The Real Tall

Slaying in Snakeskin

Anyone feeling hit in the face with daylight savings? Can we all just agree not to participate anymore? Caitlin and I were just talking about how unfair it is to “spring forward” unless spring plans to show its face immediately. Today we’re hitting the upper 40’s! That’s a big deal for us, as we’re completely desperate at this point. Anything to melt this snow and get us in the springtime state of mind. We’re drooling over all the springtime pieces being released online already. Luckily we have a couple of upcoming trips to be able to wear them in more amenable climates.

One of the trends for springtime that is really speaking to us, is the utility aesthetic. Think of military inspired, and lots of linen. Along with this, is a lot of neutral colors. There is something so chic and effortless about an all neutral look. Plus it doesn’t hurt anything that a lot of the pieces we’re into are one piece wonders. Whether it’s a jumpsuit or a dress, they sure make getting dressed in the morning an easy task.

The other trend we can’t get enough of, (as evidenced many times this winter) is animal print. Leopard took the top prize for fall/winter, but snakeskin is totally pulling out in front as the neutral print for spring. Say no more, because I’m on board with it. There were a couple of too realistic prints that turned me off of it, like this matching set from Asos. For the most part, it’s one of the more timeless prints you can grab. I have a cowl neck tank I’ve held onto for many years from Express, and I’m already dreaming up different ways to style it.

We last showcased inexpensive Zara dresses here, and today’s snakeskin midi dress is no different. Any time we’re in the Chicago/NYC area, we make sure we hit up Zara for an intense try-on session. Due to them not carrying tall options, we don’t feel particularly confident in their items working. Plus, I’ve tried on enough items in store to realize they haven’t gotten their sizing completely consistent yet.

I ended up grabbing this on our girls trip for my birthday. We all ended up finding some great pieces this time, which usually doesn’t happen! The print was perfect, and when I threw it on, I loved the thickness of the turtleneck. It stands on its own when you fold it down, and is wider than the typical neck-hugging options. Clearly it doesn’t quite hit the midi length on me, but hitting the knee is more than reasonable to be able to wear to work. Unfortunately I didn’t find it anywhere on their site, so it’s probably long sold out. Hopefully some of y’all are lucky enough to live in a city with a local Zara you can stop in and try on!

I paired it with my brown tights, and an older pair of taupe boots I have from Nordstrom. The struggle has been on to find good updated knee high boots. Maybe when winter finally leaves, I’ll be able to find a good pair at a reasonable price. As boots are usually more of an investment piece, at most I can buy a pair a year. If you spend the money on leather boots, and you buy a protectant spray, you can expect them to last a very long time. We just bought this spray here, and it works well and is reasonable. Plus, when I update my boots, I will definitely be holding out for ACTUAL knee high options, as these aren’t quite making it to the correct spot.

Tell us below, do you still wear knee-high boots? If so, where do you find your options? (Also – anyone trying to post a comment, the issue is fixed!)

Other Snakeskin Options

A lot are tall sizing – scroll through!

March 13, 2019/0 Comments/by Jenilee & Caitlin

Post, Seasonal Guide

No Luck Necessary for St. Patrick’s

Pretty sure they only have these holidays so often, is so that we’re distracted by the fact that winter is still showing it’s ugly mug around these parts. Add in some cute decorations and some themed drinks and consider us fully attentive to said holiday. Bring it on St. Patrick’s Day!

Every year Caitlin has gone to our Milwaukee area Shamrock Shuffle. I used to attend it with her, it just doesn’t hold the same appeal to me as it once did! We haven’t made it down to our sister city (Chicago) for their St. Patrick’s festivities, but we’ve heard they’re legendary. They leave no detail to chance, including dying the river green! We can’t wait to hear about our brothers weekend in Chicago after the festivities!

They always hold the Shamrock Shuffle much earlier than the real holiday (Maybe to help monetize two “holiday” weekends?) so that still leaves us both open for the holiday itself. Caitlin has mentioned that she may use her Pub Pass with some friends to hit up a few local breweries. If you haven’t heard of the Pub Pass yet and like craft beer, you should check out their website to see if they are in your city. It’s a great price and lets you try out new places, Caitlin loves it!

Even though I don’t get as excited as most for this holiday, I do love a good Reuben. Maybe Tim and I will try to find one around the city or make them ourselves. Or if we are lucky, maybe my mom will want to get together and make them together, yum!

It makes a lot of sense then, that our go-to shop for St. Patrick’s day is run out of Chicago. The Taylor Wolfe Shop isn’t new to this blog. You might remember we featured her on small business Saturday in our holiday guides. We picked up a super cute Stay Merry Sweatshirt that is perfect for the holiday season. I only wish we had discovered her sooner, because she has a great selection of married/engaged t-shirts that would have been perfect for all the festivities.

When Caitlin saw the fresh drop for St. Patrick’s Day, she was instantly inspired to buy some decorations at the dollar store and have a fun time being festive! I’ll hop on my budget soapbox for a second. Any time we create little vignettes for parties or just for some pictures etc, we always check the dollar store first. Most cities have some variation you can check out. We all know that the chance of reusing most party supplies is slim to none. Balloons because they deflate over time, streamers because they’re a pain in the butt to try to re roll without ruining. You get the picture. Don’t go to Target or wherever and get ripped off. Hopping back off now.

Every time we see an incredible set that someone designed the knee jerk reaction is usually a little of jealousy. Like, why can’t we have something incredible like that? Instead of sitting and pouting about it, we take it and fit it into our lives. That means on a budget first and foremost, and hopefully y’all are taking that into consideration when looking at pictures or scrolling through Instagram.

Suffice to say, when we put on the t-shirt and sweatshirt, we were instantly in a better mood, and ready to have some fun! We did a drop or two of green food coloring in our beers and instantly felt festive! We had been talking to Hailey of Get it Got it Go in regards doing a collaboration and we figured what better time than over all things green and fun?

Peep all the fun pics below and tell us if you make any festive plans for St. Patrick’s Day!

March 11, 2019/0 Comments/by Jenilee & Caitlin

Post, Style

The Tall Lace Top of our Dreams

It’s Friday, and it’s basically Caitlin’s birthday week! Last night we went to one of the top rated restaurants in town (per Yelp), called Odd Duck. Small plates have become a big hit in Milwaukee. You won’t catch us arguing about that progression, it’s for good reason. Who hasn’t caught themselves from reaching over and taking a bite of their neighbors plate? Why should we have to limit ourselves to one delicious item off the menu, when we can sample 3 or 4 or more? Caitlin has definitely brought me around to the beauty of even splitting your order at a regular plates restaurant, so you can still try two different entrees!

We had an awesome time with incredible food, and we ended it with our favorite dessert drink – the Grasshopper, at At Random. They are known for being a quirky menu cocktail bar, and they just underwent some renovations. They’re better than ever! Have we convinced you that Milwaukee should be on your list of places to visit in the US yet? We’ll probably never stop sharing our love of our lesser known city. In the meantime, let us direct your attention back to Height of Fashion.

We’re back today to round out your wardrobe with an incredible lace blouse. On Wednesday Caitlin shared her new favorite boyfriend blazer. She wore it again this week to work, and I told her we need to do another post showcasing the versatility of it. The next time being worn professionally instead of casually. She got so many compliments on it! It’s the best feeling when you feel cool, but you’re also ridiculously comfortable in what you’re wearing.

Height of Fashion was founded by the gorgeous Natalie Matthews. As with a lot of our tall retailers, she stands tall herself at 6’3. We wouldn’t want our garments made by anyone else, than someone who has dealt with ill-fitting clothing herself. We can tell by the pieces we ordered, that Matthews truly put the time and energy in making sure the clothing would be well-fitting to our tall bodies.

She strove to design clothing that would make us feel confident and sophisticated. I must say, job well done. Long had I had been stalking her items, before I first purchased. I think a lot of the hesitancy came from it being an Australian company. By that, I mean different country, different sizing. Rest assured, they have a size guide and for us it was pretty true to size. I’d say when in doubt, you can size down. You don’t even have to consider sizing up for worrying about length. WE LOVE THAT. (However, Caitlin did end up sizing up for the blazer since she wanted a true oversize fit and our shoulders are larger than most)

The best way to encapsulate Height of Fashion is that they provide amazing on trend pieces for tall women, but will stand the test of time. Whether it’s a an updated print in a timeless silhouette, or just providing the basic options we’re all yearning for – they go the distance for us!

Back to this blouse. The price was ridiculously good, and the sleeve length looked legit. One thing I will have unfailing appreciation for as well, is the use of actual tall models. Matthews’ keeps good company with some pro Australian basketball players, and they model the designs on the site. We received it, and I couldn’t believe how lightweight it was, but still an amazing sturdy lace design. The sleeves really didn’t disappoint! Plus it’s a ridiculously good price right now, under $25!!

Caitlin at 5’11, had so much extra sleeve that the blouse looked completely different, as a bubble sleeve. She loved the look! We both also like the button details on the sleeve and neck. She paired hers with a some of her newer Gap jeans which you can also see styled in one of our Amalli Talli Posts here. And to complete her look she added some black booties that she snagged from The Nordstrom Rack. These were a HUGE win for her with having a heel yet still being so comfortable. We both also popped on an Express cami underneath. We have both had excellent luck with their cami’s in length, and quality.

I finally had picked up a new pair of black jeans from Gap. They had been on my list to replace, since the pair from Asos weren’t the most comfortable. I bought these for our mom for her birthday, and she has gotten good use out of them. I waited for them to go on sale, and then I snatched them up. They have a good amount of stretch, the only downside is them picking up a good amount of lint. I wore them with my easy black booties which are Circus by Sam Edelman. Speaking of, Clear the Rack at Nordstrom Rack is on now. I saw a couple of cute options for larger shoe sizes!

We took advantage of this Groupon for Drybar (for any of our Milwaukee area ladies) for this shoot. We last told you about our wonderful experiences with them here. If only the weather/wind would have been kind to us as well, but Spring, we are coming for you!

If you’re interested in checking out Height of Fashion for yourself, we have a code for 10% off full priced items use REALTALLBABES in all caps. They have an amazing selection right now. Just be aware when you check out, it switches the US dollar to Australian dollar, but the cost is still the converted US dollar.

Tell us below, have you purchased from any companies from different countries? If not, what is stopping you from doing it?

Outfit Details

Blouses are linked above in text!

March 8, 2019/2 Comments/by Jenilee & Caitlin

Post, Style

They See Me Blazin’

*I will not mention the terrible weather in Wisconsin, I will not mention the terrible horrible weather in Wisconsin* *I will not mention the terrible, no good, very bad, weather in Wisconsin* (SOS HELP!) Totally not kidding, just being dramatic. We are all to the point now where it’s just exhausting. I am sick of the air hurting my face, shoveling the snow, scraping ice off of my car and layering up every single day. My sweaters are living up to their full potential this winter but my brain is well beyond them into spring.

In fact, I have had to wipe the drool off of my phone and keyboard multiple times swooning for the new spring trends online. The colors, the prints, and the sales are really starting to chisel away at my self control. So as you will see here, I got as close to spring as I could by adding in some open toed shoes and a nice crisp spring Blazer color.

To switch directions a little bit; do you ever see outfits on other bloggers, celebrities, or Pinterest and feel the need to immediately recreate it? That’s 100% what happened here. Height of Fashion posted a picture on their Instagram of Chrissy Teigen and Rosie Huntington Whiteley essentially in this same outfit and I was smitten with the style.

If we’re being honest; if I saw these pictures on their own Instagrams or in a magazine, I probably wouldn’t have thought twice. Especially knowing that the odds of a blazer in that color fitting me are generally slim to none. The shoulders are usually not wide enough, sleeves too tight or too short and in general they just tend to be ill fitting. However; since HOF posted it due to one of their own products, I knew I stood a chance.

This blazer is meant to fit a bit more oversize than traditional blazers, which I was here for. I love me a good girlfriend blazer. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the fit of this blazer. All the details are perfect, down to the details of the amazing button. After I tried it on, I instantly began thinking of other pieces I own to recreate this look. Luckily for me, everything else you see here I already had. Luckily for all of you, this cami is still shoppable right now. As are these shoes. Jenilee and I both own these jeans, but they are a bit older from ASOS. I am not a huge Asos denim fan typically but these ones have been a favorite for a few years. I’ll link some similar options below for y’all.

Jenilee and I set some great intentions this year for the blog. One of them was to try out new to us tall retailers, in order to hopefully help all of you. Obviously we frequent Asos, Gap and Express but we thought it was time we expanded our horizons. So with in mind, I just wanted to touch briefly on Height of Fashion before I call it a day. They are a new to us, smaller company, based out of Australia. And if you ask us, they are killing the game.

Much like Amalli Talli they don’t take the term “Tall clothing” lightly. When they say tall/long they mean it and it shows. The sleeve length couldn’t be more generous in this blazer and I am so in love with wearing a blazer with ease. Even tall blazers from big box shops are typically too tight and restricting for my liking, but not this one!

We can’t wait to show you another top we both snagged in our new post on Friday. I can’t believe I am saying this, but the sleeves were almost too long for my 5’11 height. GASP. However, it just made for more of a bubble sleeve look which I was into. Stay tuned for that post! We did snag a few other items from Height of Fashion. We decided that we are going to wait until spring shows it’s face, before we shoot those looks for you. Good news for you, is that right now you can use code: REALTALLBABES (all caps) for 10 % off your order.

Where does your biggest style inspiration come from? We would love to hear if its from blogs, Pinterest, your friends or somewhere else!

Outfit Details

Blazer linked above, and heels linked above

March 6, 2019/0 Comments/by Jenilee & Caitlin

Post, Style

A Day at Drybar

Milwaukee may be considered a sleepy little city compared to much larger Chicago, but the city is certainly playing catch up in the best way. All the largest cities test out the newer products and services. When they are deemed winners, they make their way to smaller markets. That’s how we ended up with a Drybar in Milwaukee, and not a moment too soon.

I was able to first test out Drybar back when they first opened for a Yelp Elite Event. Suffice to say, I was thrilled. A night out of pampering and being made to look like I had model hair?! Yes please. I took my mom, and unfortunately Caitlin had to work otherwise she’d have been there in a heartbeat.

It’s actually probably for the best that she didn’t try it before that, because we all know we aren’t the best influences on each other. A little too much treat yoself, and not enough maybe next month! Who could turn down an offer for another chance to check out Drybar, with other Milwaukee area influencers?!

It took us all of two seconds to say we’d make it work, despite work day restrictions. We showed up flustered from trying to find street parking, but the days stress just melts away inside their salon oasis. We were greeted warmly and offered a beverage (which could have been a mimosa, except work).

Our hair stylists brought us over to our chairs, and checked in on which of their hair styles we were picking. We both had predetermined we wanted the Cosmo-Tai, which is a combination style of The Cosmopolitan and the Mai-Tai. Think great curls, but a little less than perfect.

From there, they went to work on us. We scooted over to the washing room, where the magic began. I know most women are with us, there is nothing better than someone else washing your hair and styling it for you! They spend a few extra glorious minutes rubbing the tension out of your scalp, while the conditioner works its magic. If you struggle with product build up, girl they got you! They have a great new charcoal product that removes all the junk, like when you’re piling on the dry shampoo to extend your hair!

From there they take you back to the chair, and the relaxation continues. There is always a chick flick on their TV screens, with subtitles of course. That, paired with upbeat music and charming stylists, makes for time well spent pampering yourself. We sipped our drinks while they dried, curled, and volumized.

I was incredibly impressed, because we’ve always struggled to keep volume on top because of our hair length. This was no problem for our stylists. The problem at the end when we left, was to stop ourselves from incessantly tossing our manes around like horses. When they make you feel like a queen, you just can’t help it!

Caitlin wore a favorite of hers, this tall wrap bodysuit from Asos. She can wear it to work, or out for a night, because she can throw on a cami or pin the chest higher if needed for modesty. The little lace detail is subtle but a great addition. This is an easy uniform for her. Styling tip, find a great silhouette, and buy multiple options – like one of our first posts here. She wears these Gap jeans quite often and for good reason. The wash is a great black jean, and the high waist is amazing! And as you have seen many times before her beloved Long Tall Sally booties. Side note: This exact top is also made in main line sizing.

Using a gift card from our Aunt Susan for Christmas, I snatched up this ruffle neck blouse from Gap on major sale. Initially I was hesitant about the style, but the feminine detailed blouses always draw me in. Then I put it on, and all my hesitancy fell away. It makes me feel so cute! I’m so glad I bought it, because it’s light enough to transition into other seasons easily. Plus it’s a tall! I paired it with an older pair of Asos denim. They’re a cross between mom jeans and boyfriend jeans, and they are ridiculously comfortable. Y’all know I’m getting that cost per wear down on my Treasure and Bond booties from Nordstrom. I linked a pair in taupe below, they are on MAJOR sale.