The "height" of attractiveness

I'm sorry, dear on-the-tall-side female reader, but I have to be honest and say that my heart soared when I read the news of the latest body preference survey (you know, the "have you got the right body?" type of stories the media come out with three or four times a year). It seems the latest thoughts on body image stipulate that short women with long legs are the most attractive.
Now, personally, I've always favored short women with legs that are in proportion to the rest of them—like my wife, for instance.
The most shocking bit of news, however, was not what this report had to say about the attractiveness of long-legged short women to men. It was about the attraction that short-legged tall men command among the ladies.
Women prefer their men tall. Big surprise. When you're a short male, you learn that lesson many times throughout your trip toward and through adulthood. But, I do understand that it is deeply ingrained. (The other day, my wife said she had to stand on her tippie-toes to give me a full hug. I failed to notice, but I find that too endearing for words.)
What I don't quite understand is why tall men with legs that are shorter than they should be for their frame are the height— I'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not that pun was intended—of attractiveness for women. I mean, what the hell is the point in being tall if you've got short legs?
There must be truth in it though. My lovely mother-in-law married a tall bloke. But his legs were quite a bit shorter than you'd expect on a man of 6-foot-2. His height came mostly courtesy of his back.
And, come to think of it, my own father is 5'11", but, during my college days, I used to routinely borrow a pair of his jeans when all mine were in the wash. There were no problems with extra material down around the ankles, if you get my drift.
Actually, I wonder if height is even a factor at all. I knew a couple in Boston; the husband and wife were both 5-foot-10. She, however, had legs as long as they come—she took a 34-inch inseam—while the guy had legs no longer than my own. He was five inches taller than me, but I swear on all that's holy that my 30-inseam jeans would have fitted him perfectly.  But he had a long back and was broad-shouldered which is what women like, according to the report.
Food for thought on a drizzly Wednesday morning, at any rate.