If you are tall you have probably run into this problem a few too many times. If you are very tall and very long legged like myself, shants (short pants) are a problem you are all too familiar with. This is arguably the most frustrating part of being tall in a not as tall fashion world, aside from stranger’s constant unsolicited comments regarding your stature.
The fashion industry may be filled with models that are considered tall, but ask a very tall girl shopping online if she can use the models for reference and you will quickly learn that those models are averaging 5’9. Anything above 6’ is often considered too tall for modeling (insert eye roll emoji). Needless to say, the shopping experience for women above six feet can be difficult, time consuming, and frustrating. That is why I decided to take my experiences of being 6’2, with more legs than torso, to come up with the three go-to stores for pants. Most importantly, I limited my recommendations to brands that try to be size inclusive. Hopefully this guide will save you time and provide you with a more pleasant shopping experience for the next online shopping spree that will work for you and your beautiful tall figure.
1.) Madewell: This is the store to shop at if you are looking to invest in a staple pair of pants. If you are looking to splurge and get your moneys worth, I highly recommend this brand. Any pair that I’ve bought has lasted me years without signs of wear. Not only is the quality great, they come in sizes 23- 37. Disclaimer: when I first discovered this brand, they did an excellent job offering many fits in taller and have since seemed to cut back on the options. I asked an in-store manager who seemed to think that they were heading towards selling less “tallers” (hoping this doesn’t happen but it’s still worth looking at online to see because they are great length).
Why I love this brand: I love that they offer not only one but two tall lengths – tall and taller. They seem to understand that someone who is 5’9 may not require the same inseam as those who are above 6 feet.
Sizing recommendations: For reference, my sister is exactly 6 feet and purchases the talls and loves the length. But for anyone above 6 feet I would suggest purchasing the taller. Most of the people I know who have a pair of Madewell jeans will call them true to size. Plus a lot of them have stretch so there’s some room on the days you may feel you need some give.
2.) Old Navy: Not only does this brand offer talls and a range of sizes, but they are more affordable among the tall brand options. They provide long inseams and have a special section for talls. They also sell size 0-30 on their website.
Why I love this brand: I love that they are affordable, size inclusive, and tall girl friendly. While the fit and quality is sometimes less predictable, I have been lucky in finding their looser fitting pairs are very comfy. I was also able to purchase my first pair of ripped tall pants, which has been a challenge since the rip style has been in.
Sizing Recommendations: Personally, I have found that the sizing can be inconsistent. I have definitely found that in some I could go down a size but then there are some that fit more true to size, particularly the ultra skinny jeans.
3.) Gap (& Gap Factory): I recently discovered that this was a tall girl friendly brand and am happy to report that they offer inseams that go above 36 inches (insert party popper emoji). For anyone looking for some work pants, I saw online that they have bootcut length at 37 inches! Most of their pants seem to offer tall and extra tall with sizes ranging from 24-35.
Why I love this brand: They are very tall girl friendly, offering a wide range of styles offered in tall pants!
Sizing Recommendations: Based on my experience and surveying of the reviews, it seems that this brand runs pretty true to size. Additionally, I have seen reports from some people that if anything the pants were too long, which those of us above 6 feet know is so never an issue.
