When it comes to fashion, we all have our preferences. Maybe we need wider shoes than the typical ones on the market, maybe we need pants with a waistline larger than what is typically found in stores, maybe we only choose certain color shirts because of how it looks on our complexion. I’m sure you can name other common ones not mentioned. What about men who need certain clothes because they’re really, really tall? It’s not an issue that you hear all that often, but it is an issue. This is where Tall Paul comes into play. Tall Paul is the leading tall men’s fashion blog in the industry. It’s a site that offers tips on how to make clothes fit your (insert tall man here) body better, seasonal style inspiration, and brand reviews. Click here for the ultimate tall men jean guide for your shopping and wearing peace of mind.
Who is Tall Paul?
Yes, there is a face and a whole tall human body behind the name Tall Paul. Paul is a 36-year-old male who also happens to be 6’7” tall and weighs 230 pounds. To sum things up, he’s a really tall, lean man that has faced difficulty finding clothes that fit him right since about the age of 12. The vision all started from the stress and anxiety Paul felt shopping as a teenager with his mom because he could never find any clothing. “This is really what started this vision of creating Tall Paul and creating a site to help others who also feel stress and anxiety. Sometimes it’s depressing just feeling like we can’t fit in, and it becomes such a burden when you go shopping,” says Paul. It would take Paul hours and hours in a mall going to stores and picking through every single piece of clothing, just in case one shirt or pair of pants fit him. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. It’s to the point that Paul rarely shops anymore, once he finds something that fits him, he wears it for four years or so.
This is an issue that not a lot of men talk about, “other than athletes who have millions of dollars to spend on designers and customs,” exclaims Paul. Custom is the way to go in Paul’s opinion, but custom can get pretty pricey. “The problem with custom clothing is that you first have to feel confident enough to go to a tailor or go to a boutique store and say that I want something made specifically for me with this look. You’re going to have to understand fashion to do that, which we tall guys hardly know. Since we don’t get to wear a lot of clothes we like, we don’t really know what we like!” Another issue that Paul has faced with having clothing custom-made is that he didn’t know when he’d stop growing! Is it worth paying a high price for something you may or may not grow out of in a year? Paul didn’t stop growing until around the age of 28.
Growing up, Paul wasn’t even confident in being in group settings because he stood out. He felt like he always had to say something because if he didn’t, everyone could see that he was not taking part in the conversation. He dreaded standing in lines because someone was always bound to go up to him and mention his height, which he then would have to annoyingly have come up with a response. He also felt a lot of pressure to be good at sports. “I got drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and I didn’t make it in a major league. It felt like I failed at that.” “If you’re confident enough to deal with it, amazing. I am now.”
Tall Paul and Mental Health
Paul is very passionate about helping men just like him around the world. He hopes that people can relate to, and hopefully take something away from the content he puts in Tall Paul. “You know the feeling of putting on a nice piece of clothing that fits? You feel good in what you’re wearing, there’s a confidence boost. Then when someone compliments it, you’re like okay I got this! If I could help someone find a piece of clothing that they like or find a style that works for them and they don’t have to worry about buying a whole bunch of different styles, that’s one positive thing I can give to them. I can take a burden off their chest and set them up so that they can use that to build and go out from there.”
He doesn’t relate to big and tall though; what his site focuses on is men who have his issue such as being tall and lean, read as finding shirts that aren’t wide just because they’re long. Paul has also started a site called Never Alone which is essentially a safe space and community for anyone dealing with fear, anxiety, stress, depression, or any type of mental health struggles. Through this platform, Paul has had several tall guys reach out to him about the mental struggles of being tall and thin, wanting guidance, advice, and support. Click here for his latest post, What to Talk About in Therapy: 21 (Real) Topics for You.
Future Plans
Paul plans to expand his website, Tall Paul, to include information on how to style yourself and what to look for when shopping online. “I want to make sure everyone knows the measurements they need. I want this to be a fully functioning fashion site.” When asked if he plans to do collaborations with clothing lines, Paul said, “Yes, definitely!”
“Being tall is amazing and I’m embracing it now.”
