Women creating environments for other women to thrive in, this is exactly what 34 year old Harlemite Bree Wijnaar has done. Bree is tall you see, very tall in fact. At 6’4 she towers over most people, with grace and tremendous confidence we have to add.
Nowadays body positivity and self-love is at the forefront of the media, yet 6’4 Bree Wijnaar did not see anyone that looked like her pictured. Where were all the tall girls at?
“Life at 6’4 is different and comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. I did not see anything in the blogger sphere that was specifically addressing women of height in community form, so I set out to change that.”
Bringing together Tall Girls & Women worldwide is her mission now. Lets chat with Bree.
Where did you grow up and where are you based now?
I was born and raised in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands. My roots are in Suriname. I currently live in Harlem, New York with my boyfriend.
What was it like for you growing up taller than your peers?
It was interesting. Growing up taller came with a lot of responsibilities I didn’t ask for. I looked much older than I was, so as a result I was treated as such. Those expectations were difficult to manage as a child. As I grew into my teenage years I became more and more comfortable with my height. I was never in a situation where I was bullied. I did have my internal struggles. I think the attention at times made me uncomfortable and I would overcompensate with humor and being extraverted.
That’s so true that oftentimes the insecurities we deal with do come from something internal more than from our peers or people around us. What about when it came to dating back then? What was that like?
I was late to the dating game, in part because the boys had to catch up with me in height (and mental development!). Dating did not really start for me until college.
And, of course, it has always been difficult to find clothing.
Don’t I know it. Sometimes it’s such a challenge!
Definitely.Thankfully now there are a lot more tall-friendly brands and options out there than years ago. We document great tall fashion options on TheTallSociety.com
What led you to create The Tall Society?
A community, a sisterhood is something that we as women of height have not really had. We are all very different people, however the experiences that we have as women of height are the same. An opportunity to bond over those commonalities is something that was needed. Growing up I wish I would’ve had a sisterhood like The Tall Society. It would've made life a lot easier to have positive role models that can relate to your journey.
What do you want to accomplish with this sisterhood?
The purpose is creating a safe space for our Tall Sisters to come together both online and in person. We strive to be the ultimate uplifting and positive resource for our Tall Sisters. If they are looking for tall fashion tips or advice on how to manage all that comes with being a woman of height, The Tall Society is the go-to community where they can join other women they can relate to and will find those kinds of answers.
And it’s not just the online community. The Tall Society has live events for women to get together. What is the value of taking the conversation offline and holding Meet Your Tall Sisters Brunches?
Social media is amazing. It is how we reach out to our community. However, we believe that true and lasting friendships are made in person. Taking our interactions offline and coming together in person has been incredible. Standing in a room full of beautiful Tall Sisters makes us all stand that much taller!
The Tall Society now has a worldwide rolling calendar of The Tall Society events serving as points throughout the year where our community of tall girls and women connect and bond in person.
It’s amazing how many events you’ve been able to put together! What do you like to see happen at these brunches?
The events are filled with self-love and tall community speakers, a place to showcase the latest tall fashion, and facilitating networking opportunities — all accompanied by delicious food and drinks. It is so much fun! See it for yourself HERE.
How do you believe The Tall Society is impacting women?
We were blessed with height and therefore were created to stand out. Embrace your uniqueness! It truly is a gift, although it takes some of us some time to discover that beauty.
The Tall Society is a source of constant positivity for tall girls and women everywhere while at the same time being a safe space where fellows Tall Sisters™ come together that understand your challenges and opportunities.
What is your future goal for the community?
I firmly believe in continuous improvement and I am always thinking about how we can diversify and add more value for our Tall Sister community. It is important to me that we stay unique, one of kind. That I believe is where our success lies. I will always set out to be original. I can’t spill all the beans, so for most of it you will have to wait and see.
We launched international brunches with our London brunch that took place in June. We are hosting events in Paris and Amsterdam in October, with more international brunches in the works! We will continue to generate unique and original content for our readers and our focus will remain on bringing our community together in person.
You can learn more about The Tall Society on: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest & Reddit.
This message of community is an important one for mankind as a whole. It is encouraging seeing communities like The Tall Society connect both online and offline. Expanding your network and opening yourself up to new experiences, is valuable for all.
Go join your #TallTribe!
