About Sales Director
Jenn Price does not proclaim to be an expert on dating…but her years of practice (and willingness to share stories) will certainly get people talking. Join in the dialogue each week as Jenn tackles matters of the heart.
Most women I know prefer to date men that are taller than they are. At 5’5”, I’ve rarely had to worry about a man being shorter than me, although I’ll say that if a guy is under 5’10”, my shoe selection becomes a consideration for a date. (Instead of a 4-inch pair of heels, I may opt for 3 inches or less.)
I wonder what it is about wanting to be smaller than the man I’m with that's so important to me? Aside from it being better for spooning and cuddling, I also find it more physically appeasing when a man is bigger than his mate. Maybe there’s also a protection factor involved or a socially-driven distorted body image influence that drives women to want to be more petite than the guy by her side.
I once had a blind date with a guy who remained seated when I arrived to meet him at the restaurant. He didn’t get up to greet me and must not have gotten up until the end, because I remember how shocked I was when we stood up. (He was shorter than me and I happened to be wearing flats that day!) I actually had to bend down to give him a hug goodbye. Although the conversation was decent, I just couldn’t go there.
A recently single friend of mine is now aggressively practice-dating and meeting all kinds of “non-types” online. A heel-lover, she went shoe shopping and picked out a pair of flats. She refers to flats as her short-man shoes. If she accepts a date with a guy that is around her height or shorter, she wears the flats to make him comfortable on the first date and then eases up into her heels for subsequent dates.
I asked her if in the long run, her love of high heels might prevent her from committing to a short man. She said no, and that he’d just have to get used to the fact that she’s taller than he is.
I guess it comes down to chemistry and so much more; if there is an undeniable connection then maybe height can be overlooked. The downside is that the height factor may prevent a woman from giving a great guy a chance.
What’s been your experience with height and is it a factor for you? Would you adjust your shoe selection to ease a height difference?