It's time that the fashion industry meaningfully included tall women in the conversation

By Irene Agbontaen - Sep 30, 2020

For as long as I can remember, I've always stood out for being tall. The tall gene comes from my mother's side of the family. She's not tall herself, but her brothers are. I've always been taller than your average..

Growing up, my height made me feel self-conscious. I was always asked to stand at the back for any school photos because I was tall. There was and is a sense of always being asked to stand in the background and that affects your sense of self-worth. Tall women hunch, lean and diminish themselves so they can be at the same eye level as others. We dim our light to just feel included. Tall women are not told they're beautiful; they're told to go to the back and blend in.

One of the first times that I realised that my height excluded from me from things was when I was at secondary school. My mother and I would go on desperate shopping trips searching for plain black trousers for me to wear to school. Nothing ever fitted; they were all ankle swingers or unfashionable – there was nothing for a young, on-trend teenager. In the end, I just stuck to the old school skirt. I couldn't shop at the same places as my friends. I'd stand outside the changing rooms when my friends were trying on all these great clothes knowing that they would all look bad on me. I felt ignored and as if there was no space for me.

The advantages to all that was that it made me look deeper for my style. The singer Aaliyah was a big inspiration to me growing up – she dressed like a man but with feminine accents. I could do that as I could wear men's clothes. Being tall helped me to find my own lane.

Everyone deserves to be represented and for so long, tall women have just been given the scraps. I'm five foot 11, so I'm at the start of the tall spectrum, but I have struggled to find the most basic wardrobe essentials. My brand, TTYA, was born out of not being able to find those key pieces. I just wanted not to have to wear men's clothes all the time. When I first started TTYA, I created classics that were cut perfectly for tall women.

Representation is important, but society remains intolerant of women whose height goes above five foot seven. The only tall women we see in the media are Serena Williams and Gwendoline Christie. When I first launched my brand, Gwendoline emailed me to say thank you for including women of our height in the fashion narrative. When tall women are represented in the media, it's through the prism of masculinity. If you look at Gwendoline's character in Game of Thrones, she plays a manly giant – being tall is always associated with those things. Serena Williams has always been an advocate for her own femininity; she doesn't want to be described in masculine terms just because of her height. Honestly, if I had a pound for everyone who asked me if I play basketball, I'd be a rich woman. You're either an athlete or a supermodel, there's no middle ground.

In fashion, terms such as diversity and inclusivity are now being used as marketing buzzwords. When brands talk about clothing inclusivity, they tend to mean solely plus-size. A brand isn't inclusive just because it does a limited curve line. What about everyone else that doesn't fit into that bracket? I'm not saying that every brand should have fingers in all pies, but if we're going to use the word inclusivity we must do so correctly.

A lot of big labels want to be able to widen their bracket and to appeal to all women, but they go about it in a half-baked way. There's never much research – they just make things longer. It makes me think, 'are there any tall people behind the scenes designing this or consulting on it?' I'm a tall woman designing clothes for tall women. I understand our frustrations, what's missing in the market and what needs to be done to serve us better. I want to make sure we have a voice and a space in the fashion world.

Inclusion and diversity needs to mean something. If you're going to claim that your brand embodies those things, then that needs to start from the inside out – in your ethos, your staff and your values. It shouldn't be just a shallow front of house statement. Don't just use a tall woman in your campaign but not fully cater to them in your collection. You can't just add three inches onto a piece of clothing and think that's enough - you need to think about the construction of that garment and how it will fit a tall frame. For example, if I have a longer torso, then my waist will be at a different height. Loads of brands don't want to do the research required when designing for tall women. Instead they take the shortcuts.

Since launching TTYA, I've started thinking about my height differently. Suddenly I was very aware that there were so many women that felt the same way as me. I'd receive so much feedback from customers who felt finally heard – one girl's mother emailed to tell me that I'd made her daughter's prom because she'd managed to find a dress that fitted her. Knowing that I'd helped others made me feel understood too.

Any tall woman who walks into a room seizes the attention of everyone in it and I've learnt to think of that as an asset. I used to think about how I would best fit in, now I think, 'how can I use this to my advantage?' Tall women command a space. To all my tall female friends, if you want to wear six-inch heels, wear them. Don't let anyone else's insecurities change who you are or diminish you.

STYLE TIPS FOR TALL WOMEN:

Know your body ratio

Some people have a longer torso and shorter legs, or vice versa. Dress for your body shape; it'll make everything easier.

Don't go overboard when it comes to oversized

Only go up one or two sizes to achieve that effortless oversized look without it looking shapeless or overly baggy.

Find your wardrobe essentials

Once you have those in place, then you can layer clothes not necessarily for tall women on top.

As told to Ella Alexander.

Read the original article

J. Jill

Tall women's pants and jeans with up to 34 inch inseams.

J. Jill is a leading fashion retailer of women’s apparel, accessories and footwear. With a relaxed approach to style, we offer women an easy way to dress with the perfect balance of fashion, comfort and style. As a women’s fashion apparel brand, J. Jill designs original collections that are sold exclusively through our 225 retail stores, catalogs and website. We interpret the trends, you make them your own.

Visit their website

J.Crew

Tall women's pants and jeans with up to 34 inch inseams.

J.Crew debuted in 1983 with the mailing of its first catalog. Six years later, we opened a flagship store at New York's South Street Seaport. Today, the business includes retail and outlet stores nationwide and an ever-growing online and catalog business.

In 2003, Millard "Mickey" Drexler joined J.Crew as chairman and CEO, pushing service, quality and innovation to the next level. Still under his leadership almost a decade later, we partner with the finest global fabric mills and craftsmen—as well as with iconic brands such as Jack Purcell®, Timex®, Thomas Mason® and Red Wing® (to name just a few). J.Crew has also introduced several line extensions, including crewcuts (for kids sizes 2—14), J.Crew weddings & parties and J.Crew Collection (featuring exclusive and limited-edition pieces). J.Crew continues its retail expansion with a series of new specialty shops for men, women and kids, as well as the addition of dedicated shoe and handbag salons in existing stores.

J.Crew went global in August 2011 with the opening of our first Canadian store, located at Yorkdale Center in Toronto, which was followed quickly by store openings in both Vancouver and Edmonton. We rolled out our e-commerce site to over 100 countries in early 2012 and are also currently scouting overseas for brick-and-mortar locations.

J.Crew Factory, which launched in 1988, offers the J.Crew style our customers love in stores across the country and on www.jcrewfactory.com. All of our J.Crew Factory items are exclusive designs—featuring casual classics, cool colors and bold prints (never last season's leftovers). Our Factory clothing is based on great styles and favorites from past J.Crew collections, though in order to keep our prices competitive, we sometimes slightly change the designs, fabrics and washes (but we always make sure to maintain the quality and integrity that our customers expect from J.Crew). We also design crewcuts Factory, our collection for kids—it's the same style you love for yourself, only slightly smaller.

In 2006, we introduced Madewell, a modern-day interpretation of an American denim label founded in 1937. Madewell continues to bring the same original integrity to everything it makes today, including a wide range of effortlessly cool pieces to pair with denim. Step inside any Madewell store across the country and you'll notice a friendly general-store vibe and antique décor that naturally reflect the authenticity and timelessness of the clothing. In addition to Madewell's brick-and-mortar stores, madewell.com (launched in 2010) is a strong sales driver. Madewell has also been making a further play in the digital space with a robust social media presence.

Visit their website

Jeanswest

Tall women's jeans with up to 38 inch inseams

Jessica London

Tall women's jeans and pants with up to 35 inch inseams.

Jessica London provides the plus size woman with the largest selection of apparel, lingerie and shoes (including an extensive selection of boots in regular and wide widths) that is classic, modern and career-oriented, empowering her to feel sophisticated and fashionable at work and everywhere else. In addition, Jessica London consistently provides great quality, fit expertise and excellent service, all at strong value price points. Sizes range from 12 – 40, including petites and talls.

Visit their website

Karlie Kloss is one of the top supermodels in the world

• She has been talking about fashion for women her height
• Karlie has given some of her top tips for tall girls

It is fair to say that most of the women in the world love shoes and some women have shoes with ridiculously big heels on them. However, there are plenty of tall women in the world who struggle with big heels on their shoes, as they all tower above many guys in the world and can sometimes feel awkward.

Well, the gorgeous Karlie Kloss is one of the top supermodels on the planet and she has had to deal with being a tall woman for many years now. Karlie has admitted that she prefers not to wear heels as she is very tall already, so she has given some of her top tips to the taller women in the world.

Kloss explained, "I feel like I can conquer the world in a pair of flats. I think I would look like a crazy woman walking around N.Y.C. in heels since I'm 6'1″ and 6'4″ in heels. Plus, I take the subway, so I'd stand out even more! I love being super-tall because I can wear flats on the red carpet. I'm also always running around in sneakers. I probably have at least 50 pairs. Like I love wearing high-waisted trousers to make my legs look even longer."

She added, "And I get to wear amazing gowns at a runway show that nobody else could pull off because it's so long. I definitely do not look good in something that's too short. Everything gets shorter on me! There are definitely upsides to it. If you're really tall, I think you should own it. I think it's great to find what makes you different and accentuate it, and use them to stand out even more."

So, there you have it. If you are a taller woman and are keen to try some things a bit different, then why not take these great tips from Karlie Kloss and adapt them for your own lifestyle.

Read the original article

Karlie Kloss Has the Perfect Jeans For Every Tall Girl

by Aemilia Madden 4/28/15

There are so many great things about being a tall woman - your legs look a million miles long, you can see over the crowd at crazy sample sales - but a major downside is that many pants end up looking shrunken on your lanky frame. Well, kiss awkward ankle-length hems goodbye. Karlie Kloss's line with Frame Denim, Forever Karlie, continues to be the tall girl's solution to all her denim issues.

While the model has partnered with Frame since 2012, the team just launched its third campaign, with four basic styles guaranteed to get the fit right. Each style has an extralong inseam (40 inches), and while the collection started with just a skinny and a '70s-inspired flare, the Pre-Fall styles will also include a boyfriend and shorts, too. Sadly, the jeans won't hit stores for a few months, so in the meantime, we rounded up our favorites already on the market so you can get a head start on shopping Karlie's collection.

Read the full article

La Redoute

La Redoute is part of Redcats - the world's 3rd largest home shopping organisation.

La Redoute makes French style accessible to all - with stylish looks and timeless pieces - plus guidance and advice on how to look good. You get a great choice of clothes that fit well and flatter - the way only the French seem to know how. All our communications; website, catalogue, mailings and emails, give you useful ideas, tips and best buys. The prices make it great value too and it's all delivered straight to your door. That's what we call French style made easy.

Visit their website

Lands' End

Tall Women's jeans and pants with up to 34 inch inseams

Nautical roots. An American spirit. And a company-wide devotion to high quality‚ honest value and timeless style with a twist. That’s authentic Lands’ End. And that’s just what you’ll get‚ no matter your latitude or longitude. No matter which member of our brand family you shop.

There’s only one Lands’ End

There are a lot of “all-American” brands out there‚ but there’s only one Lands’ End. We make stylish‚ comfortable‚ well-crafted goods. You’ll always know when you’ve spotted us—whether we’re sprucing up your family‚ your living room or a few NASA astronauts.

Visit the Lands' End website

Lane Bryant

Tall women's jeans and pants with up to 34 inch inseams

Lane Bryant is the most recognized name in plus-size clothing, and our emphasis on fashion and fit - not merely size - makes us a style leader. Cacique plus size intimates are a Lane Bryant exclusive and are famous for the fit solutions and fashion styling they offer in bras, panties, sleepwear and more.

Visit their website

Lange Dame

Het is voor lange meiden en dames erg moeilijk om passende kleding te vinden. Met zelf een lengte van 1.92 erkent Diana Smith, de eigenaresse van lange Dame dit probleem als geen ander. Als ervaringsdeskundige voorziet ze nu lange meiden en dames van passende kleding.

Lange Dame selecteert kleding kritisch op geschiktheid voor haar klanten. Ook laat Lange Dame kleding ontwerpen en maken.

Kwaliteit is een van haar belangrijkste inkoopcriteria.

Bij Lange Dame in Winschoten kun je broeken in lengtemate 36 en 38 en bovenkleding met de juiste lengtes vinden! Dit betekent dat de tailles op de juiste plek zitten en de mouwen lang genoeg zijn. De confectie is geheel aangepast op de lichaamsbouw van lange vrouwen.

Diverse stijlen en merken, voor jong en oud en de collectie is zowel Hip, Hups als Chique.

Laat je verrassen en kom gewoon gezellig langs. De koffie en thee staat klaar.

Graag tot ziens bij Lange Dame. "She makes you feel happy'

Merken: Mac, Corel, LTB, Mustang, Big Blue, Stark, Ascari, Fuchs Schmitt, AAE, Wings of Wonders, Yest, ONLY-M....en diverse andere merken....

Kom gezellig vrijblijvend kijken,voelen en passen.

Website

Lange Damenhosen

Das Online-Unternehmen lange-damenhosen.de / lange-damenjeans.de wurde im Juni 2004 gegründet, von Rainer Tamm dem geschäftsführenden Gesellschafter der Tamm KG Cloppenburg und der langjährigen Geschäftsführerin der Tamm KG, Antje Hatwig.
Die Tamm KG eröffnete im Oktober 1972 ihr erstes Damenmodehaus in Cloppenburg, mit der Bezeichnung „Mode-City“, auf ca. 400 qm Verkaufsfläche. 

Bereits in den achtziger Jahren führte die Mode-City Cloppenburg ein größeres Angebot mit Stoffhosen und Jeans, mit der Länge 36 Inch und wurde dadurch im sehr weiten Umkreis von Cloppenburg bekannt. Hierbei wurden durch die Informationen fast aller Kundinnen deutlich, dass für sehr große Frauen, egal wo sie wohnen, kaum Auswahl mit Bekleidung vorhanden ist. Diese langjährigen Erfahrungen von Tamm und Hatwig bis 2003 und die Anzahl von bereits ca. 800 großen Frauen als Kundinnen aus einem Umkreis von ca. 200 km um Cloppenburg führten dazu, ein Online-Angebot mit extralangen Damenhosen zu entwickeln. Ab Oktober 2007 ist die Tamm KG nur noch im Onlinehandel tätig. Der neue Standort von lange-damenhosen.de, ist ab diesem Zeitpunkt im Cloppenburger Gewerbegebiet Emstekerfeld, in dem vorerst kein Verkaufsraum für Kundinnen zur Verfügung steht.

Die Längen unserer Jeans sind 2 cm bis 3 cm länger als die Längen 36 und 38 die im Handel angeboten werden. D.h.: Unsere Länge 36 inch, hat 93 cm bis 94 cm Schrittlänge (innere Beinlänge) und die Länge 38 inch = 98 cm bis 99 cm. Und darum benennen wir unsere Längen: 36/37 und 38/39. Hierbei müßen wir noch darauf hinweisen, dass das Längenmaß 36 inch ganz genau 91,44 cm beträgt und das Längenmaß 38 inch 96,52 cm. Oft sind Jeans, egal von wem und wie teuer, etwas kürzer als auf dem Etikett gekennzeichnet, bedingt durch Waschprozesse. Wir arbeiten aber nur mit Markenproduktionen zusammen, die unsere Mindestvorgaben bei unseren Längen einhalten. Auf Grund berechtigter und kritischer Berichterstattungen über Jeansproduktionen in den asiatischen Ländern, teilen wir mit, dass unsere Jeans nur in der Türkei hergestellt werden, in Produktionen, die seit Jahren außerhalb jeder Kritik stehen.

Durch unsere Zahlungsmöglichkeiten, ist es für uns sehr wichtig, dass Vertrauen unserer Kundinnen zu erlangen. Darum zählen wir mit unserem gesamten Service ganz sicher zu den sehr guten Unternehmen im Onlinehandel. Und das betrifft besonders die schnelle Zusendung nach Zahlungseingang, die schnelle Umtauschbearbeitung und die schnelle Rücküberweisung von Guthaben unserer Kundinnen. Haben Sie Fragen zu unserem Service oder Fragen zu unseren verschiedenen Passformen?

Wir sind unter der Tel. 04471 / 81098 von Montag bis Freitag zwischen 9:00 und 18:00 Uhr zu erreichen. Es meldet sich keine Computerstimme :-)

Website

Lee Jeans

They have jeans / pants with up to 34 inch inseams.

Cover-alls. Cowboy jeans. The zip fly. We originated those. From 1889 to today, we continue to evolve casual apparel.

Lee is all about bringing more fits, styles, finishes, features and choices than ever before to market.

Lee Jeans is a leading international retailer and manufacturer of casual wear and work wear. Headquartered in Merriam, Kansas, near Kansas City, Lee currently employs more than 400 people across the United States.

Visit their website

• Elle Macpherson, Daisy Lowe, Jessie J love Taller Than Your Average
• Collaboration sees them join forces with LTS for 18-piece collection 
• Range launches online and in stores September 25, £24-£110

Long Tall Sally has announced a collaboration with hot online retailer Taller Than Your Average (TTYA). The 18-piece collection may be out next week but Jourdan Dunn has been given first dibs on the range. The supermodel, 24, was spotted at London Fashion Week in one of their black and white stripe shirts.

Read the full article

Littlewoods

At Littlewoods, we believe that you don't have to be a celeb to enjoy the best things in life, like top brand fashion and home ideas with a choice of easy, flexible ways to pay, free delivery and free returns. Littlewoods is for everyone, so why not take a look?

Visit their website

LOFT

Tall women's jeans and pants with up to 35 inch inseams

LOFT was born in 1998 and today has over 650 full-price and outlet stores in Canada, Mexico and in over 46 US states. LOFT creates modern, feminine and versatile clothing for a wide range of women with one common style goal: to look and feel confident, wherever the day takes them. From everyday essentials to attainable trends, LOFT consistently serves up head-to-toe outfits and perfect pieces at an incredible value which makes getting dressed feel effortless. They’re styles that reflect the world she lives in. Beyond women’s wardrobe needs, LOFT creates genuine and lasting relationships with customers via trusted in-store stylists and an optimistic spirit.

Visit the LOFT website and their dedicated "Tall Section"

Long Elegant Legs

Tall women's pants and jeans with up to 36 inch inseams.

Dear Friends

I have exciting news to share. I am delighted to announce that Long Elegant Legs is joining forces with the global leader in tall womenswear, Long Tall Sally.

For over 20 years it’s been my privilege to watch the brand flourish and now is the perfect time to take our business to the next level of tall fashion. By partnering with Long Tall Sally, we can enhance our offer with:

• an expanded selection with up to 4 times as many styles
• the opportunity to touch and try (LTS is about to launch its fifth US store and hosts a twice yearly series of pop up shops across major US cities)
• footwear in sizes 10-15 (LTS offers over 550 styles)
• 24/7 customer service and free US shipping on clothing orders over $30 (what’s not to love about that?!)
• direct delivery from the LTS Atlanta warehouse

Long Tall Sally is dedicated to serving tall women and I have the utmost confidence that our brand is in safe hands. I will be working alongside the team to make sure of it! Our full collection will shortly be available on the Long Tall Sally website and, rest assured, you will continue to receive LEL catalogs.

One small point, I would draw your attention to Long Tall Sally’s size guide, which varies, slightly to ours.

Thank you for your patronage throughout the years.

Yours in style,
Tricia Kordalski,
Founder Long Elegant Legs, USA

About Long Elegant Legs

I don’t remember the day of the week or the weather, but I do remember having on pants that were way too short. On this day the idea of Long Elegant Legs was born.

Reaching my adult height of 5’10” in 8th grade, I was always in the back row for pictures, bottom of the pyramid in gym, and, worst of all, had no pants that were long enough. My grandmother taught me to sew, which was a blessing. Together, she and I made most of my wardrobe. As I got older and had less time to sew, I sought out tall specialty clothing stores. While the pants were long enough, and the sleeves on the tops reached my wrists, I found the styles to be downright dowdy. This needed to change!

Together with my husband Ron, I launched Long Elegant Legs in the fall of 1991. We have many customers who have shopped with us since then. Now in our third decade of clothing the tall woman, we pride ourselves on offering exclusive, high quality styles, with a fit meant just for a tall woman. From jeans to body shaping pants, trousers to dresses, and blouses to jackets, we have you covered.

We are Long Elegant Legs. Tall is all we do!
Tricia Kordalski
Founder Long Elegant Legs, USA

Visit the Long Tall Sally website

I'm 5'8 with a 33 inch inseam, and wouldn't mind an extra inch or two. So, I've never been one to offer a crying shoulder to the tall girl's lament: "I can't find anything to wear off the rack. The pants never fit, the sleeves are too short. I can't wear heels"

Hey all my Long-Limbed Sisters: cry me a river.

You get picked first for Varsity Basketball, you don't need a Bed Bath and Beyond stool to reach the high shelf in the kitchen and you can pass yourself off as a Rockette at Christmas.

But it wasn't until I bff'ed (i.e. made a best friend of) a 6 foot self-proclaimed Amazon that I truly understood the obstacles the "short-impaired" go through when it comes to something as simple as buying a pair of pants.

My Amazon buddy Tanya is a glorious 6 feet tall. She complains that her 35" inseam makes it almost impossible to find everyday clothes without paying... wait for it... an arm and a leg... for customized tailoring.

Read the full article

Here's the message from LTS' COO Alison Doherty

I hope you are as well as can be expected in these unusual times.

This isn't easy to write, however honesty is always the best policy so I'll be completely transparent in explaining the decision we have made.

The changing economics of retail, along with fierce competition, have hit us hard. Trading has been incredibly challenging and we've relied heavily on shareholder support to bolster LTS.

The very sudden and very profound impact of Covid-19 has further weakened our position. The economic outlook is now too uncertain for our shareholders to continue to support the business, so it's with a very heavy heart that I must tell you we will be winding down Long Tall Sally. Please know we explored every possible avenue to continue trading but the financial impact of the pandemic means the business is no longer sustainable

I know how disappointed you will be to receive this news. I don't think it's an overstatement to say that, after 44 years of trading, it really is the end of an era. I only wish it didn't have to be this way.

If you have questions, I promise to do my best to answer them. Please click here for FAQs, which we'll keep updated as we progress. I'm sure you'll want to know *when* we're closing. At the moment, our aim is to continue trading until the end of August but if anything changes, you'll be first to know.

On a personal note, it's been my privilege to serve Long Tall Sally for the past ten years. I couldn't be more proud of the brand, the community and the incredible team we've built. I will miss them all immensely.

On behalf of the entire team here at Long Tall Sally, thank you for joining us on our journey.

Best wishes,

Alison Doherty
Chief Operating Officer

Long Tall Sally UK

Tall women's clothing, i.e. jeans and pants with up to 38 inch inseams

Welcome to your first stop in fashionable, flattering clothing for women 5'8" (173cm) and above.

Shopping can be a frustrating business when you don’t fit into the “standard” zones of height and size. That’s why at Long Tall Sally we’ve made it our mission to be the first choice in shopping for tall women worldwide. In 2009 we partnered with Tall Girl to create the ultimate fashion destination for Tall.Together we combine over 50 years of experience, in making tall women look their very best. We’re easy to find too, you can either shop with us in one of our UK or North American stores or call us on: 0844 573 6885 (UK) 1 877 838 9177 (US).

We take all your tall needs seriously and with over 30 years of practice we know how to make sure each garment fits beautifully on all shapes and sizes. Our collections combine this season's key looks in sumptuous fabrics, effortlessly translated into co-ordinated pieces in sizes 8-24 UK and 4-20 US. Our accompanying range of footwear is also carefully designed for larger sized feet and we carry a fantastic range of fashion forward brands. We also cater for the longest of legs, with a variety of trouser and jeans styles in a 34"-38" leg length.

Our resident LTS style expert; UK TV personality and model Lisa Butcher is on hand to keep you looking beautiful with her pick of the key looks, as well as designing a seasonal capsule collection.

Prepare to stir up some tall envy, as shopping for tall has never been so easy!

Visit their website