Amazon Utopia

I am a very tall person. And my dimensions are not typical-- very long arms and legs, broad shoulders, big feet, not much meat to me. I've got the dimensions of a model but not the megawatt face or abysmal dietary habits. Before I continue, let me just remind you, the grass is always greener.

Clothing is hard to come by. Maternity clothing was even harder to come by, but that ship has sailed. I celebrate when I find a single item of clothing that fits me, truly fits me. Add on top of that the fact that due to my faith I choose to keep my shoulders, stomach, and thighs covered. This leaves me with a very small sample of clothing to choose from. I can't just walk into the mall and shop for clothes. It doesn't work that way.

Instead I have one mail-order catalog that I can look through once a quarter from a company called Long Elegant Legs. They have cute stuff sometimes but the quality is hit-and-miss. Frankly, I'm just glad to find a t-shirt that I can wear, so I bite the bullet and accept that the clothes probably won't last as long as I'd like.

Enter my next-door-neighbor. She introduces me to a store called Tall Girl. This is a real store. In a mall. That I can go visit. And try on the clothes. Wa-hoo! I had to go see this marvel for myself, so I made the pilgrimage to the closest store in Tysons Corner, VA. I was beside myself with anticipation.

When I walked in, angels sang the Hallelujah Chorus. No one checked my I.D. at the door to see if I was a certifiable Tall Girl, but it was obvious that I fit in. Every woman there was an Amazon like me. I nodded regally to a few of them, acknowledging the sisterhood we shared. Then I got to work.

The racks were taller to accommodate longer pants. There were dresses, coats, skirts, jeans-- all the normal stuff but in my size! I could barely contain my glee as I explored the store's offerings. A few times I even got a little misty-eyed at the prospect of coming back each season. A winter coat that will go down to my wrists! Pajamas that keep my ankles warm! This was my Valhalla, my Utopia. The streets of heaven will be lined with 36" inseam pants!

Thank you, Tall Girl, for acknowledging my existence and my need to wear clothes.