Tall Girl Treat: En Brogue for Jemima Vine

I am a massive fan of the flat shoes blog En Brogue, and its writer, Hannah Rochelle, who used to be a stylist at my workplace, The Times, before becoming a fashion editor at In Style.

Through that blog, I've found all sorts of labels and shoes that I wouldn't have heard about otherwise, and some of my favourite shoes are ones I've found through her stories (cough, CLARKS).

She's also a fabulous designer, and her sketches have become (or are becoming) reality for the likes of French Sole, and now Jemima Vine.

Hannah's collaboration with Jemima has resulted in these beautiful Edie flats, a lovely slipper cross between leopard skin and black velvet. They are available from a size 36 (3) to a size 42 (size 9) and one girl has already bought them for her wedding. Love. They are £159, so worth it for an extremely special purchase.

Do spend some time exploring Jemima Vine for other gorgeous shoes, up to a size 42.

Here's the Edie again, in a stylish red suede finish (also available in ink blue, with a neon trim and in a python print).

All of Jemima Vine's designs are made in Spain and have a special cushioned sole, so they're comfortable as well as beautiful. And meaning it's probably safe to attempt an heel. In the case of these Matilda court shoes, it's just two inches, but still...

Tall Girl Treat: One Seven Three

 

A new tall range is worth a fanfare, amirite! I was originally saving up One Seven Three for when their first range of dresses comes out later this season - but why wait? Bookmark it, people!

One Seven Three launched quietly in August as the brainchild of Claire Reed, who is a sensible, proper TGT height at 6'1. She has put together a capsule collection of chic, easy-to-wear pieces in quality fabrics. Everything is made in the UK (hoorah) under the beady eye of a team of people who make sure the measurements are right for tall girls (double hoorah!). That means no cheese cutter waists but proper sleeves, good length and yes, waists where your waist actually is. They are investments - pricey ones. And that's often the pay-off for anything decent that fits us tall girls.

The Audrey jacket (above) is £175 and available in sizes 8-16. And no, the sleeves aren't that short, you can roll 'em up. Also: that shirt. Where can I get one, please?

Do you lust after a trench coat but dis-lust having the waist up under your rib cage? Try the Alexa (£225, sizes 10-16). It's perfectly proportioned for the properly tall.

 

I love the Cos-ness of the Stella coat. It's so androgynous and stylish. It's also made with a wool-cashmere blend to keep you cosy, which, given I chose my coat based on how many layers of knitwear I could fit underneath it, is extremely important. It's also £199 and available in sizes 8-16.

All I want from 2014 is a pair of really gorgeous trousers. No more jeans. I fell in love with the Hepburn (£110, sizes 8-16). Smart, pressed seams, lovely thick fabric, stylish length and black. Claire kindly sent me some to try on. While they didn't quite do the job for me around the waist - my preference is to feel properly sucked in - I loved the leg.

Claire has plenty more planned for One Seven Three, and I really look forward to seeing what happens. With Lanky Bird quiet, and Amber and Jade closing for good, we really need a bright, gorgeous tall fashion brand to go stellar. Good luck Claire and One Seven Three!

Tall Girl Treat: New Year's Sales (And Resolutions!)

Happy New Year chaps and chappesses! Apparently kale is a thing this January. Waddya know.

I cannot be arsed with kale at the moment, but rather with making tall girl resolutions that can be kept, especially in the dressing department.

I will wear the *right kind* of too-short trousers

There is never a right time for ankle swingers that are clearly meant to be an inch longer. The only ones I have now are my ancient tracksuit bottoms, which I don't really mind wearing as I tend to be puffing along looking like a busted old accordion on legs anyway. But for everyday clothes, resolve to get trousers that are the right length for you. It's all about trousers, rather than jeans this year, I can feel it in my waters and my debit card.

For the sales, it's time to mention how amazing 7/8 trousers look, whatever your figure. I've been living in these with knee-high flesh coloured socks (I bring the sex) and my beloved Clarks Hotel Divas (£39.99 in the sale, 4.5 to 8, annoyingly sold out of their 9s).

These check trousers from Long Tall Sally are my favourites for years. The waistband is fab, the fit is great and they make every outfit look a million times swankier than usual. They're MASSIVE though, so buy them a size smaller than you would. Sizes 12 to 22 are still available, and they are £20 down from £55.

Also completely excellent (and LTS) are these blue contrast stripe trousers. The stripe makes them look really sharp, and they come with a little black patent belt. The only thing is they don't come that low on the ankle - I've got 36" pins and they come about two inches higher - still look great. They are a frankly ridiculous £10 down from £60 and available in sizes 10, 18, 20 and 22.

I'd also really recommend LTS's pyjamas (starting at £15 in the sale). Always cosy, always warm and LONG.

I will only wear shoes that fit

Before Christmas, I wrote an exhaustive email to a woman on Twitter with a teenage niece who has size 11 feet and a dismal sense of "I hate all my options". Whether you have size 3s, size 12s or size 9s, it can feel like there is absolutely nothing out there for you, but please please PLEASE make 2014 the year you finally stop squeezing your feet into shoes that are too small, or don't fit. To start off, head to the size 9-13 shoe guide.

Just SO PRETTY

If you absolutely can't find anything, go immediately to Shoes of Prey where you can design your perfect pair. Whether you have wide feet, big feet - they've made 13.5s before - or odd feet, they will make you shoes to fit in whatever style you fancy. Basic costs are £109 to £169 depending on what style and fabrics you choose, then there are additional costs on top.

• Shoes in sizes 44+ (£20)
• Odd sizes (£30)
• Width adjustments (£12)

If the idea of designing your own shoes panics you wildly, head to their gallery and try out some of their collections. And say no to rubbish-fitting shoes.

I will keep my favourite clothes ALIVE

I'm still in mourning for clothes I had six, eight, even 10 years ago which finally bit the bullet and had to be thrown out. Could I have kept them a little longer if I'd done more darning? Or de-linted a bit more? Or taken them to a tailor?

The indigo Baxters I've had since 2006 split most magnificently a few months ago, and after realising that nowhere sold anything remotely as lovely (Topshop's tall section has some shorter black Baxters in at the moment, and I'm keeping my eyes peeled for the return of the blues) I just took them to my local dry cleaner and got a decent patch put on them.

Paying £15 to patch up a £40 pair of jeans made me feel a bit ill, but I realised this was completely the wrong way to look at it. If you have an unusual body shape, it doesn't matter how much you pay for your clothes if they look banging on. If you've got something you love, and which can be mended - bloody mend it. I can't believe it took me that long to realise that. I also need to learn to do more sewing than simply darning up socks. Mending class, anyone?

I will only wear clothes that make me feel awesome

Honestly. There is no point wearing stuff just because it comes in your size any more than there is keeping the same hair cut just because you apparently have "the wrong face" for a crop (NOBODY has the wrong face for anything, only a lack of attitude.)

ASOS check bodycon midi dress, £19.50, was £28, size 4-14

YES to bodycon!

Monsoon Paige Paisley Print Lace Dress, £34.50 was £69, size 12

YES to lace that looks like it's been done by Da Vinci!

Next Tall cable knit skirt, £12 was £25, sizes 8-18

Yes to cable knit that isn't automatically a jumper!

Tall Girls butterfly dress, £24 was £39, sizes 10-20

Yes to butterflies!

Well, basically yes to whatever you want to wear, because sod it. Happy New Year.

Tall Girl Treat: Party Shoes For Sizes 9 to 11

 

It's Christmas party season! My week of terror-slash-drink commences on Friday and doesn't let up until, oh, forever. I haven't had much joy in finding a new frock yet this year, so am wearing my beloved Monsoon Lolo tunic from 2011 with some new shoes instead. Whether you want to go skyhigh, or flat, here's my pick of the best on the high street.

Up to a 9

Topshop is a feast for those looking for something interesting without having to pay equally interesting prices.

• Vent metallic heel ballerinas (£20)
• Jammy sling back shoes (£58)
• Martie T-bar geek shoes (£32)
• Jade sling back mid heels (£68)

Office have been a very trusty shop for me over the years, although beware some of their pinchier toes. With lovely detailing and unstressful heels, this bunch of size 9s are like fireworks for your feet.

• Lucy in the Sky (£38.50, also in black up to an 8)
• Toola Brogue (£60)
• Kitsch Cobalt Blue (£50)
• Top Hat (£35)

I can't resist Russell and Bromley's new All That Glitters collection, even if the prices are immense. If you want to invest, go here. Their range is impeccable.

• Zip Code (£175)
• Chic Pump (£175)
• Smoothie 2 (£155)
• ToThePoint (£125)

Up to a 10

 

Evans has got an absolute ton of beautiful shoes at the moment - even better, each of the four I've picked here are on sale at £25. Perfect if you've got wide feet.

• Red patent croc Mary Janes
• Dalmation block heels
• Black lace peeptoes
• Silver glitter courts

Up to an 11

If Long Tall Sally's fit has been all over the place this year, its styles have been excellent. Two of my favourite pairs of trousers (possibly ever) have been from there, and if I had to buy a size down to get them to fit - well, that just makes me feel smug. Well done LTS.

• Ponyhair Court (£80) 
• Year Wedge (£90, also available in black)
• Lace Courts (£55)
• Patent Courts (75)

I've not been terribly convinced by Crispins in the past when I've stuck my head inside its Chiltern Street store (sidenote: Chiltern Street has been Tall Girl Shop Street since I can remember), but so many of you waxed lyrical that I've had to. The website is still terrible, but there are some lovely sparkly shoes on there that go up to a size 45 (11) in most models.

• Hay Lyric (£99.95)
• Aerobics Disc (£120)
• Pretty Ballerinas Spark (£120)
• MDF Melonie (£130)

Honourable mentions go to Clarks, Irregular Choice and DUO (up to a 9) and Hush Puppies (up to a 10). Tall Girls had some AMAZING heels in a size 12, but have disappointingly sold out.

Phew. Right, that's your lot for the time being. If you find something fabulous, don't forget to share it with the class and if it's a new shop, I'll add it to the large shoe guide.

Tall Girl Treat: Colourful Shoes For Grey Days

What do you do to cheer yourself up in rubbish weather? Bright colours always make me feel 5000x better. I've got three pairs of fantastic shoes that always cheer me up, not least because getting ridiculously bright shoes in a size 9 feels like a major achievement.

Even with all the options now available to us, shopping can be a real arse when you've got large feet. Whether it's having to order in your size to the store, or only being able to buy them online, it's annoying.

The worst one is a problem that affects all areas of clothes, and that's a lack of parity on sizing. So, in this round up of incredibly cheerful shoes, I've detailed how they fit, if they're a weird-sounding size. Rain - tedious! Colour - the very antithesis of tedium! A round-up of scrumptiously uplifting shoes it is then.

I didn't know Kurt Geiger did larger sizes. As a result, I have a vast, unmanageable crush on these Sofly heels. They're £95 and go up to a 42 which my friend Hayley, who is currently sporting a very fetching pair of KG boots, assures me fits her 9s perfectly.

Irregular Choice is knocking it out of the park with their flats at the moment. They've got some really fun things in, including these Veja Du, which come with clips for you to customise.

They're £109 and also come in hot pink, and their 43s fit my 9s very nicely.

Sweetie coloured heels = YES PLEASE

Crispin's current run of their Hay Lyric is running low on larger sizes, but there are still 9s, 9.5s and 10s knocking around for £99.95 each (disguised in European sizing).

Back in the dark days of 2006 when pretty much all there was was trainers I lived in character dance shoes from eBay.

I love a T-bar, and I love a fabric mix. These lovely Sanguin t-bars from Hush Puppies also come in black and lilac and cost £70 (up to a 9).

Hush Puppies have also done a new season twist on their ever-popular Freya with their Lonna Mary Janes: this letterbox red is fabulous. Size 10s are still available in most colour ways, and they cost £65.

(Side note: I can't decide whether these flats are grannyish or amazing. Maybe both!)

I lived in the red version I had of these last year - lovely shape, great bow, generally all fun. Snap up the last size 42 (9) pairs of these Oldfield flats from DUO for £50.

More pumps! These £39 ones from Tall Girls come in six colours and go all the way to 11. Just like Nigel Tufnel's amp.

"Why not make 10 bigger?"

"These go to 11."

Yet another thumping great shoe crush (only going up to a 9 this time, soz, and also costing £155 - major apolz). Russell and Bromley are just -  ahhh. And their Chester tassel loafer is just - ohhhh.

Especially in red. I really like red. Can you tell?

These are my cheer-up shoes! Irregular Choice, Upper Street, and the sadly-closed Amber & Jade. Total joy. Have you got a particularly cheering pair of shoes? Let us know where you got them from.

And if you want some more inspiration, try out our size 9 to 13 shoe guide.

Tall Girl Treat: Woolly, Woolly Awesome

I'm rubbish at cold weather: every year it takes me by surprise and every year I end up shivering due to being the least gifted layerer since that guy in every superhero film ever who just walks around with his shirt off.

I was bemoaning that fact earlier this week when Long Tall Sally sent me the Nordic cardigan from their winter collection that I had completely forgotten I'd asked to try on. HOORAY, TERRIBLE MEMORY!

Cardigans, and indeed undoable knitwear of any kind, are terrific. You can put them over anything rather than having to worry whether they will "work" with your outfit, like a jumper, or a knitted personal assistant. 

Moreover, I'm a sucker for any sort of pattern that could be classed as Fair Isle, nordic, or "somebody probably just vomited over this but let's sell it anyway."  I love this one. It's also incredibly soft and the sleeves obscure most of my hands, which is a total joy when you are used to constantly tugging on sleeves in a hope that you'll stretch the fabric.

I enjoyed it so much that I immediately went into Narnia* and took photos in it. Please to admire my best street style blogger poses.

*The slightly Mad Men-esque loos at work where really you wouldn't be surprised to find a faun as long as it was female and thus adhering to the loo code. 

 You purse your lips that much, right? Or has that bypassed duck and gone straight to heron. Moving on.

Historically, great places for cardigans for tall girls have been the following:

• Monsoon - I still yearn for those angora wraps with silk ribbons c. 2005
• H&M - always excellent for jersey basics
• East - aka, Mum shop. Totally bought a teal long one after my mum lent me hers one Christmas

Completely love the patterns on these East ones, like a wonderfully evocative cross between a forest and a snow shaker. (Which reminds me - TANGENT - remember the gorgeous ASOS forest dress? They've brought out a new purple and sleeveless versions.)

Back to the knitwear. You can get them in navy or black and they cost £85. That is a significant outlay for a cardigan, so do what I did and casually stalk the sales until you find one.

 Seriously, I don't know why this girl is looking so cross when she is wearing The Best Cardigan In The World™. I've been quietly stalking this one for ages, despite the fact one of my friends asked me if I already owned three (negative! Those are other items).

I don't believe in elbow patches, but I don't mind these. That is how much I enjoy this cardigan. It's £29.99 from H&M.

Monsoon's cardigans are all utterly dreadful this season, but their knitted dresses are as excellent as ever. I shrunk mine in the wash about two years ago and have refused to stop wearing it, they're that good. This Eva one is £59 and slightly flared so it doesn't do the dreaded wet suit effect on your hips which is nobody's friend.

This is positively discreet by my standards, but I couldn't resist crowbarring this in at the end. This lovely waterfall jacket from Next is £38 and the perfect compromise between warmth, cardigans and patterns. Fit.

Tall Girl Treat: Kilty Pleasures

This is a public service announcement to you tall women: get your legs out. Now. There's lots of them; put some opaques on and show them off. The best way to pull this off is to just not give a damn. That really goes for everything clothes-wise, but particularly with short skirts. You also don't need to get them from the tall range - tall ranges have never mastered short skirts, or arguably even pencil skirts - so just try them on and make sure you don't feel like you could be arrested (eg: I am not remotely convinced by this one from Topshop Tall).

I adore tartan, and a kilt-style skirt is one of those weird neutrals that goes with everything. Also! A-line is everybody's friend. It skims off the body, defines your waist and the fabric's looser so you don't feel as self-conscious as you might should you have short amounts of fabric clinging to you like a needy child. I wore an M&S one I got off eBay to the launch of the Sluttery book two years ago, and it's still going strong. But! New skirts. In pretty patterns. Let's go. (If you have no desire for patterns but still want wool, Cos has some extremely excellent plain A-line mini skirts.)

I don't usually venture into Jigsaw, but made a beeline for it last night having clocked some extremely fine tartan trousers on their website. If you've got the cash (£89), this Lomand check skirt is a scrumptious shape in a lovely fabric. Team it with your favourite jumper, some autumnal patterned tights and either boots or brogues.

L-R: £39.50, £35, £35

 M&S is going great guns for kilty skirts again, and these are three of my favourites. 

• The layers of the Limited Edition check - win
• The exposed zip on the back of the Collection skirt and that gorgeous rich red and black - win
• The shiny waistband and subtle check on this flippy Limited Edition skirt - win

Moving across to blue, this wool-blend skirt from ASOS ticks all the kilty goodness boxes with exposed zip, pleats, breathable thick fabric, high waist and looking quite fit. It's £35.

Skater skirts are brilliant. I love the flare, and I love the fact they fit at the waist so you can belt them and tuck a sweater in. At the cheaper end of the scale, this one from New Look is lovely, and £17.99.

As ever, be extremely wary when bending over in any type of mini skirt. If you've spent months merrily bounding around in jeans and midis, things can go Horribly Wrong very quickly, so as well as getting out the opaques, this is a great time to discover your inner finishing school maven and move around decorously. Now, show off those pins girls.

Tall Girl Treat: Sparkles ahoy!

As well you know, I flipping love sparkles. I am a magpie, a giant, carnivorous magpie who will breathe fire in order to get to sparkly things. So for this fortnight's tall girls round-up, it's all about the bling.

Jumper!

 

This Topshop sequin jumper isn't from the tall section, but it fits brilliantly. AND IT IS LITERALLY COVERED IN SEQUINS. I was drawn to it, like a laser beam to a shark on which that laser beam has been glued. And then I bought it because I can't help myself and the last jumper I specially loved, I bought in 2011. It's £48, and I bought a size down because it's oversize and massive.

Dress!

Hooray for a dress covered in sequins! No really, look closer...

 

You can also get it in navy and ivory. It's £75 from Next's Tall collection.

Tunic!

This glittery number is £55 from Long Tall Sally. Good sleeves. Incidentally, LTS have really zsuszhed up their catalogue this month, lots of styling tips and well put together outfits - well worth a look if you haven't in a while.

Heels!

Upper Street has launched their first ready-to-wear shoe collection designed especially for tall women. It's available in sizes 7 to 10.5 in standard and wide fit and details, like using straps around the foot and the kind of heels you can get, have been chosen to make large feet look fab. These were my favourites from the launch - mmm, glitter. Sadly I can't walk in a stiletto heel, but I got my tall adventuress-partner-in-crime Elizabeth to try them on and she looked dead glam.

Slippers!

These ridunkulous New Look slippers are a complete knock-off of some Russell & Bromley ones, but you can't get those ones in a 9, and you can get these, so....

Oh and they're £12 in the sale.

And if you're still not sure about sequins, cover yourself in glue and run through Topshop. FUN TIMES!