The Tall Girl's Clothes Shopping Guide

Really, the answer to the question, "I'm tall. Where should I shop?" is wherever you sodding well like. There is so much flexibility now that there is absolutely no reason why you should be limited to something with a Tall tag in the label - especially because some shops (cough, Topshop) just add a couple of inches on instead of making it fit properly.)

So if you've been pining after a classic Whistles dress, or you love A-Line's skater frocks then go for it! You've got nothing to lose except talking yourself out of some excellent clothes. Try on a load of stuff. It's fashion, it's fun. Well, unless you go on a mission in Oxford Street, then that's really more like hell.

I leave you with my last Tall Girl Treat on Domestic Sluttery: tall girl shops. It's a starting point - dress how you like, be confident and everything will be well.

Shoes!

 

Shoes are such a potential minefield that they get a post of their own. Bookmark The Ultimate Size 9 to 13 Shoe Guide, and prepare to hand over sizable chunks of cash to lovely, lovely shoes. There is no longer any excuse to cram your feet into shoes, heels, boots, pumps etc that are too small.

Clothes!

 

Here are my clothing-type specific guides, with shops in more detail below. While specific items may not still be available at time of reading, the "Go here, buy this" remains. Onwards!

• Jeans
• Tights
• Leggings
• Wedding dresses
• Maxi dresses
• Cardigans (that isn't a link error - H&M is the only place I get mine because ACE LONG SLEEVES)

And on to shops! Now, this is not exhaustive. There are more tall shops out there. However, these ones are the ones I always go back to, and where I get all my clothes from.

Long Tall Sally

Ah, the ubiquitous Long Tall Sally, home to so many disappointed shopping trips in my teens, but now more likely to turn up some absolute diamonds. I've bought a lot from here over the past three years - their winter pyjama bottoms are so cuddly - but you really do have to try each thing on as sometimes their trousers will come up massively large. If you get the catalogue you get a code each issue for free delivery and returns, which is a big help if you can't get to a shop.

Not perfect, but nothing is. Long Tall Sally's autumn 2014 collection looks extremely delicious, so do keep an eye on them as some of my favourite wardrobe items are LTS classics. For more inspiration, go back through the Long Tall Sally tag.

Marks and Spencer

There's no specific tall range here, but I rarely if ever come out of M&S without either a bag, or a wishlist. Their new website is marginally less terrible than their old website, but I like to go to the Westfield Stratford or Marble Arch stores to get a really good look at the new stuff. Their M&S Collection line is superb, same goes for their accessories, and who can forget the pug dress that melted the internet? Find more Marks and Spencer inspiration on the tag.

Topshop

Clearly a transparent excuse to include this brilliant photo of my partner in tall crime, Elizabeth, and I, trying on a lot of heavily sequinned Topshop clothing. As I mentioned before, Topshop Tall's fit is largely terrible. But oh! They do tall Christmas jumpers! And when they bring Baxter jeans back in every so often, that's why you shop at Topshop. They really are the best jeans ever. I've tried any number of other shops, and even Topshop's other types, but Baxters fit brilliantly and don't lose their shape.

(And I totally did get a sequinned jumper in the end. And a skirt.)

Monsoon

Smart dresses for the office can be a real arse for tall girls so hurray for Monsoon, which is simply brilliant for wrap dresses as well as knit dresses for winter. Have a look at their other clothes we've featured over the years: unsurprisingly, I adored their sparkly jumpers, but their artsy shirts are also the first thing I elbow people out of the way for in their excellent sales.

Tall Girls

This is another company that has come on a frankly staggering amount since I was a teenager. Their pop-up appearances in Regents Park bring a really good selection of clothes and shoes to town, and their fit is excellent, even if the fabric quality can wobble about quite a bit. Again, really worth trying stuff on if you can, but when you find something good, it really, really is very good.

ASOS

Seriously, where would we be without ASOS? The world would fall apart. I'm so pleased ASOS Tall has finally launched, and the clothes and design are just great. I lost my beloved cape just before moving offices, and psychically ASOS have brought out an even cooler one seemingly on my behalf. Thanks very much for that ASOS. A great mix of original designs and tall brands, and I can't wait to see what they do for trousers in the autumn.

THE END

That's it for Tall Girl Treat on Domestic Sluttery - if you're in the mood for more tall clothes picks, I will be blogging over on my own site, Exotic Maypole, and on Twitter @katbrown82. If you need me, I'll be scrolling through the DS Tall Girl Treat tag and weeping sadly, but always standing upright. We are tall, ladies, and fabulous - not fallen coathangers.

Tall Girl Treat: Size 9-12 Sandals To Make You Feel AWESOME

To my cost, I've discovered that I don't actually have any summer shoes that are fit for the heat. This is what happens of cowering in the shade all the time; when the sun actually hits you, your feet notice it first!

Luckily there are lots of beautiful shoes doing the rounds at the moment, so here's my pick of the ones that girls with large feet should be adding to their lists.

Up to a size 12

 

 

Shoesissima has just brought out some beautiful sandals for summer, and in sizes up to a 12.  That'll do nicely, thank you. 

The Jessica is brand new in, so you'll have to give them a bell to get your shoes.

• Dara leather sandal in rose gold (£64.99)
• Dara leather sandal in red (£64.99)
• Jessica leather sandal (£69.99)

Up to a size 11

 

 

Tall Girls have some cracking sandals this summer, but for reasons that should be apparent under the "OMG, SHINY" category, these are the ones I present to you, the Sluttery reader.

These glitter sandals are £38, and non-leather so good for veggies. Bronze is available in 9 to 11, black in 9 and 11, and silver are sold out in all but 9, but I couldn't not put them all together because the trio pleased my eyes. Soz about that.

If you want something a little less cocktail hour and a bit more "trekking merrily around the sea front in search of adventures", try these.

Not only are these beaded Long Tall Sally sandals available in sizes 7 to 11, they're £30 in the sale. Job done.

If you like a bit more heel support in your flats, try these fabulous black and silver Andres Machado sandals. They're £34.95 and are available in sizes 44 and 45 (10 and 11) on Katie Long Shoes.

 Oh alright, and another Tall Girls one because I really love these. These gold and tan wedge sandals are £39 and available in sizes 9 to 11.

Up to a size 10

 

LOVE the colour of these Tuka Rose sandals from After Eight. You'll need to make sure your heels are in good nick (olive oil and sugar, ladies. Olive oil and sugar.) but these are great if you've got terrible half-varnished toes that you haven't had time to fix. They're £79 and in Euro sizes 43 to 45 (so just under a 9 to nearly 10.5. Those weird Europeans).

 

Good old Hush Puppies - these pretty floral Caposhi Sling sandals are available in sizes 3 to 10 and are £31.50 down from £45. They also make me think of comics. A lot of things make me think of comics, but still.

Up to a 9

Frankly, I could be here all day listing sandals that come in a 9, but it's a) not fair on anyone over a 9 and b) what am I, Google? You have the power of the Ultimate 9 to 13 Shoe Guide, go forth and use it! Seriously, I'm going to have to start printing that link on business cards - there is no excuse for girls with large feet to be cramming them into 8s anymore. But I digress.

These are like ice cream for your feet - the best flavour too. These mint sandals are a delicate £20 from ASOS's excellent range of size 9s.

Happy summer to you and your feet. Lots of love, Kat xxx

Tall Girl Treat: Wedding Guests and Party Frocks

Spin the wheel, pick a dress!

Tis the season! No, not that one, the hot one. With the Pimms and the champers and the gift lists, and the midweek hangovers - yes, that one! Hurray for summer. If you've hoiked your summer wardrobe out, looked at it, and felt less than excited, this is the TGT for you. Extreme frockage to take you from wedding to party to dinner to work if you feel the desire to get massively dressed up.

I've also included some sale items, and some which are only left in certain styles if they are particularly brilliant for a last minute treat. Liberally sprinkle with your favourite jewels, coats, hats and shoes.

Kick off with a jumpsuit

 

I have an exceptionally stylish colleague at work who looks the bee's knees in a jumpsuit. "Just sling a blazer over it and you'll all set," she told me last year. I failed to find a jumpsuit, but did find a blazer, so had a happy wedding indeed. (I wore something under the blazer. Just to be clear).

This pink bandeau number is £60 from Topshop Tall. Sling on a belt, a necklace and a jacket and you're good to go.

Wow. And again, wow. Oh and it's jersey? Crease-free wows. This beautiful blue jumpsuit is a winner (and £50) from ASOS Tall.

I keep forgetting about Dotty P's tall range, mostly because it's not in store (rage, rage, rage - see also NEXT). If you're a size 8 or 10, snap up this lovely lace jumpsuit for £42. They also have a daisy-print jumpsuit in sizes 8 to 22 for £38.

Knee-length frocks

These three from Long Tall Sally are some of my hero frocks. The Ruby Rocks tube dress (£45) on the left saw me through work, a wedding rehearsal, dinner and calling an ambulance. It works HARD and it gets insane compliments. I've already waxed lyrical about that gorgeous jungle print dress in my post from LTS's bloggers breakfast, but it's worth repeating. STUNNING.

And then there's the floral dress. OH HO.

This scuba dress has been my lifesaver at parties. I flag it up to you now as it's £50 in the sale, with all sizes except 18 remaining. It fits beautifully and you can take it anywhere. I met Jilly Cooper in it at a Country Life party. JILLY COOPER!

Also, this happened.

He looks pleased, don't you think?

And this. This being my beautiful friend John and I getting papped (reader, I giggled), and the fact I forgot to bring an evening bag and had to use the bag I cram my Oyster card and make-up into. I am not sure if I pulled it off. Either way, this is a brilliant dress, the sleeves are a great length (I know it is pathetic, but I am not keen on my upper arms) and all generally jolly good. Go forth and try it on.

I do not have a nice illustrative picture of me wearing this insanely excellent dress from Tall Girls, mostly because the full-length one I have was taken by my brother while I was having a nap on the sofa "resting my cankles" as he charmingly put it. Brothers. But trust me on this, it is a winner, an excellent frock that travels extremely well (jersey! So good) and looks wonderful wherever you take it. My mother approved of it. She is tricky to please. My boyfriend also approved of it. The perfect combination. It's £35 and also available in black and grey.

There is also a lovely version with lace sleeves (£39) available in natural, black, grey and white. Probably avoid the last one if you're going to a wedding. I also love this purple midi dress for £35. Mmm.

Maxi dresses

Good grief I love red. This red fern print maxi dress (£80) is new in, and if you get the LTS catalogue you'll be able to get a discount. This would look stunning on so many figures and colourings. Sigh.

"Wait, what? This is way too casual." Yes, on the front of it, it is. Massively. But it's also a brilliant base for accessories, to make an impact without MAKING AN IMPACT. Chuck on a lovely necklace, some jewellery, a jacket and ideally a whopping great hat, and you're set. Oh and this? It's £18 from Dorothy Perkins and it also comes in red for £16.

Love the ridic glamour of this lovely blue maxi from Little Mistress, one of ASOS's tall brands. It's £60 and if you're a size 14, it's your lucky day.

I nearly spat out my tea when I saw this stunning maxi from Dorothy Perkins - how gorgeous is it? Answer: a lot. They have one left in a size 22 for £30. I realise this is wildly annoying but seriously - if you're a 22, get yourself a treat. And the rest of us can have a quiet think for underestimating them so much.

We like short shorts

If knee length or lower isn't for you, there a plenty of lovely things to wear without flashing your knickers. Like this digital print bodycon dress from Topshop, which is £32 and vv pretty.

 

Anyone for tennis? This peplum shift dress has a V-neck at the back and is jaunty as you please. It's £30 from ASOS Tall (well done ASOS).

Tall Girl Treat: ASOS's Amazingly Cheering Clothes

 

It's raining. It's grey. It's the sort of weather where you just want to go home, turn the heating on, and make a shepherds pie (totally did that last week, it was amazing).

But it's also May! June is next week and summer should be back any moment now. So let's hold on to that thought with some insanely cheering clothes from ASOS's Tall brands. That beyond awesome My Little Pony tunic top is £25 in sizes 4 to 18. You are WELCOME!

My fondness for kimonos is well-documented around these parts. This lovely twisted floral kimono is £45 in sizes 4 to 16, and if you're feeling optimistic/matchy, the matching shorts are £25 in sizes 4 to 18.

Oh I am MAD about this Hawaiian pencil skirt. "It's just grey? WTF?" you say. Negative ghost rider, that fantastic floral pattern has subtle pinks, yellows and greens and an explosion of flowers. And it's £16.50 in the sale. Fetch it, immediately.

Pineapples. Need I say more?

This mesh jersey t-shirt is fabulous, and £20 - only size 8s left, so run. I'm a sucker for what I call "night time florals", which is basically bright flowers on black with a bit of border. It reminds of Lily, Lily, Carnation Rose.

Sigh. I flipping love this pattern - it's wonderful, and great colours. But I can't get away with dresses that short because I look like a giraffe who has borrowed a hand towel and is trying to style it out. If you are braver/less giraffe-like of leg, this lovely botanical dress is £45 and available in sizes 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 18.

 

 

And a TRIO of gorgeous ice cream sherbety sorbet skirty goodness to end with. First up, this gorgeous, cool blue midi wrapover scuba skirt (£30). Next, those scrumptious premium prom midis, first in pink and in mint (both £75). All three are available in sizes 4 to 18.

Still feeling grey and crappy?

• Read this stunning poem - Synaesthesis by Paraic O'Donnell.
• Watch this lovely story of a depressed goat reunited with his BFF
• BOGGLE at these amazingly beautiful hidden places

Summer is just around the corner, promise.

Tall Girl Treat: High Summer at Long Tall Sally

All of your baked goods are belong to us

I recently went along to Long Tall Sally's bloggers breakfast to have a peer at the high summer collection, chat to the women who fit, design and make the clothes, and maybe try a couple of things in the dress-up area. Long Tall Sally having gone through something of a purple patch recently - just LOOK at their Ruby Rocks collaboration. I mean, honestly. LOOK! - I inadvertently turned up wearing an LTS blazer and jeans, and spent the morning feeling like the class swot.

(Actually, a quick sidestep for the Ruby Rocks stuff which is great and I need to put my two favourites in your eyes:)

Zig zag dress, £55, sizes 8 to 18

Ruby Rocks batik tube dress, £45, sizes 8 to 16

(This tube dress inevitably looks rubbish on the page. On, it looks so ridiculously foxy I cannot even. Reader, I bought it. End of Ruby Rocks sidebar.)

I brought along Elizabeth, whose provenance as a Tall Sluttery +1 has already been honed at Upper Street; hunting non-awful maxi dresses and on sequinned jumper rampages in Topshop. Elizabeth is a particularly useful ally as she exists solely in skirts and dresses, and as such knows more about a flared fit than I thought possible.

Peer between the usual linen trousers and maxi dresses which are apparently LTS's bread and butter - seriously, who are all these women obsessed with linen? - and there are some incredibly good dresses, jackets and jumpsuits. Elizabeth tried on a sample of this rose print dress which looked amazing.

Green goddess! I featured the jersey dress on the right in my ladylike dressing post last month, but it's the summer floral scuba dress that I got the hots for. Elizabeth disapproves of scuba material, but I bought one from their spring season and it's a revelation. No ironing, looks a bajillion dollars, generally great.

This is Long Tall Sally's lovely new ambassador, the 6'3" GB high jumper Isobel Pooley. As well as being ridiculously clever and charming, she was also clearly in love with clothes and as such, really nice to talk to. None of that "being on-brand" rubbish that you can hear a mile off, just genuinely enthusiastic about her favourites. I loved this jumpsuit she was wearing with toecap courts.

Isobel tried on this jungle leaf print dress which looked ridiculously good: it's floaty, has a wonderful skirt and a cross-over gathered waist that hugs the waist like a Latino lover at a dance class for Spanish stereotypes. Am bloody devastated these aren't my colours: this is an absolute grade A summer dress.

Love these casual summer flats. Basically, it was ages until Elizabeth and I so much as lifted a yoghurt to our mouths because we just had a really nice time chatting. We were asked what we would like to see in the line, which is a nice change from some brands who just churn out any old thing. I gave my vote to black woollen cigarette pants. Fingers crossed eh?

• Red espadrilles (£26)
• Lace espadrilles (£26)
• Stripe bow ballerina (£36)
• Toecap snake ballerina (£40)

 

Prints! I really loved the hummingbirds on this bird print vest (£22), and the scarf print on this kaftan (£48) is incredibly striking. That blue would look amazing with a tan. *eyes St Tropez bottle*

And jeans. God how these have come on, even in the past year. A lot of colour, plenty of different styles and most importantly, waistlines that no longer finish someone around your chest.

 

A fire drill sent us out of the building, but meant that I got to walk past some pieces from the autumn collection.

"WANT!" said Elizabeth, pawing at the beige coat.
"YES!" I said, waving at the red check coat/blue crombie/fox jumper/air.

And just to get an idea of how fabulously tall Isobel is in heels, here she is standing with me - and I'm 6'1. Readers, we both felt amazing.