If I can call myself an expert on anything, it is this: finding the best tall jeans.
Fellow tall gals know the struggle all too well: you find something cute while online shopping, you order it and try it on only to find that it looks like it was made for a child it’s so short. Finding jeans that fit us is one of life’s biggest trials (and don’t even get me started on dresses, jumpsuits, playsuits, swimwear and skirts).
As if denim shopping wasn’t difficult enough for the average-height person, it’s 10 times worse for anyone over 5’8″. I’m six feet tall, and I can honestly say I spend my life trawling the internet for the perfect pair of jeans morning, noon and night. Best believe that when I do find a pair that fits, I buy them in every colour.
When cropped mom jeans became chic, us leggy girls were in our element (essentially all our jeans are cropped, am I right?). Having said that, it’s nice to sometimes have the option of wearing something longer, like baggy jeans, flared jeans, straight leg jeans or high-waisted jeans that don’t look like cut-offs. Don’t get me wrong, a good ol’ ankle grazer is ideal for spotlighting some box-fresh white trainers or chunky dad sandals, but while everyone else gets to look like they’re wearing their boyfriend’s jeans, I look like I’m wearing a 12-year-old’s.
I know I’m not the only tall person who feels let down when it comes to the variety of places that cater to us, either. When Topshop had stores, you could walk in and be greeted by a ginormous ‘Petite’ section but you’d be lucky if the ‘Tall’ area even existed – often it’d just be one rail and generally consisted of mismatched pieces that were obviously returns people had bought online. High-street favourite Zara don’t specifically cater to taller ladies, and neither do H&M – it’s just pot luck if you find something that fits or is labelled ‘full length’ – and designer brands barely accommodate for plus size jeans, let alone different heights.
The good news is that Instagram has brought about a flourish of influencers and bloggers who are all different shapes and sizes, including heights. Some of my go-to tall girls for inspiration when it comes to where to shop are Olivia Laura Turner, Zanna Vandijk, Tara Jade, Jacqueline Ilumoka and Ashley Battle. Even if they haven’t bought something that’s specifically labelled as ‘Tall’, it’s super handy to see how general pieces of clothing fit and look on them so I don’t have to go through the trouble of testing them myself.
Top tip: some brands like Marks & Spencer and Abercrombie & Fitch do, in fact, carry jeans for tall women – just look out for/select the ‘Long’ or ‘Extra Long’ option when picking your size before you check out.