Tall & Thin clothes for women?
October 15, 2022 12:49 PM   Subscribe

I inherited the family phenotype of tall/thin/genetically underweight for my height. As the years go on, the standard womenswear has adjusted to an average body type easily 30-40 lbs above mine — so, if the sleeve length fits, the body just hangs off of me — easily 3-4” of excess fabric on each side. I’ve tried to adapt by purchasing jeans made for teenaged boys and buying from the Junior’s section instead of the women’s, but the older I get, the less comfortable I am wearing the younger trends - and I want to wear items geared toward my age, dignity, and build. I am looking for recommendations for clothing lines or stores that trend thin, or are geared toward super reedy people. My thanks in advance.
posted by Silvery Fish to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
I don't know how tall you are, but I'm a 6'1" female and I can only buy clothing from stores with "tall" sizes. This is severely limiting, but they definitely make tall clothes in smaller sizes that should both be long enough, and not hang off you.

Stores I know about or shop at that have tall sizes: Eddie Bauer, Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic/Athleta, J. Crew, JC Penney (not for awhile, not sure these days), Long Tall Sally, Land's End (sometimes), LL Bean (sometimes).

(FWIW, I'm tall and not skinny...I'm curvy and proportionate for my height, so I wear a 12 or 14 tall in all of these places. They always have tall sizes down to size 2 or 4 that I imagine are...well, proportionally smaller!)
posted by nosila at 2:14 PM on October 15, 2022 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I don't know what your price range is, but you should consider going to NYC for fashion week and shopping the sample sales and consignment shops. Everything will fit you, because you are model sized, and you can find amazing stuff from lesser known design houses for really affordable prices.

If that's not in the cards, check out Rag & Bone and Long Tall Sally. Set up a search on Poshmark and you can find great deals sometimes!
posted by ananci at 2:28 PM on October 15, 2022 [8 favorites]


Best answer: I'm a tall lady, too, and I agree with the store suggestions above for tall sizing. I've found myself going to Old Navy/Gap more and more for basics, but for fancier stuff, I have a few more to add. I am not sure what your ideal waist/shirt size would be based on your description, but most of these stores offer 0-2-4-6 in US sizes (or XS or S) but with longer inseams, hip length, and sleeves if you select the tall size.

For expensive grown lady stuff -- https://mmlafleur.com/collections/tall-friendly-styles
Classy office and professional attire -- https://www.anntaylor.com/tall-view-all/cat140012
Less expensive, more every day stuff, all for talls -- https://www.alloyapparel.com/
Fancy dresses that you can get tailored to your exact size for free (or order off the rack at a small size but with a nice long unhemmed length) -- azazie.com *Noting that the site is geared toward wedding attire, but they have hundreds of dresses that you can order in different colors and variations that would work for all sorts of events.

And yes, the sample sale suggestion is a good one if you happen to be anywhere near NYC. You don't even have to go during fashion week; just keep an eye out for brands/designers you like who are having sample sales.

Good luck!
posted by luzdeluna at 4:32 PM on October 15, 2022 [2 favorites]


A department store with a good personal shopper service will be able to help you. The shopper should be familiar with the brands in the store and know the varying fits. You go during your appointment and try various things on.
posted by jello at 5:20 PM on October 15, 2022 [1 favorite]


My husband is very tall and thin, and a large portion of his wardrobe is from American Tall. I have not tried their women's line, but if it is cut similarly, it may work for you. It is the only place that provides clothes for him that are reasonably fitted, but also long enough.
posted by another zebra at 7:07 PM on October 15, 2022 [1 favorite]


I’m 6’0” and wear size 10/12, so I’m not super thin. But I’ve never been able to fit into J Crew tall-sized clothing (it requires smaller thighs/hips than I have), so that’s where I’d start if I were you. You might also have luck with Boden long-sized dresses, pants, and skirts. Their dresses are sometimes frustratingly short in the torso, but you might find a cut that works for you (I can pretty much only wear their A-line skirts and dresses, but you might like their more fitted stuff).

The only place I’ve found that sells a range clothes in size small tall is Lands End, which might work for sweaters or cardigans. Their pants/dresses are probably too big in the waist for you. Some of the other brands, like Eddie Bauer, start at medium tall, which is probably too big as well.

I haven’t done it myself, but maybe you could try eShakti custom-sized dresses?
posted by Maarika at 8:44 PM on October 15, 2022 [1 favorite]


You might also swing by Uniqlo and try on a few things. They run skinny.
posted by Lady Li at 8:15 AM on October 16, 2022 [1 favorite]


This will be of limited use, but in the outdoor industry, Fjallraven is known for tall, trim cuts.
posted by workerant at 4:07 PM on October 16, 2022 [2 favorites]


I'm thin but not tall, and have found in general higher end or European clothes to have smaller options. I don't have a bank account to match so mostly shop used.
posted by sepviva at 5:09 PM on October 16, 2022 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I'm only 5'7", and my legs are short for my height, but I'm at the low end of normal weight (110 lb, if I'm being generous) and have been all my life. I'm also not "curvy" at all; my shape is rather boyish.

I've found that "outdoors" brands tend to run smaller and fit me better. Patagonia, in particular, seems to run pretty small, and I actually have to size up in their pants. L.L. Bean is hit or miss for me; the smallest size available in their main product line is often a 2 or even a 4, and their cuts are generous, but the petite sizes are too small for my frame. Their "Signature" brand is available in a 0 or XXS, and I find that the cuts are slimmer. I'm actually wearing a pair of their Signature jeans in a 0, and with a belt + baselayer, they fit okay.

Also, some higher end brands run narrow and tall. Rag and Bone, as mentioned above, fits me great. I also really like Theory, and I have had decent luck with Vince. Generally, the trousers in these brands are several inches too long, which means they'd probably fit you well. I buy all these brands secondhand on eBay or Poshmark.

If you have money to get clothes tailored, that's also an option. It isn't incredibly expensive, and you'll end up with something that looks as though it were made for you.

Also, if you happen to have long, skinny feet and need something a little dressier than a sneaker, I recommend Ferragamo shoes. I got a pair of lightly worn loafers for a steal on eBay and they're the first dress shoes I've ever owned that don't slip at the heel.
posted by easy, lucky, free at 7:04 AM on October 17, 2022


Some other brands that run thin:
Cos
Allsaints
H&M used to but I think they adjusted their sizing recently

You might also try Japanese brands. While I don't know how they'd do on the tall aspect, they definitely run thin. Muji and Uniqlo are the mass-market ones that come to mind.

J. Crew offers pants down to 0 Tall. I always found their stuff a bit on the small side. If the regular J. Crew prices are higher than you like, check out J.Crew Factory.

Madewell jeans run particularly slim in the thigh, in my opinion. They also carry them in "tall" and "taller" lengths.
posted by purple_bird at 9:17 AM on October 17, 2022


I'm here to suggest something different. Look around for an alterationist that is highly recommended in your area. I'm short and have to get the legs shortened on _every_ pair of pants or jeans that I buy. At the one I go to it is about $10-$12 each pair, but it's worth it not to walk on the hems of my pants!

For those things you like where the sleeves are right but it just "hangs off", you go to the alterationist and they adjust at the seams until the fit looks right. When it's done, it looks like you bought it that way, it fits, you're comfortable, and you've met your other criteria. The only downside is budgeting extra to have the clothes altered. I will note that _some_ stores offer alteration service when your purchase clothes but it tends to only be offered, I think, on higher-end things (for me, it was when I purchased a suit)
posted by TimHare at 8:37 PM on October 17, 2022


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