Tag: tips

Where To Buy Clothes (Especially Pants!) When You’re Tall

Leslie Quander Wooldridge
Thank goodness for Gap and Old Navy!

Even though fashion models are tall, shopping isn’t always easy for everyday tall gals. (I know: I’m 5′ 10″.) We often have to deal with pitifully-short sleeves—and pants that make us look like we’re preparing for a flood. And if we have smaller waists, things can get even harder.

Inspired by an awesome post from Tracey at notsuperhuman.com that mentioned the horrors of pants shopping—I’m posting my favorite places to easily find tall clothes. (There’s hope!)

Check out these nine great brands and sites. Their clothes fit well and are super cute, too.

TallCouture.com Great for designer lovers. You can find everything from extra-long designer denim—search inseams from 34 inches to 38 inches—to specially-proportioned tops and dresses.

Gap Inc.: Women’s “tall” collections at OldNavy.com, Gap.com, and BananaRepublic.com. If you visit one site, you’ll see a button for the others—they’re all linked. There you’ll find the online-exclusive collections that include pants with extra-long inseams (they can get up to 35 inches for long sizes and up to 37 inches for extra-long sizes). You’ll also find shirts, sweaters, dresses, and even jackets that are made to fit your taller body (the arm holes and waist lines are lower and sleeves are longer, for instance). These sites are amazing—my (tall) clothes in the photo above are from there. If you don’t already know about these sites, head over ASAP.* (But after you finish here of course!)

BCBG Max Azria. Pants are often long and the styles are fab. (Hint: If boutique prices scare you, check out the outlets—in malls and online. I once saw a really cute black cocktail dress at an outlet for $49. It’s now in my closet!) And BCBG’s long-sleeve shirts actually look normal on me, as opposed to some others that make me look like I’m wearing children’s clothes.

Zara. Pants here tend to run longer than they would at say, H&M. (Though I’ve found great dresses, skirts, and tops at both places.) The shirts and jackets may not always be super long at Zara, but I’ve often found them to fit pretty well. (These clothes are based on European sizing, though, so you may want to try on a few sizes to get the right fit.)

7 For All Mankind In general, I think jeans from designer brands (and online Gap brands, of course) are best for taller ladies with long legs. This brand is just my favorite. (Bonus: They sell other kinds of clothes.) You can get really nice styles and washes at online sites (including TallCouture.com). Or buy right off the rack for jeans that are long (and just right for flats) or extra long (to wear with heels).

For long pants, also try New York & Company and VictoriasSecret.com. You’ll find some great basics. Plus, you can often find things on sale.

And you can always try my trick for making “borderline” pants work: If pants are almost long enough, but not quite, have the hems taken down. This can often get you at least a ½ inch of extra length. You can do the same thing with some jacket sleeves. And a good seamstress (ask your local drycleaner) can even add more fabric to make inseams and some jacket sleeves longer. Note: This will not work if the clothes you’re trying on look like they belong to Steve Urkel!

I hope these sites, brands, and stores work for you. Happy shopping. 🙂

Do you ever struggle with buying pants or tops? And, by the way, if you know a tall girl who’s feeling frustrated, please let her know about these options. She may thank you for it!

*Here’s a tip for petite readers (hello, all!): If you’re having trouble, check out the petite collections on these Gap sites and at New York & Company and VictoriasSecret.com. Same cute styles, just different proportions for you.

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The Shoes Every Driver Should Have

Leslie Quander Wooldridge
Image: Zappos (Elie Tahari Frida Driver)

There’s one car accessory every fashionista should have (in addition to a valid license, of course). Driving shoes!

I was cruising around a while ago and noticed some of my favorite shoes were getting scuffed on the back side, where my heel rested against the floor. And the leather was getting slightly discolored. Not cool. So I whipped out my (then barely-worn) pair of Nine West moccasins—a rubber tread extends from the sole to the heel for protection, like many driving shoes—and never looked back.

I wore those mocs all winter and am wearing them into spring.  It’s so easy to slip them on as I leave the house, and I just carry my “real” shoes with me to the car. Bonus: I’m probably a safer driver (I don’t have to worry about my shoes sliding off like I would if I used a backless type) and my regular shoes look newer longer.

Here’s a look at the traditional loafer style.

Image: Endless (Amiana Slip-On Loafer)

 

Image: Endless (Amiana Slip-On Loafer, back view)

But some driving shoes can look more like skimmers or ballet flats (like the ones pictured first and below).

Image: Nine West (Nine West Delos)
Image: Nine West (Nine West Delos, back view)

And, hey, since these shoes can be cute, you may want to try them outside of the car. But they’re not made for hiking, so wear them for short jaunts only!

So would you wear a driving shoe? You can find them at every price point, and they can really help you protect the shoes you love.

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4 Reasons to Get Rid of Your Clothes

Leslie Quander Wooldridge

I’m so excited to start blogging! This first post is just in time for spring cleaning season.

I recently looked through my closet and found a cropped brown sweater. With a hook clasp. And crocheted cut-outs. Um, it looked (a little) better than it sounds, but it was really old. As I sifted through the rest of my things, I discarded lots of stuff. And I realized clothes (and shoes) should go if any of these four things are true:

They haven’t been worn. Some people say if you haven’t worn something in a year, you should toss it. That’s a little harsh. But if it’s been a couple of years and that dress has stayed glued to its hanger, it’s probably time to give it away. But if they’re Band tees, then you probably might regret giving them away.

They’re ruined beyond repair. Some imperfections are fixable—and that’s when a relationship with a good dry cleaner is a must—but if your stuff has permanent pen marks or serious rips and tears, just let it go. (And probably not to a thrift store.)

They don’t fit. Okay, whether they’re too big or too small, if your clothes don’t work on the body you have now, don’t keep them. Life is too short to be sad about that skirt you can’t get into.

You feel like crap when you wear them. Not obvious—but very important. An item could fit well and look new. But if you don’t feel good in it—maybe it’s not your color or isn’t your style—say good-bye. Why feel insecure? Plus, when it’s gone, you can buy something fab.

By the way, when I started cleaning, I hadn’t made a firm decision about that brown sweater. (I was nostalgic—don’t judge!) But it completely fit in category one (and four), so I said farewell.

Is it time for you to thin out your wardrobe? And will it be hard to give things away—or can you discard stuff without a second thought?

Image: Barbie and the Closet

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