Okay, so I’m getting to the point that I realize that, not only am I a plus size (14/16/rarely 18, depending upon store and cut), but I need the “tall” section for almost everything. I’m in the 5’9"-5’10" range with wide shoulders, a large chest, a waist that’d be “wasp waist” small if I weren’t overweight, and ample hips. Pants are often too short after a few washings, long sleeves don’t always go as far as they’re supposed to, and the proportions of shirts are often too small or short for it to work for me unless they’re tunic length.
I’m finally admitting that I need to start buying out of the women’s tall section or the men’s section and do the appropriate alterations, but I realize that the first option requires me to buy online as long as I’m living in my area. However, I’m not terribly familiar with the options out there and who has a good selection of decently constructed clothes. The Gap looks interesting, but a lot of their stuff doesn’t quite fit my needs-- I need stuff that I can wear to work (functional business casual: I shelve books as part of my duties and find that I spend a lot of time squatting, bending over, and doing other things that wearing a skirt make awkward) and elsewhere. I tend toward more clean lines in my clothes, with a preference toward pants, flats, button-down shirts (when they fit), simple shirts (ruffles and lace tend to look awkward and unflattering on me) and tailored elements when appropriate to pull them together. I’m not opposed to fitted cardigans, suit vests, and a decent casual blazer as pieces, but really, I just want something that fits well and continues to fit well.
So, tall and voluptuous doper ladies: where do you shop?
Lane Bryant. They have T(all) pants, and used to have more shirts labeled “long” but now I think they are simply making their shirts longer by default.
Have they stopped making their pants and shirts circus tent sized in the past couple of years? My biggest problem with them in the past has been that I was often too small to fit the proportions that they built most of their clothes to-- I may be overweight and tall, but I’m not big everywhere.
Banana Republic is owned by Gap’s parent company and tends to have more formal - and more expensive - clothing. They have really long-legged pants available and a special Tall selection of tops and bottoms via their website. (Dunno about in-store, I only shop there online.) If it’s too pricey, watch their sales for good items to show up.
Lane Bryant’s Right Fit pants are addressing the issue with different proportions. I’m tall and wide but not curvy, and the “red” pants fit me pretty well. You might want to stop in at a store for an initial tryout of their pants…I first ordered mine online based on their online sizing and found that the ones the site recommended were 2 sizes too big (but the correct cut).
I’m 5’10" and shop for clothes almost exclusively online.
I second Banana Republic. Athleta (same web site as Gap and BR) is good, too.
Eddie Bauer has talls, and Long Tall Sally is a company in the UK that has an interesting assortment of clothing.
IME Banana Republic doesn’t fit tall and voluptuous (I’m 6’ tall, size 16 sometimes 14 sometimes 18. I have the body of a woman from a Rubens painting but bigger breasts) of course they probably have different selection between Canada and US (I would LOVE a Lane Bryant here as it is the one that comes up everytime there is a discussion in tall girl groups online.
I used to shop at Tall Girl, still do but rarely because it’s no longer centrally located. Otherwise I stick to Ricki’s (excellent pants selection, tops are hit and miss ime) and Reitman’s (tops there work best ime). I also wear LOTS of camis, long ones from Old Navy as I can tuck them in to avoid the strip of skin at the waist and prevent me from falling out of the top/preserve my modesty.
It looks like Lane Bryant has varied a bit with the Right Fit pants, but I’d have to try them on to see if they’ve fixed the universal “my thighs get lost even in the slim cut style” issue I had with their pants. I’ll definitely look into them, as we’ve got a local one not too far away.
Long Tall Sally looks like it may work out well for me; I have a quirky sense of style, and a lot of the “trend” clothes of the past five or six years have not been things I can pull off, even if they’re in proportion to my needs.
I’ll definitely look into Banana Republic sales items as well; when did Eddie Bauer stop exclusively selling stuff that’d look better on someone 20 years my senior? Last I recall, most of the stuff they sold would’ve made me look frumpy.
Flutterby, I employ the “tank top as layering element” as a major part of my wardrobe. In fact, I think I may own more tank tops than I do button-down shirts. Tank tops save me from many a potential wardrobe mishap.
In the little more obscure online shopping universe, I recommend eShakti (goes from normal sizing up to size 26, but will also customize anything to your measurements for a small fee, including preferred length and arm styles) and myShape (put in all of your measurements and they only show you clothes that fit and will look good on you, in the styles you prefer). Also try IGIGI (mostly dresses, sizes 12-32), Kiyonna (sizes 10+), and Zaftique (sizes 10-38, and I love their massive collection of shirts).
Also, I do a lot of the tank-top layering. I almost always have a tank top underneath. I’ll buy long tank tops and wear them with bolero jackets, suit coats, etc. It helps.
I didn’t have much luck with Banana Republic (I’d convince myself the pants were long enough, but then three or four wearings out, I’d have to admit they were simply not there) when I was thinner. Now that I’m increasingly less thin, they’re right out.
And Eddie Bauer’s “Tall” in their nicer clothing is on the short side. Ok with flats, but not so much with anything with a heel.
I’ll have to look into some of the other suggestions in the thread.
If you like those pants in the car pic, you’re going to really like Right Fit pants.
Incidentally, I wrote to Lane Bryant the other day complaining about the dearth of size and style options they have on their site for Right Fit jeans. I’ve been looking for a year for my size on their site and in my local stores and they’re never in stock. A LOT of the sizes are not in stock. I told them that it really sucks, considering it is their own brand. They should have all of the sizes and styles available from their main warehouse at all times!
Anyway, this was their answer:
*We appreciate your feedback regarding our assortment of Right Fit silhouettes. Although recently we have had a limited quantity available in our stores, we want to assure you that we will be re-introducing these styles with our Spring Apparel. We always appreciate our Customer’s feedback and have also planned to offer a rather large assortment during Fall 2010. *
So hopefully there will be a wider assortment available in stores soon. If not, you might have to wait until fall to find your size. But I think you will like them!
Yeah, those jeans in the car pic are $100 NYDJ jeans that I am unlikely to ever purchase-- I got them as part of a birthday gift wardrobe boost last year, and, though I love them, I don’t know whether I’d go out of my way to get another pair for that much money. They are, however, pretty fucking fantastic for the first 2-3 wearings.
Oh yeah, best fitting pair of jeans I ever had were Dish brand, bought at tall girl for $80 and I actually had to have them hemmed… lasted about 3 months, same as the $20 pair which fit almost as nicely and didn’t need hemming (yay Old Navy Tall! I’m weird being tall as I am but built from definite peasant stock). No point in spending that kind of cash if it won’t last IMO.
I should hit up Tall Girl again, see what they have top-wise most of what I have now isn’t fitting quite right since I lost some weight.
Based on your description and pics we have similar builds. I will agree with all the Lane Bryant suggestions, though with the warning that some of their shirts show a bit more cleavage then appropriate in the workplace. Maybe I’m fashion dumb and they’re meant to be worn with something under it, but that’s never been my style.
I really love J Jill. It is mostly online/catalog, though there are some brick and mortar stores depending on your location. Their shirts run long/big and their Tall style pants are perfect. Their skirts can be hit or miss. They can lean a bit casual, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a suit there. But if your work is business casual to casual-casual you should find something there.
Banana Republic used to be great for me but since having a baby my top half has rearranged a bit and the BR cuts don’t flatter as well.
Good luck from another in the Tall and Voluptuous crowd.
I’m not really tall (I wear tall in some brands, average in others and women’s petite…WTF?..in one), but am plus size. Lane Bryant is my go to clothing store. I was just there today for a couple of pair of capris. I also like Avenue and Eddie Bauer for casuals.
My sister, who at 6’2" is definitely tall as well as well as a size 18 or 20 and her favorites are Lane Bryant, Tall Girl and with some things, Avenue.
Personally, I tend to stay away from Fashion Bug and especially Catos, but that’s more quality and style than fit.
