Lily James at 5ft 7 Skips Pamela Anderson’s Iconic Heels in Pam & Tommy for Height Reasons, Wins Critical Acclaim

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In the Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy, Lily James embodied Pamela Anderson without donning the towering stacked heels Anderson was known for due to James’s natural height (5ft 7). Critics and fans lauded her portrayal alongside Sebastian Stan’s Tommy Lee.

Lily James wears Valentino Fall 2019 Haute Couture at The Fashion Awards 2019 Lily James wears Valentino Fall 2019 Haute Couture at The Fashion Awards 2019 held at Royal Albert Hall on December 02, 2019, in London, England (Credit: Avalon / WENN)

Aesthetic Choices: Adapting Pamela’s Signature Style

The lead costume designer, Kameron Lennox, mirrored Anderson’s real-life fashion sense and choices, selectively adapting her iconic look.

Lennox shared insights in an interview with Below the Line, noting that while Anderson had a penchant for high-profile designers like Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, her style was often understated to emphasize her physique. Lennox opted for Yves Saint Laurent stilettos over stacked heels for James, driven by practicality and aesthetics.

“The only thing I tweaked a bit was not putting Lily in the big stacked heels, because Lily is so tall (5ft 7). So I used stilettos from Yves Saint Laurent,” said Lennox.

Lily James did not wear Pamela Anderson's signature stacked heels in Pam & Tommy due to her taller height (5ft 7), opting instead for Yves Saint Laurent stilettos as adjusted by the show's lead costume designer, Kameron LennoxLily James did not wear Pamela Anderson’s signature stacked heels in Pam & Tommy due to her taller height (5ft 7), opting instead for Yves Saint Laurent stilettos as adjusted by the show’s lead costume designer, Kameron Lennox (Credit: Hulu)

Lennox praised James for her professionalism and dedication, highlighting her early arrival on set and openness to collaboration. These qualities were invaluable in bringing the character to life with authenticity and respect for Anderson’s legacy.

Height and Style: Lily James’s Physical Attributes

Measuring 5ft 7 (170.2 cm), Lily James is taller than the average British woman. The average height for women in the UK is approximately 5ft 3in (160 cm). This makes James about 4 inches (10.2 cm) taller than the national average, positioning her on the taller side among British women.

Lily James’ US shoe size of 9 translates to a UK size 7, a European size 39.5, a Japanese size 27.5, and remains a size 9 in Australia.

Lily James shows off her sexy size 9 (US) feet in black high heelsLily James shows off her sexy size 9 (US) feet in black high heels (Credit: Brian Dowling / WENN)

Making a Statement: Lily James’s Oscar Debut

Everyone wants to make a lasting impression at their first Oscar appearance, and Lily James did that and more.

The perfect combination of bombshell elegance, she had heads turning from the moment she stepped onto that red carpet in her pink lace Atelier Versace Fall/Winter 2021 Couture dress featuring a very high slit and sweetheart neckline.

Lily completed this unforgettable look with pink platform heels, a dramatic diamond necklace, and stud earrings.

Lily James hit the Oscars red carpet for the first time in a pink lace Atelier Versace dress at the 94th Annual Academy AwardsLily James hit the Oscars red carpet for the first time in a pink lace Atelier Versace dress at the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022, in Hollywood, California (Credit: Abby Grant / Cover Images / InstarImages)

Beyond the Red Carpet: A Presenter’s Role

Although Lily was not nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Pamela Anderson in Pam and Tommy, she still managed a stage appearance as one of the presenters during the awards ceremony.

During the show, she joined Halle Bailey and Naomi Scott to present the award for Best Animated Feature to Disney’s mega-hit film Encanto.

Lily James showed off her glittering diamond Piaget Heliconia necklace with a singular topaz rock at the centerLily James showed off her glittering diamond Piaget Heliconia necklace with a singular topaz rock at the center (Credit: Abby Grant / Cover Images / InstarImages)

Capturing Hearts: Lily’s Love for Her Look

When chatting with E! host Laverne Cox about her dress, she excitedly said, “I’m in love with it, I can’t believe I get to wear it. I feel incredible.”

She went on to say, “I can’t believe I’m here, this is so wild. It’s my first Oscars and I’m just looking around like … the glamour of it all, it’s crazy.”

Crazy yes, but what a successful evening for this new entrant to the Oscar scene.

Lily James showed off her feet in pink platform heelsLily James showed off her feet in pink platform heels (Credit: Abby Grant / Cover Images / InstarImages)

Versatility on Display: Spirit Awards Fashion

Earlier the same month, she also attended the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards in a cropped top with puffed sleeves and high-waist trousers from Del Core, a fashion house founded in Milan by Daniel Del Core. She accessorized with jewelry by Anita Ko.

Lily James in a Del Core outfit at the 2022 Film Independent Spirit AwardsLily James in a Del Core outfit at the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards at the Santa Monica Pier on March 6, 2022, in Santa Monica, California (Credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock)

Embracing Cinderella: A Fairy Tale Promotion

In March 2015, it looked like Lily James had taken her latest role to heart.

Lily James attends the special screening of Cinderella at the Scotiabank TheatreLily James attends the special screening of Cinderella at the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Canada, on March 11, 2015 (Credit: Dominic Chan / WENN)

The actress played the title character in the 2015 romantic fantasy film Cinderella, and she channeled her character quite a bit while promoting the movie in a series of stunning looks.

At the premiere in Hollywood, Lily took our breath away in a blue-gray Elie Saab embroidered gown and custom-made Christian Louboutin pumps.

Lily James shows off her natural-looking makeup and décolletage by wearing her blonde hair swept backLily James shows off her natural-looking makeup and décolletage by wearing her blonde hair swept back (Credit: Dominic Chan / WENN)

A few days later, the then-25-year-old actress went back to basics. She opted to wear a structured white Christian Dior dress to a special screening of the romantic fantasy movie at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Canada.

She looked every bit the modern-day princess in her simple dress, which featured a V-neck, long sleeves, and button details.

Lily James poses on the red carpet in her ankle-length white dress from Christian DiorLily James poses on the red carpet in her ankle-length white dress from Christian Dior (Credit: Dominic Chan / WENN)

She pulled her golden tresses back to show off her natural makeup and completed her look with a few minimal pieces of jewelry, including a pair of pearl earrings and a selection of rings.

Lily James carries an Olympia Le-Tan clutchLily James carries an Olympia Le-Tan clutch (Credit: Dominic Chan / WENN)

Lily added a bit of novelty to her look with her Olympia Le-Tan “Cinderella” book clutch, which stemmed from a collaboration between Olympia Le-Tan and Disney.

Lily James shows off her sexy feet in Aquazzura red pumps that perfectly match the red carpetLily James shows off her sexy feet in Aquazzura red pumps that perfectly match the red carpet (Credit: Dominic Chan / WENN)

Footwear to Remember: Lily’s Choice of Pumps

The actress finished her ethereal look with a pair of ruby red “Leaf” pumps by Aquazzura. These pumps feature cutout details, clear vinyl trim, pointed toes, and about four-inch heels.

Lily James reveals toe cleavage and shows off the detailing on her "Leaf" pumpsLily James reveals toe cleavage and shows off the detailing on her “Leaf” pumps (Credit: Dominic Chan / WENN)

These pumps from the popular women’s shoe brand in red suede are already sold out, but fortunately, a metallic gold version is available at Mytheresa and Farfetch.

Aquazzura Leaf Metallic Leather PVC PumpsAquazzura Leaf Metallic Leather PVC Pumps, $795