Amazons, rejoice: Terrific trouser/shoe combos for tall women
Elle Macpherson said this great quote:
“I used to wear heels because I wanted to show people I wasn’t ashamed of being tall. But I don’t wear them any more because you don’t have to wear heels to be beautiful. I can’t even remember the last time I wore heels.”
I was 5’11” by the time I was 15, and ever since then I’ve dodged questions about my basketball playing, volleyball playing or modeling ability (or lack thereof.) To clear things up: I played basketball in junior high, never cared for volleyball and the only time I model is for THF.
Nearly every tall woman has similar problems. Finding pants is impossible. Every knee-length skirt looks mini on you. You may have long legs, but you can’t find pajama bottoms to cover your ankles. Being tall as a woman is simultaneously the best and worst thing in the world. You feel empowered when you walk down the street, but end up in tears in the dressing room because pants just don’t fit.
I harbor such a hatred of changing rooms from all the disappointment of never finding pants that, to this day, I’ll rarely try anything on. I’d rather buy it and take it home and return it, than stand in a barren, too-bright changing room trying to pull pants down on my hips so they fit my 37-inch inseam (35 inches, plus two extra inches to allow for heels).
So, to save you the toil and trouble of searching for pants long enough to fit your legs, I’ve picked out some of my favorite styles in denim and trousers for spring…along with complimentary shoes.
Alloy.com is a tall girl’s fantasy. Pants and jeans come readily in 37” inseams, running all the way down to the petite 32”. Skinny jeans are perfect for tall women, too. They compliment your long legs, and you don’t have to worry as much about length, since skinny jeans look fine hitting you at the ankle, or slightly above, depending on what shoes you want to wear with them. This black pair is super-flattering in cut and wash, since everyone looks good in black pants.
Try skinny jeans with a punchy colored shoe for spring. It will update the look and bring it out of the dark winter doldrums.
Tall women can get away with wearing trendy jeans a lot easier than most petite women. Wide-leg jeans, trouser jeans and skinny jeans all look equally good on a tall woman. The proportions work great — just look at supermodels! Having height on your frame gives you more liberty with how “fashion-y” you want to dress. For petite women reading this: check out my posts on Rachel Bilson and Ashley Olsen for good ideas on dressing to fit your height. Once again, these wide-leg jeans are from Alloy.com, which (and I can’t say this enough) is an unbelievable source for denim.
Wide-leg denim looks good with a substantial shoe. Think square or round toe pumps with a thick heel, oxford booties or, my personal spring favorite, wedges. These are from Old Navy and are such a steal.
Every girl needs a pair of go-to jeans that work for every occasion. I like the sophisticated cut and fit of this pair, but the rips in the front keep the look more casual and appropriate for my age. Sometimes I like to dress more casually like this for weekends or on excursions downtown in DC. Being over-dressed all the time can get really old: these jeans keep the look fresh.
Mix more casual denim with more casual shoes, like these red flats. They also come in a metallic color, as well as black. I have to give these flats props: they are some of the most comfortable shoes I own. The leather molds right to your foot, and you feel like you’re walking on air. Great if you have to do a lot of walking…plus, they’re really cute and quite inexpensive at $35.
Finding good trousers with long inseams is hard, but Alloy.com really changed all that. Although they don’t offer a huge selection of dress pants, the ones they do have are quite nice. These come in a few colors and are really versatile for work.
Peep-toe heels like this would dress-up trousers for a more stuffy workplace.
Delias.com, tween-clothing haven, has grown up a lot since I first started receiving their catalogs. These skinny jeans have a great wash, but I must warn you tall women out there: Delias only makes denim up to 36” inseams, so if you’re taller, beware and stick with Alloy.com instead!
Skinny jeans tucked into boots with a tunic and jacket is a foolproof outfit idea that I wear all the time. By the way, how great are these Steve Madden boots?! Love the gray color.
The Gap has a “tall” section on their website now, so if you’re blessed with extra height, be sure to check it out. My only gripe with Gap denim is that there can be variations of fit within each size. For instance, you may try on three pairs of size 4′s in the Long & Lean style, and they will all fit differently and have slightly different lengths. Be cautious when purchasing their jeans online since you can’t try them on. But, if you are tall and need long inseams, online from the Gap is the only way to go: their in-store longs are often not quite long enough.
Since Gap denim is so classic and preppy, shake things up with your 
Now for the big leagues: Tall Couture is an invaluable website for tall women, offering links to other sites with clothing for tall women as well as offering a huge selection of their own. If you prefer higher-end brands for your lower half, Tall Couture is the site for you. These Hudson trouser jeans come in long inseams, and you can’t argue with the fit.
These mod wedges would really compliment the flare of the Hudson jeans.
These trousers are a little more trendy than the other pants I’ve shown, but if you don’t want to look like a clone at the office, why not go for it?
Because the trousers above are so trendy, go for a more simple shoe.
Sailor pants always strike me as a little flirty and mischievous. I’d wear this Banana Republic pair to work with a button-down tucked into them. Subtle sexiness at its best!
And my favorite shoe of the moment: these color-blocked Steve Maddens. They come in three color combos and look a lot more expensive than they are. I’ll be watching for them to go on sale–effects of the student budget, you know.
What kind of clothing is hard to shop for when it comes to fitting your body type? Are you petite? Tall? In-between? No waist? Too much waist? Tell me about it!
10 Comments
If you’re looking for fabulous looking designer shoes in sizes 10 and up, then check out Your Feet Make You Unique. My shoe blog was designed with full-footed women in mind. I proudly wear a size 11. So take a minute and click on http://www.yourfeetmakeyouunique.com
I have also found lots of tall clothing choices at http://www.tallclothingmall.com
I’m 6’2″, 37″ inseam, and a shoe size 12, and my clothing can vary from size 6-12.
Your links were great – and I am so grateful for Alloy as well.
THANK GOD!
Thanks everyone for sharing your helpful links!
I usually only shop at Payless for shoes, since the other options out there are usually over $100.
I used to shop http://www.longelegantlegs.com but it’s kind of bland and older/dressy than my usual day to day (I’m 28), same with Eddie Bauer longs – they fit, but often aren’t my style.
Keep posting. I’ll be checking back.
And in response to Elle Macpherson not wearing heels -
I understand trying to prove herself unashamed, but -
I adore heels.
My closet is chock full of them.
AND my husband is 5’10″.
He’s not afraid.
I’m not afraid.
Heels are just gorgeous.
Ballet flats are good for casual life, but…doesn’t it feel great to strut out in some gorgeous heels, Ladies?
Hit the streets proudly, Women!
Also Tallies,
Do you have any creative responses to men (in-particular) responding in shock to your height? Or what retorts do you give (playfully or otherwise) to “How tall are you?”, “Do you play basketball/volleyball?” “You must intimidate guys, don’t you?” My usual mild, accepting, laugh-it-off response is getting old.
Any fun stories?
Eddie Bauer’s clothing is cheap and starts looking worn before the season is out. But its ‘curvy’ size fit me like a glove. I’m thin but with hips, 34″ inseam. Would love some suggestions for office-wear for a professional! Thanks!
Tess — for office wear, I like denim from Banana Republic or J.Crew (prefer Banana Repub though). Also, it’s maybe on the “cheaper” side, but I think TopShop has a lot of really classy items that can be dressed up for work. All these places go up to 36″ and easy shipping.
Serelle — if you haven’t found it yet, go to http://www.barefoottess.com website and get ready to be amaaaaazed. Best site for larger shoes (12’s in every style) and their stuff is super trendy. Only downside is that all the shoes I covet are like at least $150 there, but high quality, so generally worth it. You can also, of course, just search zappos, but since I’ve found BT I don’t think I’ve bought shoes anywhere else….
I’m 6′4″ and also adore Delias and Alloy, both mentioned in this post, but to be truthful I try to rock dresses and skirts more than pants. I think dresses flatter tall women really well! I keep a list of my favorite stores at http://redwoodlings.com/tall_clothing/ if anyone wants more…. Also, feel free to email me there if you want to trade tall shopping secrets
Christie
I’m 6’1″ and haven’t got the weight off after my two kids.
I have been spending at least $100 at the Buckle for jeans. I recently found Alloy.com but was wondering how they’re sizing is. I usually were a 36 waist and 37 inseam so if I got a size 19 would it fit???? Do their sizes run the same as the regular stores? (ie. the Buckle) ???? Please help.
At 5’10 I’m not as tall as some of you, but I still have my fair share of clothing woes. Dressing rooms are horrible, and dresses never seem to fit right. I need a large in bottom and a small or medium on top. And clothing like pajamas sold in sets are a nightmare. I either get a pair of pants with too large of a shirt, or vice versa.
I do readily admit despite having a closet full of heels I love, I rarely wear them as I tend to feel like a freaky giant when I do : (
I remeber once when I was working at a college bookstore, a woman cam ein who was taller than me. Shortlly after her departure every. single. person. who worked there had to hunt me down to tell me they finally saw another woman who was taller than me. I don’t think they meant it to hurt like it did. (I was 19 at the time, 23 now)
As for pants, I have developed a tendency to buy 2-3 pairs of the same pair of pants when I find one that finally fits like it should, just so that I’m stocked up.
I’m working on bieng as empowered with my body as many of you sound, but I still have a ways to go. Reading how other tall woman embrace their hieght is a good step : )
Thanks for the ideas. Same problems here. Though I’m not as tall (5’9″), I wear a 35″ inseam and size 11 shoe. I remember asking about my size in a shoe store when I was 19. The jerk salesman actually said, “No, we don’t have that size, but we have shoe boxes that’ll fit you.” Nice, huh?
Anyway, I’ve been really searching for other sites that sell tall stuff online and started a blog about it. Good news is that there are more sites now (yay!). Bad news is sizing/quality can be spotty at times. Some good ones are…
http://www.heightgoddess.com for jeans (up to 40″ inseams)
http://www.kathrynkerrigan.com for shoes (up to 16!)
Hope that helps some other tall girls out there. And if you want to stop by and say hi, I’m at http://www.tallclotheshorse.com.
This is what I dont understand, why do they make tall womens clothing with a waistband the comes up to your chest? The only time I find pants is in the buckle which I love but the price is very high and there are only jeans. I am not allowed to wear jeans to work and it is impossible to find casual pants that have my 37 inseam and dont come up to my boobs! Plus the ones I do find are ridiculously priced!! The longer the pants, the wider the waist. I am a 28 waist, 5’11 and 37 inseam. Why do they think that the taller u are the bigger u are???