As a 6’2″ woman, I know the challenges of finding clothing that fits. Sleeves are too short, trousers come up cropped and playsuits pull in all the wrong places. Finding clothes for tall women becomes a shopping struggle, with our long torsos and limbs.
Trust me I’ve been there, done that and got the too-tight t-shirt. But after decades of being this tall, I have managed to find some incredible brands which cater to our needs, and collected some insider tips and tricks to help you source pieces which fit and flatter your body. If you want to be the first to hear about my tall fashion finds, come and join my Instagram community, where I share seasonal styles and wardrobe staples. I also have a “Tall Style Struggles” Instagram series which includes more in depth advice and brand recommendations for each category of clothing.
Right, let’s jump into my top line tips!
General Tips
Know your measurements
Then compare these to those of the models when shopping online. For example, if you see a dress modelled on a 5’8″ women and it looks short on her, it is probably going to be indecent on you if you’re over 6 foot! You can also compare measurements such as your inside seam to the trouser length listed on a website, to help you find bottoms that fit.
Size up
If the style of an item allows it, sizing up can add valuable cm to the length of sleeves, legs and bodices. I almost always size up in jumpers, coats and jackets to get much needed additional width in shoulders and length in sleeves.
Lean into a 3/4 sleeve
If a top or jumper has sleeves which are a tiny but too short, just roll them up and make it look intentional!
Midi dresses are key
They have the highest change of all dress styles of actually hitting us at a flattering length.
Find items which are adjustable
Such as dresses, sports bras and tops with adjustable straps, which can help them fit our long torsos.
Shop mens
If you’re buying items which are more unisex like plaid shirts, loungewear and outdoor gear – it can be worth browsing the mens section. They tend to add an extra inch or two to each item’s length and sometimes have “regular” and “long” options.
The Best Brands & Clothes for Tall Women
Just a heads up that these brands are UK focused since I am based in London, but many of them ship worldwide. These are some of my favourite brands that I have found that make finding clothes for tall women a little easier!
The Tall Ranges
There are a handful of brands who have pretty extensive tall ranges, these include ASOS, Karen Millen, Topshop, New Look and Marks and Spencer. These are my go-to shops when I am browsing for pretty much anything. However, as well as these tall ranges, some “regular” brands are generally a little better for sourcing certain items.
Dresses and Skirts
Abercrombie and House of CB have multiple length options available on many of their dresses. Reformation, Arket and And Other Stories don’t have tall ranges, but I find they generally are a tiny bit longer in the body & sleeves than other brands.
Jeans
Nudie Jeans, Height of Fashion and ASOS Tall are the best of the best, both offering multiple leg length options so you can choose your perfect waist and inseam combination. River Island can also have a limited selection of very long tall jeans. Marks and Spencer, Boden and Mint Velvet both offer multiple lengths in a lot of their styles. Holland Cooper does too, but there aren’t as many options available.
If you’re tall but not over 6 foot, I would say Abercrombie and Levi longer lengths would work for you too.
Activewear
Lululemon is the ultimate tall girl friendly activewear brand, their sleeves are long, they have multiple legging inseam lengths and the quality is a dream. There are a handful of other brands who also offer multiple legging lengths – Oner Active, Adanola, Ninepine, Fabletics, Vuori and Oysho.
An honourable mention goes to LNDR as while they don’t have super long leggings, they offer multiple short lengths and their sports bras are mostly adjustable.
Trousers
When it comes to trousers, I mainly shop at the tall specific ranges. However I recently found Ninepine who offer multiple lengths in all their trousers, and they are super comfortable. I have ordered their “relaxed straight pants” in multiple colours and love them.
Mint Velvet and Boden offer many of their trousers in longer lengths and Me+Em trousers typically have extra length so it can be worth trying some of their styles to see if they work for you.
Outdoor Wear
Honestly, for most of my hiking gear I just shop from mens ranges. However, there is one brand who I find are really great for catering to tall women and that is ACAI. They sell fitted and flattering hiking trousers which come in four different lengths, including an “extra long” which goes all the way down to my ankles. Also, their base layers have super long sleeves which keep my wrists nice and cosy.
Dungarees & Playsuits
Lucy and Yak are well known for their colourful and fun dungarees and playsuits, which they offer in petite, regular and tall. While I find some of their designs a teeny bit too short for my 6 foot 2 frame, they would be perfect for ladies a little less lanky than me.
And most importantly, your height is your power. Own it and wear it with pride!
For more tips from my Tall Girl Clothing Guides you can sign up to my newsletter, or follow the ‘Tall Style Struggles’ series on Instagram.
Zanna x
