So this morning on my drive in to work I reflected on how blessed I felt to have found my passion. I also thought about the ups and downs of managing my passion and a career in finance. I just started a new job in a more senior role within the asset management industry and I just launched Tall District. J.Enovy’s Tall District is my baby, my passion, my visions seed planted. It is my way of being helpful and resourceful to women, men and teens that share similar experiences and needs. It is so much more than a blog about fashion and lifestyle. It is truly set up to be a resource for Tall people and those who cater to us. JETD is a window into the Tall Experience from my vantage point.
J. Enovy’s Tall District has been a dream of this 6’0 Panamanian raised in the U.S for years but I’ve worked towards becoming a Tall resource for the past three + years. I have always had a love for fashion but it took a while for me to properly identify it. Let my college roommates, classmates, and friends tell it ‘I was always fashionable.’ Yet, it took even longer for me to realize that my love for fashion was directly correlated with my passion. My initial thought was”‘How can I help Tall women while being able to making a living (a girl has to eat)”. I came up with several ideas. Some of the ideas would eventually become a part of the JETD mission/vision. I thought of having a retail store with shoes and clothing for women because I was good at finding retailers and designers that catered to us but that idea would limit me to a singular space and the cost was enormous. I thought about becoming a designer but realized I didn’t want to create it as much as I just wanted to find it ready-made. I thought of many things but none stuck like being a resource that would guide you to the places, people and things that catered to Tall people.
Then I decided what the heck I will just blog about it for now. I wanted to have a fashion only blog for women called ‘Fashionably Tall.’ I thought it was genius given the only thing I could find was a cluttered website for Tall women created by a short man. Yes, S.H.O.R.T. Man. The interviews he conducted were actually really good and he was resourceful but it came from admiration not experience as a result I couldn’t always relate. At the time there were no Tall girl fashion bloggers. However, there was a tall Brazilian woman who had YouTube videos about how to dress your height. Everything else was about short man fetishes for tall women (I know you all remember doing searches and these random sites for short men seeking tall women popping up). lol. Then I shared the idea with a Tall male friend who said ‘what about me’. I thought he’s right. What about him. I’ve helped Tall male friends along the way with their wardrobe. So I decided to do it for women and men. I wanted to blog about it but I also wanted to become a guide/resource using a more direct approach like styling Tall women and men who needed or wanted help with their wardrobes. It is one thing to know where to shop. It is another thing entirely to know how to dress your height, body type, and purpose.
Then I asked myself if my only issue was related to finding clothes and shoes. What was the Tall Experience like? Did I just need accommodations for clothing and shoes? As I thought about it I realized there was an entire area I had not considered such as having enough head and leg space in cars, leg room on an airplane, height of a door or interior of home, etc. I also reflected on my own personal Tall Experience. I remembered how it was growing up Tall. I remembered how I stuck out like a sore thumb at times and how that made me feel. I also thought about my god-daughter who was 5’8″ or 5’9″ at 10 and what she was experiencing as a shy girl looking to fit in. Her experience more than mine inspired me to include teens in my vision. I have a few really cool and creative ideas on how to reach out and encourage/guide my young girls who are growing up Tall. It is a completely different experience for young Tall girls versus young Tall guys. I also want to help guide their parents in need of resources. I have spoken with a few moms of Tall teens, both boys and girls, who get so frustrated in the process. So I’m here to help them as best as I can with finding resources for their Tall children.
So what do I remember most of growing up Tall? There are 2 very memorable moments that made me realize I was Tall? Yes, there were hints before and after these two experiences but these moments are forever etched in my memory. I must say that I never really noticed my height at home because my mother and father are Tall and my mother wore heels and dressed fabulously (suits in all kinds of cuts and colors for work) on a daily basis. However, I was taller than my younger brothers for a long time. Oh wait. I’m still taller than both of them but that is a topic for a different discussion. Now onto the memorable moments about my height.
Every year during Carnival my family would travel to Panama. I would spend time with aunts, cousins, grandparents, etc. During one of those trips when I was 7 or 8 my mother left me with my grandmother (her mom) for a day or two. They both wanted to strengthen my Spanish and this was a way to do it as my grandmother spoke no English. I remember many things about that trip. I remember the layout of her tiny apartment. I remember the white rice, beef, and salad she made us for dinner and the tea we drank after. I also remember the stares. A. I had a lot more pigment than my grandmother. B. I was a lot taller but my baby face gave away my age. My grandmother was 4’11” and I was way taller than her by age 7/8. I remembered thinking to myself ‘wow my abuela is tiny’. I’m taller than her but I’m not taller than my grandfather. Yes, I get my height from my 6’5″ grandfathers side of the family. One of my great aunts and my great great grandmother from my grandfathers side was 6’0″ tall.
Onto the second memory. I was heading to gym class and a basketball coach, Mrs. Pulaski standing at 5’3″ maybe, came up to my then 11 year old 5’7 self and asked me if I played any sports. My answer was, “I run track.” She then said “you should be playing basketball.” So I tried out for the team and began playing. I played throughout middle and high school. I would grow to love the game mainly because of my childhood best friend Hatasha Griffin but honestly it was never something I would be amazing at or loved because my heart wasn’t in it. My heart was in my books and wardrobe. I was the tall tomboy who cared what she wore. I rolled down a few grassy hills with white pants on (I got a butt whooping, once or twice, for doing this). lol
Those memories and experiences along with a long look into what I was passionate about brought me to this place, creating Tall District. A place where I can help by doing what I naturally do and love. I can encourage young Tallistas who are growing up feeling like they don’t fit in while simultaneously experiencing difficulties adjusting to their ever growing, beautiful bodies. Tall Teen girls can be confident, cute and trendy too. Than there are the adult women and men who have trouble finding clothing, homes, sporting goods, vehicles, etc., that accommodate their height. As a result, it is my goal to be a credible resource to my Tall women (Tallista’s), Teens (Teen Talls) and Tall Men (Mr. TALLs) in the fashion and lifestyle arena. Styling, sharing tips, highlighting designers, retailers, suppliers, etc., that cater to us is my what I’m here for.
I have many resources and experiences I hope to share with all of you.
Stay tuned for the next post….
Tall Blessings,
J. Enovy
