there. In my life, I have always been the girl that stood out, even when I didn’t want to. Being 5’10 and taller than other girls and even some boys throughout my life, I have always stood above the rest, literally. Being from a tall family, I didn’t realize just how different I was from my peers until everyone else started puberty and didn’t continue to grow like I did.
Being taller or having a different body shape than your friends can be a challenge because more often that not, you aren’t going to be able to wear the same clothes as them. I think a lot of the body issues I still face as a 22 year old woman came from noticing the differences between my 5’1 friends and myself. I know now that my insecurities weren’t true and that just because I fit differently in clothes as my friends, that didn’t mean I was lesser or less beautiful. But in a society where brands and trends are everything, not being able to follow them does make a young and impressionable girl question their worth.
I think I finally started to realize that brands and labels don’t matter when I was in 11th or 12th grade. Once I realized that I didn’t have to look like everyone else, I began figuring out what my style was. I figured out that brands don’t matter, what matters is feeling comfortable and confident in your own skin.
My advice for young girls who are different is to be who you want to be, don’t follow everyone else. Individualism is what makes you stand out for good reasons. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the rest because you are beautiful and worth it. If you are tall, don’t compromise your comfort and cute outfit in order to fit into a picture with girls shorter than you. Stand up tall and show off, short girls aren’t the only ones who can show off their outfit in a photo. Be comfortable and be yourself.
My advice for parents of girls who have a different body type that the other girls at school would be to encourage them, don’t limit them. Guide your daughters in fashion choices but ultimately let them experiment and create their style. Sometimes you will have to steer them away from clothes and shoes that are “inappropriate” but don’t just tell them no, explain why you feel the way you do.
Hannah’s Shoebox is a perfect store for girls and their parents to find appropriate shoes. Not only are they age and size friendly, but there are multiple styles that will give a girl the freedom to explore her style