Finding clothes that fit is a scavenger hunt in itself - and usually an unsuccessful one if I'm shopping locally.
During my trip to South Korea, I thought it would be a good idea to check out the local fashion scene by hitting up the plethora of shops at Dongdaemun Market. It has around 26 shopping malls, 30,000 specialty shops, and 50,000 manufacturers. If that area failed there was always Myeongdong Street. With that many options, there HAD to be something for tall people - right?!
My goal was to find an outfit worthy of a Kpop MV. After multiple failed attempts wandering around the women's department, where the skirt and pant waists were the size of my right thigh, I finally went upstairs to the men's section. They had some great pants, unfortunately most were 30 to 32 inches for the inseam. I asked the assistants to help me find pants that were close to 90cm (35 inches) in length. I figured pairing army boots with the pants would make up for the 3 to 5 inch gap.
The attendant pulled a pair of green khaki pants off the wall and profusely promised me they would fit. (I could tell at first glance they were maybe 32 inches.) To humor him, I went to the dressing room and put them on, knowing they would be shorter than American capris. When I exited, there was a crowd of men waiting for me. The shop attendant was among the crowd trying hard not to laugh along with the others, who found the situation very entertaining. A foreigner came up and said there were bets on whether the pants would fit, and if not whether I would come out and show it.
The experience was a good reminder of why I shop online. But even online it's hard to find things that fit right on stretched out proportions. Amazon, with all of its options, ends up being the same as my shopping memory in Seoul. So for those who don't want to scour the internet like I scoured Dongdaemun - check out these sites below.
I found this store while roaming around Scottsdale Fashion Square. And I knew it was meant for tall people when their online options include INSEAM and it doesn't stop at 34 inches!!! They also have longer length shirts.
I learned about Long and Lean jeans a long time ago as a retail associate at The Gap. They used to have 36-inch pants in the store, but now you can only get them online. They do have an assortment of jean styles, but double check the length before you checkout. Not all "TALL" sizes are cut the same.
Whatever I couldn't find at other stores - shirts, dresses, jackets, etc. -- I found at Long Tall Sally. A UK retailer that is totally worth every penny. Majority of my fall fashion came from this site, and the pieces are classic enough to weather ever-changing fashion trends.
When I need new shirts, but don't feel like waiting weeks for them to ship from across the pond, Free People has been a good alternative. They tend to have a lot more lengthy styles than H&M or other trendy stores.
Banana Republic
For those that are looking for business wear, Banana Republic has a dedicated Tall Women's section. Their cardigans and sweaters tend to come a lot longer than their sister store (The Gap) and other big box alternatives.
Are there any sites that you enjoy shopping from?
And no, I'm not being paid from any of these sites to tout their clothing. I'm no longer a retail associate either :)