Advice for a tall fashionless person..

[EnterFunnyNameHere]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to get my fashion mojo back?

I used to wear much more exciting things, just much more patterns etc. I think it helped I could live in mini skirts and exciting tops! But I'm tall (6'1" with 36" inside leg) and bigger than I was (16bum, 14top), and have flat sz 42 feet... as a result I basically just wear what I can get that fits regardless of how it looks - and it looks awful!

I think the biggest issue is shoes, I don't like heels and finding decently made sz 42 (uk sizes often stop at 8 that is not always a 42!) is tough....

With the rest, I just don't know where to get what I like. I'd love to wear more Joe Browns/White Stuff style casual wear but they don't do anything nearly long enough in leg or arms... and I can't anything similar style which does fit!

Argh! Any help gratefully recieved!

Hi Enter where are you based?

For shoes there are a few places in London that also all do mail order:

Crispins - has some beautiful, well crafted footwear although at eye watering prices.

Magnus - some nice stuff some not so nice worth a browse for the better pieces. More reasonable prices but still not cheap. If you visit usually has sale area at back divided into sizes.

Long Tall Sally - similar to Magnus, occasionally will have a collaboration with a fashion brand to do larger sizes.

Also might be worth joining the Tall Club which is a great resource for all things tall suitable, including clothes/shoes etc.

DMs and converse do bigger sizes in still interesting styles.

Long Tall Sally has been truly awful in the past although i’ll freely admit I haven’t been in there for ages. I tend to wear ballet flats or (more commonly) biker boots and skinny jeans. For going out I accept my footwear won’t be my strongest point as mid-heels are usually workwear boring. LK Bennett do a 42 though which is quite nice and they slash in the sales which is helpful right now. Gabor and Clarks are both slated on here but they do a good sized 42 so finding the best they have to offer works for me. I’ve bought new Fly London boots in the sales. Next longer jeans fit me although possibly not you although their XL might be a 36? I feel self-conscious making some of these recommendations because they’re not the sort of places I’d shop if I wasn’t 5’11”. But I am, and we are where we are!

@Lumene - thanks for that. I do use long tall Sally but their fabrics are so cheap these days, despite the prices not being any lower! And I don't find the styles very inspiring I guess, I used to have a much more indie style and that's not really what they go for.

What is Tall club though? I've never heard of it?

I'm in Cambridge, so I could go to London for a shopping trip (if I knew where to target!). Do you know if "normal" shops stock their tall ranges in store in London? Sometimes the high street tall stuff fits, but nowhere seems to stock tall ranges near me!!

Toast can do some good stuff for tall women, as can Cos. LTS is an utter abomination. Who do they buy stuff for?

Whats your lifestyle OP?
Do you need smart workwear or more casual styles?
Once you have worked out what you need,
For example Jeans.
I wear the Primark stretch as they have a 33 leg length that sits nicely on my ankle.
I think they might go up to a 35 ?
Next certainly do Extra Tall (35) in trousers/jeans
If not then jeans with long boots ?
Any how I buy in bulk if I find stuff that fits well.
Then tops -Fatface tend to do nice simple scoop neck that are long in the body and arms.
Plain ,striped etc
Boden do long in dresses if you need work wear ?

Don't know if it's in you means - but would you consider finding a local dressmaker/seamstress and getting clothes made for you?

I'm ok for workwear, I live in suit trousers and sheer shirts with a vest top underneath. It looks fine, but it doesn't reflect my personality iyswim... but it doesn't need to at work.

It's casual stuff I miss... I want slightly more "alternative" than the simple styles that places like Cos etc seem to do... like I say, a bit more like Joe Browns/White Stuff but which actually fit...

I hadn't tried Toast, I'll definitely have a look! Do Cos have actual shops? There website makes their stuff look a bit strange to me, all sort of over sized stuff on skinny models, not sure that would work for me!

I just want to feel like me again, but maybe that stuff just doesn't exist full stop anymore

@Oyoy - that's something I have pondered, maybe I should investigate the local paper? Or, I'm not terrible at sewing, I used to make clothes very occasionally, but I struggle to find patterns for anything I like and I'm not good enough to go off piste...

I wonder if I could get good enough to alter stuff I do like to fit somehow? Like making long sleeves that are too short into 3/4 length but to look by design not by poor fit?

Hmmm...

Desigual?
A tall colleague wears it -long tops and tunics .

I’ve bought some great jeans and dresses in Gap and J Crew tall ranges. Some awful stuff but worth a browse. I’m shorter than you at 5’9 but have really long arms and can really struggle with coats. If budget stretches to it, I have been really lucky on The Outnet and Net a porter/ matches sales as some more expensive brands can have longer arm lengths.

As mentioned above, Next tall ranger can be worth a look and I would normally never venture into a Next store as it’s just not my style.

Residual, the outset etc are also new to me More places to look! Huzzah! I think in terms of my old style a bit more grown up maybe tunic tops / short dresses over leggings/skinny jeans would be good - if I can find some decent shoes..

I saw a brand of shoes called socofy which look cool, but also probably quite badly made lol so not sure there

Russell & Bromley go up to size 8.5 & 9 in some styles, worth looking in the sale for.

Topshop tall jeans are good & have a 36” inside leg.

@DontdoitDoris Desigual stuff looks really good, much more my style! Thank you!

Outnet I think looks good but more of a save up and buy something amazing than replace the whole wardrobe... but still good thank you @Allthewhite

(Apologies for typos, phone doesn't recognise shop names and I am apparently a bad proof reader)

Hi lovely, I’m the exact same sizes as you and the same height! Asos tall is where I buy 99% of my clothes. They also do bigger shoe sizes x

Thanks @kw1091, I think I get scared off ASOS by the sheer number of things but maybe I need to invest some more time and effort!

Yes! The tall section is a lot smaller than the rest of the shop, in the menu select tall and then you will find it a lot easier to sift through x

Zara has great length

Here you go OP, details of the Tall Club: www.tallclub.co.uk

Totally agree about LTS. I buy basics there I can’t get anywhere else (eg black leggings) and check in case anything else is OK. Have had the occasional top/coat/long dress.

I haven’t found anything on the high street like trousers, shorts etc that is proportionally cut to be long enough for my waist but that may have changed more recently, I kind of gave up.

Next used to do size 42 shoes which only ever seemed to appear online/in the sale.

If you go to London, both shoe shops I mentioned are on the same street (also near LTS) a few minutes walk from Baker St tube so v handy.

Lots of links to shoe/clothes shops here also, let me know if you find anything good!

www.tallclub.co.uk/womens

That's ace - thanks all!!

For shoes, have a look at Air and Grace London as they only recently did a special run of size 42 and 43. They may all have sold out but I'd suggest emailing them if they don't have any stock left on their website in your size. Sometimes they have a spare pair hanging around their workshop, and they'll also let you know if they intend to do a run of larger sizes again (and give you the heads-up when).

Also look at Tracey Neuls as she does a size 42 that is a genuine 42 rather than a 41 pretending. . He shoes and boots are fabulous but they don't come cheap (they're handmade) although she has a sale on now. She has shops you can visit in Shoreditch, King's Cross and Marylebone. I always go to the Shoreditch branch as I live nearby and the staff are always very lovely.

traceyneuls.com/collections/sale/cf-size-42