 |
| Do you have these in tall? |
Unfortunately, most clothing manufacturers seem to think we should be either tall OR plus sized. Most tall brands stop at or before a size 18, and very few plus sized-lines have truly tall (36") inseams. Forget finding tops, unless you're good with 3/4 length sleeves year-round.
There are no physical tall shops on the West coast since Tall Girl went out of business, so all my tall shopping has to be found on the internet. There are a lot of online tall shops, but the majority of them are for skinny beanpoles, not us brick house amazons.
There are no physical tall shops on the West coast since Tall Girl went out of business, so all my tall shopping has to be found on the internet. There are a lot of online tall shops, but the majority of them are for skinny beanpoles, not us brick house amazons.
What I really want to do is provide a resource guide for very tall, very voluptuous girls. Based on my dimensions and personal experience, I'd like to give you an overview of what worked for me. I have not received any form of compensation to provide these reviews, but I'd absolutely love it if stores starting sending me samples to try out for the benefit of research.
In order of most recent positive experience, here are my favorites:
I ordered the tall skinny jean in a 20 and found them a true 36" and roomy enough to survive the dryer. Ashley Stewart has these in sizes up to 26! Their Tall Bootcut is a dreamy date night jean with a contoured waistband and a trouser hem. I hope they continue to offer this style. With great sales and online coupons, I spent $20 per pair. Talls are offered online only in a few pants and jeans. I actually think the jeans look better in real life than they do on their models!
Many pants have 35" AND 37" inseam options, with sizes up to 25, but the majority of options are super low-cut in this teen-oriented catalog. I search for "mid-rise" and have had luck with Spoon Jeans, Truck Jeans, and Vigold. I'm a 19 or 21 depending on the brand and amount of stretch. Vigold often runs big. I've found some great Spoon Jeans khakis and corduroys, too. I typically spend $30-40 per pair and encounter a lot of thin or wrinkly fabrics and messy stitching. Be prepared to try everything and send back what doesn't work. Knit tops I've tried are skin tight, like they're junior plus sizes.
Long Tall Sally
I've had the best luck with their Lois Jeans and Tall Girl brands, but 18 or 20 is the largest size they carry. Lois Jeans run true to size or roomy. Their Neva line is lower-cut and snugger fitting but has wonderful wide contoured waistbands. Be prepared to spend $60-80 per pair. Long Tall Sally's other clothing is not consistently sized. Sometimes an XL dress is really a large, and other times it's an XXL. If you're lucky enough to have a pop-up shop visit your city, arrive early and be prepared for crowds.
Torrid
Torrid is the Hot Topic for big girls, and I really like their curvy skinny jean in extra tall size 20. The rinse is dark, the fit is flattering and forgiving with a wide waistband, and they're 36" long. These jeans go to size 28. Unfortunately, they're $60 and I just discovered Ashley Stewart! Torrid carries a few other bottoms in long lengths, but does not offer tall tops or dresses. I have found a couple of button-up short sleeve blouses I love, and their sweater shrugs can't be beat for evening wear cover-ups. They have some fun shoes up to size 12 as well.
Old Navy
Nope. Every pair of Old Navy jeans and pants I've tried appear to be built for apple shapes with extremely thick waists and toothpick thighs. Old Navy does offer many of their clothes in tall up to size 20 online and I did have luck recently with some great yoga pants. Their woven tops are not for the busty, and knits are usually skin-tight and low-cut. Read user reviews carefully. If most women complain about things being too long, it'll likely be just right for me. My favorite purchase is the soft and layerable jersey stretch tank. It comes in a multitude of colors and is the perfect cami for warmth and modesty.
Long Legs Fashions
Some of their pants are so long, I've actually had to hem them! The style I like the best has a wide contoured waistband, but is sometimes a little short in the rise (distance between the crotch and waistband), leaving me in wedgie city. I like their Long Legs denim in sizes up to 20 best, but I don't see it offered online right now. Be prepared to spend $75-200, or shop their sale page. I haven't tried their tops for awhile, but found them to be inconsistently sized a couple of years ago.
Long Elegant Legs
Most of their bottoms run true to size, but I had such a hard time finding tops to fit, I gave up on them a couple of years ago. When a turtleneck is labeled 22-24/XXL, it shouldn't fit me like a glove. And then there was the pajama set that felt like a 3X in the top and a 1X in the bottoms. Their latest catalog looks wonderful (even if the models are ridiculously photoshopped). Hopefully they've improved things since my last order.
Eddie Bauer
Hit or miss. Eddie Bauer was a God-send in college, but I quickly found their maximum size 20 bottoms equivalent to a 16/18 in other brands. They have a lot of options for the shorter and thinner tall woman (up to 5'11), but sizing varies wildly. Knit tops haven't been long enough for me in the torso or arms, but I've found a some sweaters and outerwear the worked nicely. It's best to try on an item in the store, then order it in tall online. They used to offer free shipping if you call from a store phone.
JCPenney
Also for the shorter and thinner tall woman. I gave up on them a couple of years ago. They don't carry many "ultra talls" anymore, and their biggest size 20 runs small. Tops were too short in the torso and arms, and the only way to get pants long enough was to buy them cuffed and take out the hem.
Long Tall Sally
I've had the best luck with their Lois Jeans and Tall Girl brands, but 18 or 20 is the largest size they carry. Lois Jeans run true to size or roomy. Their Neva line is lower-cut and snugger fitting but has wonderful wide contoured waistbands. Be prepared to spend $60-80 per pair. Long Tall Sally's other clothing is not consistently sized. Sometimes an XL dress is really a large, and other times it's an XXL. If you're lucky enough to have a pop-up shop visit your city, arrive early and be prepared for crowds.
 |
| Torrid Curvy Skinny |
Torrid is the Hot Topic for big girls, and I really like their curvy skinny jean in extra tall size 20. The rinse is dark, the fit is flattering and forgiving with a wide waistband, and they're 36" long. These jeans go to size 28. Unfortunately, they're $60 and I just discovered Ashley Stewart! Torrid carries a few other bottoms in long lengths, but does not offer tall tops or dresses. I have found a couple of button-up short sleeve blouses I love, and their sweater shrugs can't be beat for evening wear cover-ups. They have some fun shoes up to size 12 as well.
 |
| Old Navy Stretch Yoga |
Nope. Every pair of Old Navy jeans and pants I've tried appear to be built for apple shapes with extremely thick waists and toothpick thighs. Old Navy does offer many of their clothes in tall up to size 20 online and I did have luck recently with some great yoga pants. Their woven tops are not for the busty, and knits are usually skin-tight and low-cut. Read user reviews carefully. If most women complain about things being too long, it'll likely be just right for me. My favorite purchase is the soft and layerable jersey stretch tank. It comes in a multitude of colors and is the perfect cami for warmth and modesty.
Long Legs Fashions
Some of their pants are so long, I've actually had to hem them! The style I like the best has a wide contoured waistband, but is sometimes a little short in the rise (distance between the crotch and waistband), leaving me in wedgie city. I like their Long Legs denim in sizes up to 20 best, but I don't see it offered online right now. Be prepared to spend $75-200, or shop their sale page. I haven't tried their tops for awhile, but found them to be inconsistently sized a couple of years ago.
Long Elegant Legs
Most of their bottoms run true to size, but I had such a hard time finding tops to fit, I gave up on them a couple of years ago. When a turtleneck is labeled 22-24/XXL, it shouldn't fit me like a glove. And then there was the pajama set that felt like a 3X in the top and a 1X in the bottoms. Their latest catalog looks wonderful (even if the models are ridiculously photoshopped). Hopefully they've improved things since my last order.
Eddie Bauer
Hit or miss. Eddie Bauer was a God-send in college, but I quickly found their maximum size 20 bottoms equivalent to a 16/18 in other brands. They have a lot of options for the shorter and thinner tall woman (up to 5'11), but sizing varies wildly. Knit tops haven't been long enough for me in the torso or arms, but I've found a some sweaters and outerwear the worked nicely. It's best to try on an item in the store, then order it in tall online. They used to offer free shipping if you call from a store phone.
JCPenney
Also for the shorter and thinner tall woman. I gave up on them a couple of years ago. They don't carry many "ultra talls" anymore, and their biggest size 20 runs small. Tops were too short in the torso and arms, and the only way to get pants long enough was to buy them cuffed and take out the hem.
Land's End & L.L. Bean, etc.
Nope. My shorter tall friends can wear these, but all wrong for me!
*Paper doll image borrowed here.
*Paper doll image borrowed here.
Great blog Jane!
ReplyDeleteOne you might have missed. I have found much luck with New York and Co (in fact I am wearing their dress pants right now!). They are located all over in malls in every state, have a tall line for all their pants and long cuts for some tops, you can try them on and with sales and coupons will sometimes cost less than $20 a pair for either jeans or dress pants. They carry up to a generous 18 in the store and larger sometimes online. I love their clothes and send all my tall friends there - who can beat their trendy clothes at super low prices.
My mom, size 22 / 6'1" and sister, size 20 / 6'3", both shop at Avenue and Lane Bryant as well. They have found some great stuff in tall length for bigger sizes, and they also have the same sales and coupons as New York and Co.
These options are worth checking out! : )
Thanks Susan!
ReplyDeleteI didn't include Lane Bryant or The Avenue because their stuff just isn't tall enough for me (and it shrinks), but I forgot to mention why I hadn't included them! The skinny jeans I bought from The Avenue are only 34" long, but I can still wear them hidden under my tall boots.
A lot of tall gals can get away with shorter inseams because we're all built differently. Some are longer in the torso, others are all legs, and I'm tall all over.
I haven't tried New York & Co. It's good to know their sizes are more generous. Thanks for the tip! It's great to have a network of shopping experiences to share.
What great information! Great insight on what it's like to be tall AND plus-sized. I think we all died a little inside when Tall Girl went out of business. I think the clothing industry in general needs to catch up to "real women" sizes and proportions.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried New York & Co since it was Lerner's, but at that time their "tall" pants weren't quite tall enough unless I was able to let the hem out/uncuff them. My sister can wear them though, so I think they are probably around a 34" inseam.
ReplyDeleteI have found one pair of Old Navy pants that don't have such a big gap in the waist - the perfect fit khakis. They are a fairly short rise though, maybe that's why I don't have such a problem with them. I usually have better luck with GAP jeans fitting properly, but I think they only offer up to a 16.
I've never heard of Ashley Stewart before, and I thought I knew all the places that offered a 36" inseam! I will have to check them out!! Thanks for the info/reviews!
Fantastic work Jane! I gave up on clothes a long time ago, but your blog made me wonder if I might survive my hoarded pile of wearing-out-fast clothes. Maybe there's hope!
ReplyDeleteMegan