Today we’d like to introduce you to Solange McKenzie.
Hi Solange, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always had a deep love for fashion and style — I always credit my grandmother, aunt and mother for passing this love onto me — but growing up as a tall girl, I often felt extremely frustrated when it came to finding clothes that fit my body. I would see all of the beautifully tall models looking amazing on the runways but when it came time to actually go buy the clothes, everything came up short (literally and figuratively)! There were one or two places I could get clothes, however they were often expensive for a growing child, very dated and/or mature for my age (a lot of the time, I had to shop in the sections above my age. I.E. ‘misses’ instead of ‘juniors’ etc.). I already stuck out like a sore thumb and didn’t want to stick out even more, so I had to be creative about what/how I wore my clothes. It felt like that was the only thing I had some control over in order to blend in as much as possible. To sum it all up, I REALLY hated my height because I felt like it was a barrier to everything I wanted to express myself as! (Needless to say, all of this is happening on top of being a Black woman, a struggle in and of itself!)
As time has gone on, I learned that my height is something to be proud of! Which leads me to my where I am today, becoming the stylish and tall big sister I would have wanted for myself. I decided to build a platform to become a voice that helps other tall girls and women feel confident and seen in the fashion industry. My goal is to help tall women and girls make what’s currently available work for them while also advocating for the future! There has been a lot of talk about inclusivity in fashion and tall girls/women need to be a part of the conversation. As I mentioned before, we are seen on the runways but not in retail. So today, I am a role model, a source of encouragement, and an advocate for Tall women.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, not at all. The road is never smooth for a Black women, let alone a tall one.
As a person, I struggled a lot with my confidence and self-love. I would do everything possible to make myself blend into the spaces I was in and not call attention to myself. I internalized all the negativities and bullying I received growing up and I hated things I couldn’t change about myself. So first and foremost, I had to work on pouring love and positivity into myself. I constantly have to remind myself that God created me to stand out, literally, and I needed to celebrate that in myself before I could celebrate that in the women and girls who look like me. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that it’s an ongoing journey, but I’m happy to share that journey with the community of tall women that is being built. I think sharing that is important to see because it’s ongoing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a content creator who empowers tall girls and women through fashion while also advocating for them. I see my role helping my community of tall women. I do this by trying to share the knowledge and tips that I’ve had to discover through trial and error. I share the brands that work well for me. I have even created a Guide for Tall Girls and Women to make the shopping process easier for them. It includes categorized lists of brands that specifically cater to Tall people. It is an ever-evolving guide as more and more brands come to the forefront and it’s currently free to access. But on top of that, like I stated in a previous answer, It’s my job to go further to try and reach the fashion industry on a larger scale because we should be able to go into a retail store and find clothes that are made for us. I also like to include Black Girl in luxury fashion/lifestyle in my content as well, simply because we deserve to experience the best life has to offer.
Outside of being a content creator, I’m a Montessori Certified Educator. It’s not something I talk about frequently on my platform, but it is part of who I am and it has influenced my work as a Content Creator because it is still a form of education, or at least that’s how I view it. One of the biggest themes in Montessori Education is meeting the children where they are, and I carry that with me whenever someone in my tall community comes to me for help.
Lastly, I’m proud of my growth. This past year, I’ve been able to develop some meaningful connections where we can actually work together to include tall women. It’s more that just me wearing a brand’s clothes and being posted on their platforms, it’s about being able to be in direct conversation with them about our needs in a positive way. It’s about moments like this where I can talk about my story and what I do in order to help others!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to trust God because He’s putting me exactly where I’m supposed to be. Everything I went through growing up happened so that I could empower other Tall girls and women and help them to have better experiences that I did.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shesaglamazon.com/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/glamazon_11
- Other: Tall Girl Brands Guide
Image Credits
Ticia Tolas, Doug D’eila, Kamrin Brown, Solange McKenzie
