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Height Goddess, The Shirt Says it All

The running joke now is, we’re forgetting how tall we are now because we can’t go outside for anyone to tell us. I’ll pause for the chuckles or groans. 

It does have a ring of truth though, especially for our family. We’re all well above average height, so we feel pretty normal when we’re spending time together. It’s only when you compare us to another family or group of people, and realize just how different we are. If we didn’t notice, we have all the other people who’d like to announce it to us typically prior to a normal greeting. As appealing as it is to be treated like an oddity (enter sarcasm), we daydream about sailing through the day uninterrupted by that one question that’s on everyone’s lips.

“How tall are you?!” Followed closely by, “You HAVE to play sports: basketball or volleyball?” Uh, let’s just be clear about that, you don’t HAVE to do anything just because God blessed you with height. It honestly makes me relieved that I can say, yes I did because it cuts off the conversation and I fulfilled their expectation. The other (naughty) part of me wants to ask, why do I have to play basketball or volleyball and start a controversial discussion with a stranger. The inner me knows I’d be wasting my breath, so I mostly hold my tongue.

Caitlin and I have long talked about how great it would be to have t-shirts that could speak for us. Cue Height Goddess making the graphic t-shirts and sweatshirts of our dreams! Maybe you’ve always felt tongue tied in the moments a stranger approaches you. You wished you could come up with some witty retort. No need any more! Height Goddess will speak so you don’t have to. Hopefully it convey the desire to avoid the redundant conversations in the first place.

It makes me think about several instances that I try to forget. The first being one year at Bastille Days. We were waiting for my husband to get beers outside a tent. As we’re looking around enjoying ourselves a group of boomer men were openly staring. I wondered why for a brief moment, until I realized their group’s “tall guy” was standing behind me trying to compare our heights. I wish that was the only instance of that occurring but it’s just one in dozens. Basically festivals are ground zero for tall comments, as it also always happens at Summerfest whether you’re just wandering the grounds or “blocking” someone’s view during a concert.

Cutting right to truth, is the “Life is short, but I’m not” available in both a sweatshirt and a tshirt version. Well cut to fit our long limbs, it’s a cheeky take on recognizing the positives. Life may be short, but we still don’t need people stating the obvious every day! These t-shirts and sweatshirts are amazingly soft and high quality fabric. Plus no worrying about having to size up to get the length/fit right.

The other perfect graphic is “Yes, I know I’m tall.” Take the words right out of their mouths and add a graphic t-shirt to your closet that will go with everything. You can wear it tied up like Caitlin did with jeans, or you can tuck it into a skirt for an edgier look. Really, the possibilities are endless and you know we love graphic t-shirts for their versatility. 

The sweatshirts come in black and olive, which you know is one of our favorite colors! Olive is practically a neutral at this point, so it only feels right. Lameka, the founder of Height Goddess has been creating stunning clothing options for tall women since 2007! It is not easy to stick around as a tall small business, but she has stood the test of time. She also has some stunning tall maxi dresses cut in classic silhouettes that you’ll be able to keep in your rotation forever. 

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Height Goddess yet, you’re missing out. Every tall girl needs to grab one of these tshirts and help spread the word that we know EXACTLY who we are. We are tall and proud! Big thanks to Lameka for sending us these shirts and sweatshirts to try out and share with y’all. Expect to see them on repeat.

Shop all of her designs, here!

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Real Tall Finds Friday: Volume 10

Coming back today for a Real Tall Finds Friday, which has been on hiatus out of respect for many who may have lost their jobs. We realize that many of you may still be shopping, per some feedback we’ve gotten over the last couple of weeks. Either way you cut it, people are in different situations right now. So while we’re not going to necessarily do RTFF every week, we wanted to outline a couple of ridiculous deals we’ve stumbled across lately.

First up are turtlenecks from Gap. Most of the time, I buy my trendier pieces from places like H&M. This gets the job done for cheap and if the trend is super quick, I don’t feel bad about spending a few dollars on it, like the green snakeskin turtleneck you might remember from earlier this year. However, Gap usually has RIDICULOUSLY GOOD end of season sales. Since they have a decent selection of tall pieces, I’m constantly scrolling their site and adding to cart while I wait for the right sale. You can snag this turtleneck for under $5 if pink is your color, with long enough sleeves and body length!

Next up, Caitlin and I were just talking about long sleeve blouses on Facetime with our Grandma. As the OG tall matriarch of our family, you can imagine she had many struggles growing up and finding well-fitting clothing. The ole, back in my day story arc never rang so true! While the list is unfortunately still pretty short of stores with well-fitting button up blouses, Gap made the list! This linen blouse is one of our most reached for pieces, especially because it can easily be worn to work. It is lightweight and the shoulder fit is ideal, as well as the generous sleeve length (yes, for both of us!). We’ve bought them in Large Tall historically, and they are a nice long length and very easy to tuck in. You can get it for under $30 right now… what a steal!

Also, despite it being out of season I must mention this velvet jumpsuit. Every season when holiday festivities roll around, I find myself yearning for all of the velvet pieces. Recognizing that I’ll get minimal use out of it otherwise, I resisted the pull. But… for $11?! In a tall?! I must, and did. I can confirm that this velvet jumpsuit is the right length in the body for tall women! I bought a size 12 tall and although I might take it to the tailor for the upper body, the lower body skims exactly as I’d like it to!

I also like to stock up on long sleeves from Gap out of season. I bought this scoop neck long sleeve, which is also under $10 in Medium Tall. It again, has great sleeve length, and the scoop neck is neither too high or too low!

Also worth mentioning if you’re on the hunt for shorts, Gap always has great length options. They still do tall shorts, which are typically between .5-1 inch longer than the mainline options. I bought these high rise curvy denim shorts, and have to say, we are super stoked to be seeing more and more “curvy” options offered at retailers. We have long had to size up to fit our thighs/butt and ended up stuck with a larger than needed waist gap. I bought these in a 31 Tall and they are 4.5 inches long. Plus they come up past my belly button, so a true high rise!

Lastly, one of Caitlin’s favorite buys from Gap probably within the last year, are the Cigarette Jeans. They are true to size, and hug her curves perfectly. (My side note is, as being five inches taller, I don’t love the length on me). But on her 34 inseam at 5’11, they hit ideally at the ankle. We’re typically between a 30/31 at Gap. This pair does have some good stretch to it, we say stick to your usual size. All in all, they are a polished looking pair of jeans that elevate your look and they are under $35!

As always, we thank you for choosing to click any of our links and/or purchase through them. We do make a small commission, and it is also great feedback to see what you ladies are or are not interested in! Have a wonderful weekend, and stay safe!

Caitlin also just placed a last minute sale order due to their huge sale and got these items:

Tie Dye Shorts

Camp Shirt

Hawaiian Party shirt

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Tall and On Trend in Height of Fashion

We’re trying our best to get back into a rhythm of posting on the blog regularly. I recently read encouragement from another blogger I follow on Instagram (Color Me Courtney) who reminded me that the only thing we own/control is our blog. Instagram could disappear someday and then all of our stuff would be gone! Not to be morbid or get anyone else hyped up, just made me realize even just writing a little blurb but still having posts on our blog is better in the long run for us. So stay tuned and help keep us accountable!

With that in mind, it often has felt completely impossible to string together coherent sentences. I’m sure you can relate that my mind has been a jumbled mess. The “game” has changed and we’re all struggling to catch up and evolve with it. Trying to keep some levity through this is darn near impossible because we don’t have an end date. It would almost be easier knowing that this is the “new normal” and just carry on from here. 

My husband and I were watching Elevation Church’s service two Sundays ago and Pastor Steven Furtick touched on plans being canceled and not even being able to say goodbye/mourning the end of what we knew. It’s worth a listen, if you’re looking for a new podcast! I think we’re all realizing what was important to us before this and what is important to us now.

I know when I start to get super anxious and/or stressed, I take steps to root myself back in the present. Nothing beyond today, right now. Not going to ponder the plans I have in a couple of weeks, let alone a couple of months because it will easily send me into the pit of despair. Also not going to start reminiscing about the good ole days of what I miss. Instead I’m sitting in the new reality of what will improve my mentality right here and now. That can mean taking an extra minute to sit and sip my hot coffee (which I now drink creamer with for a more luxurious feeling), or making sure I move my body because it will vastly improve my mindset. It can also mean, cooking a yummy comfort food meal, or just ordering out some food and cozying up for the night. 

Another thing that I’ve realized is how much I enjoy dressing up. People joke about how it doesn’t matter what you wear anymore now that no one is around to see you. In truth, I’ve realized I like to dress up for me. Which is how it should be, right? I’m a much better me, when I take a little care with my appearance. It raises my spirits and gives a sense of normalcy. So when you see us still sharing dressier clothes, know that is why we’re doing it. 

Most of this is clothing we were shopping for before this pandemic began, but it is cool to see how clothing has made the transition through it. For instance these leopard trousers. They’re a satin-y material and basically feel like uber chic pajama pants. They’re ultra versatile. I styled them previously with a white one shoulder sweater and red flats for a pop of color. This time I threw on this square neck tank top from ASOS tall and a faux leather jacket. For at home, I could even go more casual and do a white knotted shirt and throw on some Nikes if I have to head to the grocery store. For sizing, these are a medium, but I would recommend going with a large if you’re a 10/12 like we are. They have a zip up side though, which makes the fit extra streamlined!

Caitlin bought this sexy leopard midi dress also from Height of Fashion. It’s the perfect midi dress because it flashes a bit of leg but doesn’t go overboard. This way, you can wear it in any setting, super comfortably. Caitlin styled it with our favorite Amalli Talli jean jacket, a black hat, and her Nike Air Force 1’s for a casual vibe. Then she dressed it up in some strappy sandals and a leather jacket for a night out (or a zoom call/date for the time being). She bought it in a size large, and it’s worth noting that there is not any stretch to the material. If you’re hourglass shaped as well, you might want to size based on your hip/butt area. 

Lastly, this sexy gold mini dress is a knockout. I know we’re not alone in wondering if mini dress/skirts will forever elude our grasp. This dress answers that question with a resounding no! Plus, that sleeve length… can you even believe how good it is?! So basically, it’s nirvana. Wearing this can make any tall woman feel like a golden goddess. It hugs your curves juuusssttt right.

I paired it with a gold chain belt I found at Akira and some older strappy heels I got from Nordstrom Rack. Plus, it is a stretchy comfortable fit, so even if you’re doing a pseudo date night in your house, you won’t be worrying about wanting to change! I’m wearing it in a size medium and it works great on both of us in this size. 

All in all, if you haven’t shopped at Height of Fashion yet, you’re missing out. They have some seriously fabulous items that are perfectly proportioned for our length. I know shopping all the way in Australia might deter some, but Natalie and her team are always available/ready to discuss fit questions to ease your mind. We are happy to help in any way we can as well, just drop us a note in the comments or DM us on Instagram!

Outfit Details

Link to the leopard print joggers, here. Link to the gold mini dress, here. Link to leopard midi dress, here.

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ASOS Tall Spring Look

I don’t want to jinx it, but I think it might be safe to declare that spring is here (in Wisconsin). Our magnolia tree looks like it’s about to bloom and it sure feels like it is per my allergies. I’m a sniffly happy mess, because I’ll take these allergies if it means warmer days ahead! We’ve also been able to sleep with our windows open and I definitely don’t take these days for granted, as I know it will be short lived

So despite being stuck at our homes, we’re still shopping with warmer temperatures in mind. No one is sure what Summer will end up looking like this year, but we’re still thinking positive on smaller gatherings! A ton of our favorite festivals have already either been cancelled for the year or postponed. That doesn’t mean we’re not holding out hope on attending some barbeques, etc and looking cute doing it!

I know some of you might already be close to tank top weather, which is really jealousy inducing for us! We were supposed to be heading to Arizona for a cousin’s trip in a couple of weeks and we’re desperately awaiting that heat. So imagine Caitlin wearing this adorable Summer top in Arizona for us, if you will. But in all seriousness, welcome to her porch if you aren’t following along on Instagram already. Get ready to see it from all angles as she did her very best to still get content ready while being responsible about social distancing!

This tank top is from ASOS tall. Sidebar, I just want to clarify the verbiage we choose to use when we’re talking clothes with you on The Real Tall. We’ve seen a lot of bloggers use the words “tall friendly” to describe clothing. This would be a good description by our standards if we were shopping the mainline selection/stores that only carry average sized clothing. If a retailer has a designated tall section, then they are not “tall friendly” by our definition, they are a tall clothing retailer and deserve to be denoted as such. Hopefully that makes sense to you. We will always do our part to tell you the difference. 

So back to the tank top. We’ve bought plenty of ASOS tall crop tops over the past couple of years. It’s always great to have a couple of extra inches and not feel overexposed while still participating in the crop top trend. This option is super fun with all the ties in the back. Dare we say, you could go braless with this one? Your call, but just saying – it could work. 

Whenever we wear crop tops, you better believe whatever we wear on our lower half is going to be high waisted. These jeans (which are also from ASOS but not their brand) have the perfect rise to just show a sliver of midriff. Unfortunately I think most sizes of that specific pair is sold out, but we will also link a couple of similar washes below. With everything going on right now, ASOS has been running a bunch of promotions on and off trying to drum up sales. If you haven’t checked them out before, now is a good time to do it while they’re having sales. 

I’m constantly surprised that tall women haven’t heard of or haven’t tried ASOS yet. They have by far the largest selection of tall women’s clothing and they have so many on trend items. We definitely count them as one of our go-to’s when looking for budget friendly pieces. We find them to be pretty true to size (when dealing with their own brand) but would say to err on the side of sizing down if needed. So tell us below, have you tried ASOS yet? If not, what’s stopping you? Hope you have a great weekend ahead of you!

Outfit Details

Link to the top, here. Link to the jeans, here. Link to similar jeans, here and here.

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Tall & Isi

It’s always a good day when we can introduce/feature a new tall clothing retailer to you all! Especially in these unprecedented times, when we’re doing the best we can to support small businesses it couldn’t be more timely. We’re all struggling in various ways being quarantined, and no one more than non-essential businesses. To all our friends/followers who cannot or are not able to work right now, we truly feel for you. Please let us know if there is any way to support you in the comments below. The effects of COVID 19 are wide reaching and we aren’t seeing the end of the tunnel yet. In the meantime, we’re trying to control what we can, which is to support people the best we can. Meaning, if we can stimulate the economy by shopping, we’re happy to step up to the plate. 

Without further ado, let’s talk Tall & Isi! Founded by Isi herself, she feels firsthand the gaps left in the marketplace for tall fashion. We are always so inspired by women who see a problem and take on the challenge to find solutions instead of just hoping someone else will handle it. Solution seekers are the best! 

The second part we love about Tall & Isi is how she names her clothing items. She takes her inspiration from the women in her life that have encouraged and inspired her. These women span the globe, which is incredible! Those are the kind of friendships/relationships I think we all aspire to have in our lives. 

You should definitely sign up for her newsletter, because firstly it gives you 15% off your first order(!) and secondly it gives a fun explanation of why each item is named! I enjoy reading the reasoning behind each choice, it adds a layer of sentimentality to my shopping experience and is much more personalized, even if I don’t personally know them. 

The clothing she sent us to try was Emilie longline blazer and the Lisa A-line skirt. We were most excited about the blazer, as that has long been a nemesis of ours. The shoulder width and arm length and size constantly eludes us on fit. We’re super happy to report that you don’t have to worry about either of those with this perfect blazer!

First off, the shoulders fit our wider frames perfectly. Caitlin is wearing the XL here in orange. She was probably between a large and XL for chest size. The second part we adored is the ¾ sleeve length. This makes the blazer ideal for wearing in the warmer months, since most of the time we can’t get that perfectly rolled cuff look with full length sleeved blazers. Plus the sleeve width works well for our more muscular arms. It’s also the best fabric to make it a crossover blazer for dressing up or casually. It’s a one piece wonder that will make you look polished in the 10 seconds it takes to throw it on!

Caitlin wanted to show y’all her two takes on professional and casual style with the Emilie blazer. First she was super excited to add a rust orange blazer to her collection. It is such a perfect statement piece or it also comes in black. So for work she styled it with these black trousers from ASOS tall and a white cami and flats. To make it casual, she switched it out to Gap curvy cigarette jeans with a ripped knee and her favorite strappy sandals from Amazon which go up to size 11. Here is the link for Amazon basics which goes up to size 13, just keep bookmarked for when they come back in stock! 

The Lisa A-line skirt is totally our style. A tall midi? You know we were interested right away, as we adore anything midi length. We were initially hesitant because Isi described the size large as good for a 10/12. Would it fit us? So we tested it out and are so happy to report that it works perfectly! The skirt is a gauzy/floaty style and it is lined, so no worrying about see through fabric. As it is made for tall women – it hits at the perfect below the knee calf length. You already know how much we adore army green, so this color was a no brainer to add to our closets. If that’s not your color, she also has cream and burnt orange! Plus, with this fabric, again it is super versatile to wear to work or transition to your weekend activities! To style it, Caitlin wore this Gap linen button up shirt. These button ups from Gap have really great sleeve length if you’re constantly looking for that like we are!

Basically, Isi is putting together a wonderfully well-rounded boutique for her tall sisters. We have been following along and are loving these new Spring/Summer pieces. We had already snatched up a couple of her Winter sweaters and so far, everything has been perfectly proportioned for our length! If you’re able to support a small business and have some fun shopping while you’re at it, we urge you to go check out Tall & Isi!

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