Do girls really care about the height of their dating partner?
I've had my day in the Tinder-sphere and I have noticed a trend in men’s bios. Many tend to include a disclosure of their height.
This got me thinking, do girls really care about the height of their dating partner?
Personally, I have dated guys ranging in height and have never thought much of it. If anything, I would prefer someone who isn’t too tall because I have a strange fear of being substancially physically weaker than my parter and being snapped in half. Maybe I’ve watched too much CSI... Who knows. Either way, I struck up the topic of conversation with my roommate and found her perspective to be quite different than my own. She cares a lot about height. Her reasoning was that she is 5’10” and doesn’t like feeling like a giant next to her man should she decide to wear her favourite heals.
With her comments in the back of my head, I decided to reflect a little deeper on my own experiences and came up with three accounts of Tinder dates I’ve had with men of different heights:
5’4" - The Downward Spiral
Recently, I went on a date with a Tinder guy with tattoos, a man bun, and a job as a videographer (my fav career choice for men). When I arrived, he was sitting down, so I couldn’t see how tall he was. I ordered my usual Molson Canadian, he complemented me on my clothes and we chatted about his job. Pretty soon into the evening, my roommate and her friend so happened to walk past the patio that my date and I were sitting at. We laughed for a minute at the coincidental run-in and then they left. Perhaps, in an effort to flatter me, he mentioned how he found my friends to be 'a lot younger and less mature' than me.
Heads up guys: Don’t insult her friends. Not on date 1... Not ever.
I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and press on with the date, until I noticed his very uninvited hand on my thigh. I pulled away and he chuckled, as if my reaction was somehow a flirtatious response to his advances. He tried one more time before I asserted that it was time for me to go.
Heads up #2: Observe the signs. If she doesn't seem down, she isn't.
The date started somewhat late, so it was 1am when we got up to leave. At that point, I could see that he and I were pretty much exactly the same height (5’4”). I was not bothered by it, but rather by his proceeding question, "So... uh... Do you want to keep hanging out? Or..."
I did not.
His height was not the problem. He was. I was all booked up with 7.5 hours of mediocre quality sleep on my Ikea mattress built for 1.
6’3" - The Foreign Gentleman
I matched on Tinder with a guy who was visiting from Australia. After some chatting back and forth, I boldly asked him to meet for drinks. Normally I wait for the guy to ask me, but he had a cool leather jacket and a nose piercing and worked as a professional bar tender. As in, he was in Canada on a bartending gig. I don’t know how someone gets good enough at mixing drinks that they get sent around the world to do it, but apparently it’s a thing.
We met at Cold Tea in China town and I noticed immediately that he was almost a full foot taller than me. I watched the complicated art of him ordering a drink. I got a beer.
We had great conversation and he walked me to my Uber when it was time for me to go home. On our short stroll to find my driver, we past a man who seemed high and somewhat disturbed. My date moved me to his other side so that he would have to walk past the man instead of me, which I thought was nice.
He went back to Australia the next day, but we still toss each other the occasional Instagram 'like'.
His height was unique to anyone I had ever been out with before, but what stood out to me was his sweet spirit and gentlemanly quality. And the nose ring.
5’8" - The 'Right' Swipe (Get it... It's punny)
I think every Tinder user does their best to discern whether or not someone’s photos are an accurate representation of what they’re like in person. In this day and age, everyone knows how to work selfie lighting, so there is no telling what the chiselled looking beauty you matched with will actually turn out to be when you meet face to face. I matched with a painter who had an uncanny resemblance to Orland Bloom, with a couple tatoos, and a not much in his bio. He was undeniably good looking.
He was whitty in his texting banter and we set up a date at Joey's Restaurant. When he showed up at the bar, he was EXACTLY like his pictures. I was in the midst of a no makeup, 30 day challenge and was almost certain he was not into me at all. That's right. I fully committed. No makeup on a DATE. Fellahs, I know many of you think makeup doesn't make much of a difference, but you better believe I can change species with the right cosmetics. We saw each other a few more times after that. To be honest, I think his height suited him very well. He was a cool and understated sort and his average height worked with his personality.
Thinking back, I'd be lying if I said the height of my dates went unnoticed. Of course I notice it. Just like I notice the colour of their hair and their smile. But, like anything else, it's how the guy wears the height.
So dudes, this is my advice to you: Ultimately, it comes down to how you carry yourself, not so much what you're actually carrying.
Also, girls' taste in men's physiques are as diverse as the big world we live in, so be confident and you'll strike gold.
