Michael Harvey
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There are many things that sons should not question their fathers about. Losing your virginity, marital infidelity and dancing at weddings are just a few. But the biggest “unspoken” in my upbringing was my father's height. His army nickname was “Titch” because he was not that many inches over 5ft.
I can't tell you precisely how many inches because I never asked and even now, more than two years after his death, I find I can't pick up the phone to ask my mum. It just seems too personal.
I was reminded of this by Robin Dunbar, Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, in Lisa Armstrong's times2 cover story on Wednesday, who says that it is OK for women to be short because you can't buy height (as opposed to bigger breasts and wrinkle-free foreheads). But it is not really OK for men to be short. Of course, in this PC world, everyone says that height doesn't matter but actually, really, it does. If short men could all be magically made 5ft 8in (the male average in Britain), how many, hand on heart, would turn it down? Which is why sales of high-heeled shoes for men seem to be, erm, on the rise. The news from Selfridges is that day-to-day footwear styles have risen from a standard 1.5cm heel to a loftier 5cm version. Dior had 6.5cm heels last season but that, it seems, is deemed too vertiginous. The bestsellers are Jeffrey West's Decadent and Dandy collection, priced from £220. But do they really offer “improved posture, better trouser line and feelings of increased power and security”?
I have been wearing a pair in the office for a couple of days and, sadly, the answer is “sort of”.
Not that many people noticed and those that did were more taken with the extreme pointy-ness of the toe than my stack heels. But perhaps those rushing out to buy heels for men are shorter than I am.
Sorry, you want to know how tall I am? Don't be so rude.
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The grass is always greener on the other side. Spare a thought for us tall men who can't fit in sports cars or stand up straight on a train. We don't fit in plane seats but get to watch 'average' sized men complain about legroom and demand bulkhead seats. Cold feet sticking out of the end of the bed, finding clothes to fit, not being able to get your legs under your desk at work...
paul, leeds, uk
I must admit that being shorter than my wife doesnt bother me.I just love any woman.My wife is 5'8 and i am 5'1 we have 3 kids 2 girls and 1 boy.My girls are happy with their height has they take after my wife both being 5'7 and 5'9.My poor son takes my height he is 4'11 he couldnt even mange 5'0 .
Malcolm Beatty, Richmond, England
I come from a short family so i dont really know much different has we are treated all the same.My mum is 5'0,My dad is 5'2,Me 4'8 and 29 yrs old.Richard 5'3 26 yrs old and Melanie 4'11 22 yrs old.Nan is 4'10 g.dad 5'1 Other nan 5'0 and g.dad 5'4.So i didnt expect to turn out a giant.I just would have liked to be similar in height to my sister and brother who are both younger than me and taller.I remember mum doing our height on the seperate height charts has it was done every birthday.I knew i was gonna be short from the age of 8 i was only 4'2 tall or not so tall.I was already the shortest in my school year and quite a few kids in the younger years were taller.When i reached secondary school i was 4'5 mum had to alter all my uniform to fit me some trousers had about 6 ins cut off.I then had my final growth spurt at the age of 14 reaching my adult height of 4'8 a whole 3 ins might i had.All through my schoolyears i was the shortest out of them.I would have loved to be my dad's height
marcus stewart, cornwall, England
Being a guy of below average height and i feel all you short guys pain in wanting some extra height.I mean now i would never have limb lengthening or g.h.t .I did buy a pair of these shoes on the word of my girlfriend at the time.Now she is 5'8 and when wearing heels she can be 5'10 at the shortest.I now am a different kettle of fish my height is 4'10 i could even reach the big 5'0 mark on the height chart.She talked me into buying these shoes to see if they work now they were cheap it's a good job i have a decent job.The shoes can bring me up to 5'4 if i am lucky but they ache my feet after a couple of hours and i kick them off if we are seated.
I fully appreciate the big dal a parent has about their height it is like anyone.I mean my mum was 5'2 tall and dad 4'9.He accepted allalong that he was not ever gonna be the tallest adult in a room.Even when he got married he asked mum to wear flat shoes so he didnt look too short.Mum likes to get her high shoes out and then she can be 5'5 .
Johnny Miller, London, England
As a self confessed shorty, I really have no issues with raising up (oh dear) height - in fact my only bugbear is that society just can't seem to accept that a short man (or to a lesser extent, woman) can do the things any average-tall person can; positions of authority, going out with taller women and such.
I always face challenges in decision making despite it being the obvious choice, or get tuts and mutters of ridicule when being accompanied by a taller girlfriend - usually by the taller male. It's like they can't accept a short person for being higher up on the career/social ladder than them - but it's hardly like we got there through our height, is it?
Regardless, I'm such a cutie pie that I don't have to do a thing to get the occasional peck on the cheek, whilst others have to use their 'charm' to get on the radar.
Jeff, Manchester, UK