There are plenty of style guides that promise to make you look taller, but what about the women who are already tall by any standard? They face their own sets of challenges, such as tops that fit strangely in the arms and pants that are always around ankle length. Fortunately, there are tall girl fashion hacks designed to help the women who will never need to set foot in the petite department.
Fun fact: one of my best friends is almost six feet tall, and she has to try on about a million outfits before finding ones that even begin to fit. Sometimes even the “tall” sized pants at certain department stores still look like high water pants on her. And finding skirts that are close to knee length? Forget about it. However, she can rock a bold print like nobody’s business.
As with any body type, there are benefits and drawbacks to dressing a tall frame. Some items of clothing can be particularly tricky; anything sold as a miniskirt for women of average height may be borderline indecent on a very tall lady. But a tall woman can look like an elegant goddess in a flowy maxi dress that would overwhelm her shorter peers. It’s all give and take. So here are the best fashion hacks for the 5’9” and up crowd.
1Use Big Accessories
Why not go big or go home? As noted in So Feminine, "being able to wear big accessories is a perk the shorter folks can't enjoy as much." Oversized bags or large chunky necklaces are probably your style BFFs.
2Shop Sites For Tall Women
Fortunately there are plenty of stores and online shops that are geared toward the taller set. The Huffington Post has a great roundup of these stores, from Topshop to Long Tall Sally. This can help narrow your shopping choices considerably to more hits than misses.
3Try Bold Prints And Patterns
When it comes to prints, you can pretty much wear whatever you damn well please. "We have long, beautiful bodies that are an amazing palate for prints," Alicia of TallSwag told Buzzfeed. It will complement, not overwhelm, your frame.
4Belt It
Embrace your waist. Marie Claire recommends tall women "create horizontal lines with belts and stripes," to add a little edge and polished look.
5Embrace The Crop
You can make the shorter pants hem deliberate. "Tall girls are used to the idea of cropped pants, as most full-length trousers are a crop on us anyway," stylist Irene Agbontaen said in Glamour. Not to mention cropped lengths look great on most taller ladies (especially when paired with heels).
6Buy What Fits (And Forget The Size)
Maybe your shirt is technically from the men's department, but whatever. "Men’s clothing is always cheaper than the equivalent women’s item," as noted in Style & Substance. "Men’s shirts look fantastic on us and as they are designed for broader chests, actually button up over ample busts." Just cut out the tag if it bugs you.
7Roll Up Sleeves
Because they’re probably too short anyway. "I roll up the sleeves up to my elbows on a blouse," stylist Rachel Bass told Refinery 29. "I think rolling up sleeves generally looks cooler anyway." I couldn't agree more.
8Rock The Maxi Dress
Maxi dresses were made for the tall ladies. Follow Who What Wear's advice and pair it with platform heels for even more height. Because why not?
9Go For Above-The-Knee Skirts
Feeling extra daring? Pair an above-knee, high-waisted skirt with a crop top, as Cosmopolitan suggests. It creates a look that's balanced and bold.
