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Original poster

Calling all you tall ladies out there...

27 replies

cougar72 · 26/04/2011 09:44

I'm 5ft 10 and have no trouble finding trousers and jeans long enough for me (34 inside leg). However when I try to find short summer dresses the standard lengths range from about 3 inches above my knee to just covering my fanjo!! The High Street tall ranges seem to be very limited and my stalwart places for trousers (French Connection, Zara) all seem to be really short in the dress department. I just want some dresses that come to 1-2inches above the knee and look classy as opposed to muttony!! Looking for day dresses really, tea dress style, shifts, anything really! Any recommendations ladies?

OP posts:
ConstanceFelicity · 26/04/2011 09:45

Watching this thread as I am an inch taller than you and have exactly the same problem...

Bucharest · 26/04/2011 09:48

Haven't worn a summer dress since before dd was born (she's 7) but have a couple of winter knitted Boden ones, which are fine length wise and tend to come in long or short lengths. (I'm 5ft 10 as well)

Katisha · 26/04/2011 09:56

Hobbs sale although on knee

Katisha · 26/04/2011 09:59

ANother one

GitAwfMayLend · 26/04/2011 10:01

I always have a nightmare buying dresses - am 6 foot. Trousers funnily enough are never a problem - Top Shop tall are long enough, and as long as jeans are 36 inch leg (easily available nowadays) they fit me fine with heels.

However my legs are not the longest thing about me, proportionally I have got shortarse legs really, it is my body which is incredibly long, as well as orangutan arms. So I usually look like a bit of a pleb in dresses, look like I have shrunk them in the wash. I have got a couple which I treasure, but I have to be very careful. For instance I have got a work shift dress on today, it has a seam which is supposed to be at the waist I presume, however it is a few inches below my bust, giving me a strange empire line look Hmm. It is also very short. Thank god nobody is here today because I must say I look a bit daft.

Long sleeves are almost impossible to get. Every top I have (bar a few) looks like it is bracelet length.

GitAwfMayLend · 26/04/2011 10:03

French Connection is by far my fave shop - as you say they are great with trousers and even some tops are long enough.

I think though that their style is short anyway, but you are right, skirts are bloody pubic bone skimming.

GitAwfMayLend · 26/04/2011 10:05

Plus also don't laugh and phase 8

Some of the styles are unspeakable, however there are some gems. I have not bought any summer dresses from there however I have a couple of shift dresses which I bought for work and they fit brilliantly. Just avoid the more mumsy mother of the bride confections - there are some nice dresses amongst them.

GitAwfMayLend · 26/04/2011 10:06

I meant to say winter shift dresses.

notyummy · 26/04/2011 10:08

Hi Cougar - I am excatly the same height as you and feel your pain. At nearly 40 I don't want to be airing my knickers when I sit down - and at work I like to look professional - but not THAT profession IFYSWIM Grin.

I recently bought this dress that works - pic on my profile. I recommended it in a couple of threads and I know others have also purchased - in fact it looks like it has sold out in most sizes (maybe I should have got commission!!) You may find it via HOF or JL though? Oasis has some lovely dresses on the site - worth a browse, although you do have to peer at the model as some of them are too short (quelle surprise...)

Prunnhilda · 26/04/2011 10:09

I find Phase 8 are slightly better cut for taller women (and broader-shouldered too). Most of it is hideous and ruffly and makes me think of Tory woman - you really do have to pity middle-aged women, what with Per Una and its vile ruffles as well. However if you can find a good dress, they are often better cut in the body and not short.

notyummy · 26/04/2011 10:14

There is a black and white version of the dress I linked to available in a wider range of colours:

Here.

BluddyMoFo · 26/04/2011 10:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

polyhymnia · 26/04/2011 10:16

I'm not only very tall but Size 22 as well. You clearly don't have that additional handicap in clothes buying. I find the Boden L usually works for me - as with everywhere else, you have to pick very carefully at Boden but I've found a few good dresses there in last couple of seasons.

GitAwfMayLend · 26/04/2011 10:24

Agree Prunnh - there is something about 90% of Phase 8 dresses which scream tory party dinner dance for the menopausal woman.

However some of the less frou frou styles might suit (I loathe embellishment, prefer stark and plain styles) and I am only 33 and some of the stuff in there is good. It is well made as well.

I am getting to the point where I am finding it very difficult to get professional clothing on the high street. I don't want to go down the desiigner route for work gear, however I am too old for Top Shop, half the stuff in Linea is meh, Zara and Mango are hit and miss, am too old for Kookai, Jigsaw is not my style. The only places are French Connection and Reiss, but still not much choice for conservative work wear.

All I want is a plain black/grey dress which fits!

fortyplus · 26/04/2011 10:29

Hi

I'm 5' 9" and I do have one very nice dress that I bought last year in Laura Ashley, which surprised me as most of their stuff is rather frumpy. So might be worth trying there too, as although not an obvious place to look I found myself a little gem! Smile

Prunnhilda · 26/04/2011 10:31

I don't have to dress for the office but I'm finding it very hard just to find things which fit me. I always have done, but when I was slimmer, I could get away with a less good fit. I'm a 14 now, and badly cut clothes just don't do on a bigger frame.
I'm only 5'8" or so, but I have a loooong body.
I go to Long Tall Sally sometimes, they aren't bad, but it's very much a case of finding a gem hidden amongst the utterly boring, underdesigned dross. Their biggest crime is using really cheapo fabrics (rayon, suedette etc) but very occasionally they come up trumps.

daimbardiva · 26/04/2011 10:32

Ha ha, totally agree about Phase Eight - most of the stuff in there makes me run away screaming, but I've got some really great dresses there (mostly more formal, vintage-y style ones) so it's always worth a look, and lengths are good (I'm 5'11").

Have also a few things from Boden, again some stuff awful, some good.

I've also had some decent length dresses from Monsoon - good for the tea dress kind of thing.

And surprisingly enough - F&F at Tesco! V v cheap too.

GitAwfMayLend · 26/04/2011 10:50

Totally agree re Tesco clothes. I have got a brace of polo necks from F&F which have got a long neck bit (in order to cover my long scrawny neck) and are long in the body and arms.

have got a couple of shift dresses from there which are not too badly cut at all - they don't fit perfectly but it is good enough (for twenty quid anyway).

I haven't bothered with the trousers because I know they will not fit, but skirts are pretty good. They come up big as well, which is always flattering, size 8 is slightly too big for me.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 26/04/2011 10:52

cougar, I know this doesn't directly answer your question but how about tunic tops as opposed to dresses? Things that are too short to wear alone or with tights but that you can wear with leggings? I bought a dress from a well-known high street store, washed it once at the recommended temperature and the bugger shrank. I don't want to stop wearing it altogether so now it's a tunic and I wear it with leggings/jeans.

Original poster
cougar72 · 26/04/2011 21:14

Thanks so much for all the replies everyone, lots of places worth trying that I hadn't even thought of. Will definitely be investigation F+F at Tesco after work tomorrow!

OP posts:
Deaddei · 26/04/2011 21:27

Oh I never wear dresses but love the Oasis one.
6 feet tall here- I think I struggle with dresses/skirts because I have big feet too and it' such a hassle finding the right shoes when you have such a limited selection.
I never go to French Connection but will pop in.
I have bought a maxi from Next Tall so I can wear flat sandals

bubaluba · 26/04/2011 23:00

I will look at my fellow covert Phase 8 customers with more understanding from now... I have a couple of dresses that fit really well (I'm 6' too with knees that shouldn't be inflicted on others) but feel slightly uneasy shifting through the Mother of the Bride stuff! Have a nice wrap dress from Fenn Wright Manson (more Mother of the Bride stuff to go through) and a gorgeous Maxi dress that looks amazing on (according to DH and BF) and fits in all the right places.

www.fennwrightmanson.com/mailorder/product.php?xProd=4143&xSec=191&jssCart=4a90c2bd435e6757263faa7391b0df2c

Kookai is worth a look sometimes.

Boden is definitely going shorter I think, 14L used to be perfect but are now at least 2" too short.

RoyalFucker · 26/04/2011 23:03

GitAwf, that is a brilliant name change Grin

whoneedssleepanyway · 27/04/2011 08:11

I posted a v similar thread the other day. I am a couple of inches shorter than u OP but still struggle. I have been recommended hobbs but is £££.

Funnily enough I never struggle with work dresses. Have a few from LKB and jigsaw and all v good lengths will link.

Notyummy I bought that oasis dress but found it quite short. I have long body and normal legs so can find waists of dresses sit too high.

whoneedssleepanyway · 27/04/2011 08:14

GitAwf what about three quarter sleeves so they don't look like they r too short...have v nice 3/4 sleeve work dress from LKB.