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Original poster

Why are there so few Tall Sections in women's shops?

215 replies

goldylookingpane · 09/04/2015 19:09

I see lots of Plus-Size Sections and Petite Sections as well as Regular, but very few shops now have a Tall Section.
And what there is in 'Tall' is completely shapeless. I'm tall, but also have a small waist and decent sized hips. I want shaped clothes that go in and out and emphasize my shape, not shapeless things that hang. Which seems to make up the bulk of clothes you find in Tall.

In Next, none of their nipped-in-waist style blouses and jackets are featured in their Tall Catalog, only shapeless, loose-fitting rubbish (oh I forgot to say -they don't even have the actual tall clothes in any of their shops).
Unlike Petite! There's a whole range for them (and why isn't Petite called 'Short' Hmm Why do they get the 'naice' name?) Hmm
But that's a whole other argument.

Somebody did a survey on here once, and there were a LOT of ladies 5'8 and over.
And people are being born bigger and taller. So why are we not being catered for?

At the moment there is only LTS and possibly one or two other shops, that seem to cater mainly for 20 -30 year olds.
So there is definitely a fantastic 'opening' in the market for some clever person (with money) to make a killing and clean up.

How do other tall ladies find the whole shopping experience?

OP posts:
Movingonmymind · 12/04/2015 17:50

So agree! Glad i found you all. Just when i was delighted to find Gap Tall online, ive discovered its quality is AWFUL - far worse than in the shops. Cardigans with holes after one wear, many many loose threads. Shoddy amd poorly made Angry

Movingonmymind · 12/04/2015 18:12

And boots! How to get knee high ones which are properly long enough? Impossible for me unless handmade Angry In desperation, looked at LTS but their shoes are too big for me [hmmi can easily get shoes on the high street, why not long enough boots?! Must be nany more women my height with big not massive feet who need yhese than there are 6' ones with size 10s, surely?!

mrsdavidbowie · 12/04/2015 18:20

I have knee high boots from Duo.
Perfect fit for my skinny calves and 35 inch inside legs.

Movingonmymind · 12/04/2015 18:26

Really? Thought they did standard length but range of widths? Was that a particular style?

HarrogateMum · 12/04/2015 18:37

I'm 5 foot 11 with 36 inch inside leg and also get annoyed about having to do all shopping online but over years have got used to it. In my experience I never buy lts or top shop. I buy next capris for work which are good in tall online. Jeans I get from primark as their long is long enough!! Oddly am a size 10 in next trousers and a 14 in primark jeans!!

Get other bits from Dorothy Perkins and new look tall but not that much. Zara trousers also normally long enough !!

pinkrocker · 12/04/2015 18:46

ASOS have a sale on now, in the tall range there are some....interesting bargains to be had.....

hennybeans · 12/04/2015 19:06

For the pp who said she can't find nice trainers in a 10, I buy mine online at Amazon. Com. I recently got a pair of women's pink Asics in US size 12, Which is a ten here. Obv downside being you can't try them on, but you can find trainers much cheaper than here.
Also, I buy boots at Duo and they are great.
Lastly, I buy long dresses at boden as I prefer dresses over wearing trousers. The length is just right as they fall below my knees which never Happens elsewhere.

mrsdavidbowie · 12/04/2015 19:40

movingonmine mine are called Florence..they zip up the back.
LTS and Tallgirls do new balance trainers up to a uk 11

suz1980 · 12/04/2015 19:49

I'm so glad its not just me with the long body! I have to wear a long vest under most of my tops to hide my sagging belly. Hate not being able to find anything suitable. I will check out Asos as I never thought if there ??

Movingonmymind · 12/04/2015 19:56

Thanks MrsDB!

OopTheShard · 13/04/2015 11:33

I was wondering the other day...what do Dutch women do?

Was reading a geeky science article about why Dutch people are so tall, and the thought struck me. Surely they must have lots of clothing shops aimed at tall women? Does anyone know?!

BikeRunSki · 13/04/2015 12:00

There's a Dutch brand called Noppies that I had some mat clothes from, which fitted well. Not sure if they do ordinary clothes. Also Danish label Jackpot works ok on me, but also N European label Noa Noa has a tendency to be short on me.

muminhants · 13/04/2015 12:07

Why are there so few small sections in mens shops? My husband is 5 foot 6 and at the bottom end of what's available in normal retailers. Quite often he just can't get anything in his size.

We have a large ethnic minority population in the UK now, and many Asian men are quite small just as many Dutch women are tall.

It's so ridiculous that retailers are so rubbish at covering normal size ranges, whether for particularly short men, or particularly tall women. I don't believe that it costs them that much more to offer a few more sizes.

And in the "normal" sizes - how about having a few more? How is it that in a sale it's always the size 6 and 20 that are left? Do retailers really not make more in the middle more popular sizes?

Same goes for shoes too.

Its worth following people like Isabel Pooley and Katharina Johnson-Thompson - they are both over 6 foot tall and Isabel is an ambassador for Long Tall Sally.

0x530x610x750x630x79 · 13/04/2015 12:07

I remember when "bodies" were in, and cat suits, wow did they used to cut me in half.

MollyMaDurga · 13/04/2015 12:59

I'm Dutch (moved years ago). Clothes are cut differently, they do cater more for taller men and women. It's trying stuff on as well of course, H&M was alwys too short for me but it was a lot easier to find clothes that fit. Not so much when I was kid (I'm 45) but when I was in my twenties it became a lot easier. I'm 5'10 1/2".

BikeRunSki · 13/04/2015 13:06

I wonder if the Netherlands and the rest northern Europe is full of short women bemoaning that their clothes are too long.

Orangeanddemons · 13/04/2015 13:56

It seems to me that the Uk fashion industry is supremely good at producing stuff no one likes, or that doesn't fit properly.

No sleeves, everything ultra short....

Fwiw, I'm 5ft 8 1/2. I teach ergonomics, I'm in the 98th percentile for female height. I just couldn't believe it when I read that....

meowth · 13/04/2015 14:02

Petite is still too tall for me. I have 25'' legs, so even though YANBU to feel like there should be a tall bit, i feel like there should be a short bit. I hate getting kids clothes & shoes.

yallahabibi · 13/04/2015 16:17

Why IS every dress in every shop so damn short ?
Is there some kind of legging conspiracy ?
Maxi dresses make me look like Everest .

I have to cover my knees for work and it's bloody tricky to ensure the Gulf summers in trousers .
People are getting taller and definitely fatter but it seems only the latter are catered for .

Joan0fArk · 13/04/2015 16:35

Yeh, I'm only short and dresses are too short, so they must be indecent on tall women. it's weird. don't they want to sell dresses to anybody over 22?

Original poster
goldylookingpane · 13/04/2015 17:08

The dresses are either ridiculously short or too long and end up looking matronly.
I suit dresses that fit on the knee. But they are impossible to find.

OP posts:
spookyskeleton · 13/04/2015 18:34

I too buy most of my dresses/skirts from Boden - yes, they are expensive but pretty much every style comes in a long length which is great. Plus they give you the length of every item which is a great help as photos don't really show the length.

Just wish they would do the same for their tops Angry

spookyskeleton · 13/04/2015 19:26

I said I would report back on the men's t-shirts. I ordered size large v neck from next (they were 3 for £15 Grin).

I am a size 16 and they were just not quite baggy enough (I like my T-shirts to be baggy to hide my muffin top!) but length wise they were good. I reckon size XL will be perfect. The neckline looked OK (if you like low cut, then you probably wouldn't like them). I think a larger size is going to work for me Smile

DancingHat · 13/04/2015 20:00

Not read all the posts but what about the Tall+Maternity conundrum I'm currently faced with??!

yeahokthen · 13/04/2015 20:04

Boden are often sending me questionnaires. When they ask for comments I always advise them to make proper longer length trousers. They're missing a trick with us tall/leggy customers. I'd like to forward this thread to them.