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Smart Layering With Amalli Talli

We’ll just keep this short and sweet today! Everyone needs layers in their life. Especially in our current weather. You wake up in the morning and need a jacket to comfortably go outside, but by the time you leave work, you firmly don’t need a jacket. The sun is still doing a great job of warming it up during the day, for us to have a comfortable afternoon/evening. While we’d love to just plan for a one-season type of day where it’s consistent; it’s just not realistic. 

That’s where layers come in. Having the appropriate pieces you can wear as bases in your wardrobe is a must. I’ve caught myself searching my closet high and low to find the right top to wear underneath a cardigan or a jacket. They’re probably the unsung heroes of your closet if we’re being honest!

Plus if they’re well-fitting, it makes them that much easier to reach for repeatedly. That is definitely the case with Amalli Talli’s crew neck layering tanks! We’re constantly searching for pieces we can pair with our skirts for work wear. It’s a bigger task than you might think because it has to be the right length to comfortably tuck in. You guessed it, a lot of other retailers don’t quite fit the bill on that end. 

Another thing I get picky about with shells is where the armpit hole cuts in. If you’re ever planning to wear it alone, you don’t really want that pinch between the edge of the top and your armpit. It’s uncomfortable, and not flattering. Plus, I’ve experienced too many short armpit holes rubbing on my armpit all day for my comfort. If you go the other way, sometimes you’re exposing your bra because the armpit is too droopy. We feel like Goldilocks, because the armpits on this tank, are jusstttt right.

We got this tank in size medium. We do feel it’s true to size; however, if you have a bigger bust you might want to consider sizing up for that. Amalli Talli always has the best jewel tone color palette, so this tank is available in red or blue! Caitlin styles it with one of her favorite mini skirts from Gap. Who says gingham can’t be worn in Fall as well? Plus she added our new favorite jacket, the moto jacket from Amalli Talli that we debuted yesterday on the blog. If you missed it and want to see it on me (Jenilee 6’4) then check yesterday’s post here. 

I’m sure you have it memorized by now, but we’ve got a 15% discount code for you to use if you’ve been eyeing up any of their new items. Use THEREALTALL15 to snag any of their ridiculously good layering pieces! Check out the leopard print sweater here, the duster here, the cardigan here, and the moto jacket here! Guarantee you won’t regret your purchase. 

Outfit Details

Link to the red crew neck tank here!

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The Amalli Talli Moto Jacket of Our Dreams

We were pretty light on posts last week, but we’re making up for it this week by posting every day of the week! It’s a marathon of goodness because it means we’re trying to share all the new finds with you asap. All of our favorite retailers are dropping the best items, we just “need” in our closet. Fall fashion might be one of the most exciting times of the year to shop. 

I’m a little biased because my birthday is in November, so I get excited about picking out birthday gifts as well. Every year I try to think of the items I don’t necessarily like to spend the money on for myself. I know we all have our quirks like that. Things that we admire and maybe just don’t feel justified in spending the money on. It might be a more frivolous item that you can’t see yourself wearing as extensively as other items. More likely for me, is the cost. I have a dollar threshold in my mind, and I am a bargain shopper through and through. So with quality goods, I end up hesitating until someone buys it for me, or it goes on sale. Too many times to count, I’ve been burned waiting for sales and the item sells out.

Luckily as I’ve aged, I’ve gotten a bit better about recognizing what items I can’t and shouldn’t wait on. We’re going to keep harping on that cost-per-wear because we believe it’s really important when deciding how to spend your hard-earned money. Most of us can’t just throw money around thoughtlessly without going into serious debt. The point is, you don’t need to. You can put some thought into discovering your style and buy items that will fit seamlessly into it. 

Suffice to say, Caitlin and I have both been pining away for a tall moto jacket for years. That isn’t saying we’ve never tried to buy one before now. It began when I was working as a sales associate at Express. I found a cute canvas moto jacket that had sleeve snaps to make it ¾ sleeve length. Which it obviously needed to be, because in no way was it cut for a tall woman. As a matter of fact, it was too short just about everywhere; but by gosh, I was going to make it work. 

So after a few years of forcing the issue, I spotted a Gap actual tall option. I was elated and snapped it up. The problem was despite it being tall, it still didn’t fit that well. But because it was a step up from the Express option, I was committed to keeping it! The fabric had no stretch in it, so I just had to be sure I didn’t reach for anything too aggressively and rip it. If I stood with my hands at my sides, it would still look normal/cute. The things we do for fashion, right ladies?!

When we heard that Amalli Talli was making a foray into the jacket world, we anxiously held our breath. “Could it be, they’d heard our cries for a moto jacket,” we’d excitedly discuss amongst ourselves. Cut to the release, and our prayers are answered! We soaked in the videos of Amy and Alli discussing the details, noticing that they’d covered every single thing we’d dreamed of for so long. It’s black – check. It’s cut generously in the shoulders – check. It’s made of a comfortable fabric, while still looking chic – check, check. There’s no need to size up to fit the shoulders, therefore, making it look shapeless – check! 

They covered all of the bases and then some. As with their other pieces, they’re high quality and will last you forever. Will this jacket ever go out of style? Highly unlikely. Will I ever get uncomfortable wearing it? Not a chance. I’m already planning to wear it all weekend in Philadelphia. A lot of times I avoid bringing certain jackets I own because I will be uncomfortable squeezing into a plane seat with them. It doesn’t even have to be a consideration for this moto jacket. We both got it in size L. While it’s a cozy knit material, there isn’t a ton of give to it. We actually prefer that, because it helps keep its structure looking amazing. So I’d say that’s pretty true to size for us and jackets. We carry some of our weight in our arms and our shoulders are wider than average. 

Long story short, I’m throwing out all my other jackets and just moving forward with this one. I see our future together and it is bright! To circle back to tie this in a bow, we’re telling you not to wait on purchasing this jacket. You will NOT regret it, but you will be so sad if the perfect jacket sells out before you can purchase it. Plus, don’t forget we’ve got a 15% off code to help your wallet. Use THEREALTALL15 and snap it up! If you’re wondering how any of their other items fit on us, check the leopard sweater here, the duster here, and the cardigan here. We’ve still got some more items coming to share, and we’ll be remixing them countless ways to show the versatility as well! 

Outfit Details

Link to the moto jacket, here!

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Going Midi with Megan Reilley

We’ve got another Amazon warrior goddess back in the game today. Who might we be talking about?! None other than newly relaunched Megan Reilley Clothing! We’re betting that you’ve heard of her before, but if not, we’ll be glad to catch you up on the relevant details. She popped onto the scene in 2018 after being fed up and frustrated with shopping for well-fitting clothing for herself. Standing at a statuesque 6’1 herself AND being a size 12, she knew that there was a gap in the marketplace waiting to be filled. Just writing her stats, fills me with excitement! Knowing that she’s pretty much our size and designing garments, means that we’re headed for a happy future of well-fitting clothing.

To add to all of that goodness above, she took it upon herself to ensure that anything she created was made sustainably. We’ve been admittedly enamored with fast fashion. Especially understandable given our background of a poverty mindset regarding shopping and finding well-fitting garments. So despite our initial hesitancy of purchasing a pricier garment, we returned to the trusted cost-per-wear rational. These aren’t pieces of trendy clothing that you’ll grow weary of easily. Megan chose to design a line of garments that are fashionable, yet timeless! The first piece we’re sharing is the Gisele midi bodycon dress. 

We’ve long abided the rule that one can’t have too much black in one’s closet (does that make us sound super fancy?). Honestly, it’s sound reasoning because black pairs well with anything. So having a black dress that’s the perfect weight to wear *at least* 3 seasons out of the year, and is ideal for layering, is the smart choice. A lot of times in the past we’ve purchased tall dresses from fast-fashion retailers, only to wear them a couple of times and have them be ruined because they’re made cheaply. The other alternative is buying it and then it is too trendy to hold onto for long term use. Neither is particularly smart but very easy for us to fall prey to doing! 

Instead, we’re working on building up a better foundation of basics to keep the mixing and matching possibilities endless. The Gisele dress is a true chameleon and a wardrobe winner. It’s made of knit stretchy fabric. While it’s clingy, it’s not the same type of jersey that will show every little imperfection you’d rather camouflage. Caitlin chatted with Megan about the fit, and ultimately decided on sizing up to the XL. She’s glad she did because it will probably go further in her closet now that it’s not skin tight. 

She wanted to make it Fall ready, and what better jacket to grab than our new favorite moto from Amalli Talli? Wearing two tall small businesses’ clothing items makes you feel like the ultimate winner. We’ll be sharing more on our thoughts about the jacket soon! Then she grabbed her favorite hat we have from H&M. They have several sizes and the large fits our big heads! To finish it off she brought her booties out of storage, as the temperatures continue to drop.

Like we mentioned, the styling possibilities are endless with this dress. I (Jenilee) dressed it up, with a pair of nude heels and some red lipstick. I could wear this to a wedding, or a date night. Caitlin styled it with a pair of Converse and a denim jacket to dress it down for an easy weekend look or a travel look. An additional way we didn’t get pictures of yet, would be with a blazer for a perfectly chic work look. 

So all in all, Megan Reilley is another amazing tall retailer option to add to your list. All of their clothing is sourced ethically and can provide a living wage to their employees, plus it’s made in North America! Their shipping packaging is recycled and the fabrics are also local. Whew, I think she’s covered it all! The future of tall clothing is looking bright, thanks to all of these tall sisters thoughtfully pursuing solutions for our fashion woes!

Outfit Details

Click here for link to the Gisele midi dress!

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Lounging with Figleaves

Recently we’ve gotten a few questions regarding athleisure wear. Where do we find it, how does it fit, etc. I know for us, sometimes the line is blurred on athleisure and loungewear. What better option than having something you can wear to the grocery store and curl up at home comfortably? Plus, the best part about loungewear nowadays, is that you don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort. 

I remember all of my original athleisure/loungewear from high school being super masculine. Of course, it was masculine because it was literally men’s athletic wear. Otherwise, I’d size up as far as I could go in hopes of achieving enough length, which left me looking like a shapeless blob. That started way back in middle school, unfortunately, and I hadn’t even pulled away from the pack enough to be the tallest in my class!

From there, I just maintained a status quo of wearing my pants pulled down as far as I could with layered shorts underneath. Back then I was making different fashion statements, haha. Plus leggings were JUST beginning to gain popularity and be socially acceptable to wear as pants (it was early to mid-2000s). I remember all of the leggings I owned being capri length at best. It was a time of settling in my life. 

While I was settling for humongous sweatpants and sweatshirts, the only thing working in my favor was homemade pajamas. We were lucky to have a Grandma who was good at sewing, and who passed it along to our Mom. At least every Christmas, we’d be gifted a new set of flannel pajamas, that were made to our size. That was the best feeling! Nowadays, with our Grandma being 90, she doesn’t get to sew as often as she used to. Caitlin and our Mom made us all matching pajama pants a couple of years ago for Christmas, which brought back all the good feelings. 

For when we (and you) can’t wait around for someone to personally sew us a great loungewear outfit, we’ve been looking around for better options to share with you! Cue us finding out about Figleaves being tall women-friendly! Any time we try out a new company, our inner self is busy screaming, “that can’t possibly fit/work for you,” because of all the bad experiences we’ve had with other attempts. We’re happy to report that this isn’t the case with Figleaves. 

I (Jenilee) tried out their chemise set. I’m always looking for sets that will elevate my sleepwear to a more grown-up look. What initially drew me to it was the built-in cami bra shelf. Speaking for myself, but I don’t like wearing a bra to sleep. Then if you have guests visiting, you also can’t just wear your pajamas around the house (unless you plan on showing off the goods). With the bra shelf, you’re covered adequately to wear to sleep and then not have to immediately throw on clothes in the morning just to drink some coffee!

Caitlin got the coatigan, which is really a sweater weight bathrobe. If you live somewhere that gets cold in the Winter, you’re going to need this bathrobe. Probably asap before the temperatures drop further. Just this morning, I was complaining about the heat needing to be turned on because it was too cold to get out of bed! I know Caitlin has to stock up on items like these because she likes to save some money on her heating bill as well. It’s the perfect cozy addition to help you enjoy your mornings and evenings, while still looking put together. The argument can be made to even throw it on and wear out and about. I doubt anyone would bat an eye because it’s one chic layering piece.

With the holidays on the horizon, it’s never too early to start thinking about gift ideas. A lot of women don’t like to spend a lot of money on items “most people won’t see,” but we’re always thrilled to receive elevated basics like these loungewear pieces. To any men reading this, buying this for your significant other is typically mutually beneficial. They get something lovely to wear around, and you get to see them in it! In addition, fig leaves offer a huge variety of tall friendly swimwear! 

Outfit Details

Link to the chemise, here and link to the Coatagan, here!

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A Cardi Party with Amalli Talli

AHHHH, is all we have to say after returning from up north totally refreshed. It’s that feeling of realizing you’ve been breathing polluted air once you get even two hours north of Milwaukee. Not saying Milwaukee is nasty, but as with any city, you have a different air quality. Fall feels that much more magnified when you’re surrounded by nature and not buildings. 

Plus it was great to get some Grandma time in! She’s our OG tall matriarch of the family. We wouldn’t exist without her and our Grandpa meeting at a tall people club in Milwaukee many years ago. Isn’t that such a fun thing to think about? Our height pride goes two generations back! Nowadays she just gives our brother (who is 6’8) a hard time about dating a tall woman. You already know we can’t get enough of that!

The temperatures have already dropped up north and the boats are out of the water! We’re fully embracing the layers that Fall requires. Luckily we have this cardigan from Amalli Talli to throw on over anything and everything. This is the third piece we’re sharing from their Fall drops, check out the leopard sweater here, and the duster here. As always, if you follow along on Instagram we’re sharing our thoughts on the fit on Instagram stories. Don’t worry if you miss it the day it’s posted, we’ve made an Amalli Talli highlight and saved all of them there! 

So as with the previous pieces we’ve discussed, this is one versatile sweater. Whenever they design these pieces, they are making darn sure that they’ll be hard workers in your closet. So you might look at the cost and be hesitant about spending a little extra money initially; however, we always like to consider cost-per-wear for our items. So if we buy something really trendy, even though it might only be $24, it might also be really cheaply made consequently. So you wash it once and then maybe are able to wear it once more. That’s $12 per wear, not so good when you calculate it out. But we live in the chilly Midwest, where you’re in need of a sweater/light jacket 8 months out of the year. So buying a neutral cardigan that literally goes with everything, seems like a way better investment. 

Plus this cardigan is like wearing a hug. Who doesn’t need more hugs?! We’ve long admired that cozy, slouchy cardi vibe that smaller women seem to pull off effortlessly. But when a lot of retailers only stock up to size XL, and we’re already sizing up for the sleeve length, it doesn’t have the same effect. Alli, one of the founders of Amalli Talli was showing the difference between their striped basic long sleeve and the Nordstrom long sleeves she use to wear. We were astounded to see the sleeve length difference. Then I was flabbergasted to see how short the sleeve length was on her at 5’10. To make matters worse, she already had sized up one. 

Really, we can’t overstate that our bodies require a vastly different cut than the average woman. She then went on to show how items end up being that boxy fit which takes away from the feminine fit that a lot of us are going for. So many times I’ve felt drab and manly because of ill-fitting clothing. Now we have these great options, like this cardigan that gives us our confidence back!

To touch on the sizing, this one again is a medium. Like I said above, it is a slouchier look than the duster is. So if you prefer a less fitted, then this is the one for you! This cardigan does have some tendency to shed, but Alli shared the perfect trick with us to minimize that. You put the sweater in a plastic bag and freeze it for 24 hours! Try it out and let us know if you agree. 

Caitlin styled it with a basic white ribbed v-neck layering tank from Express. She just went through her denim and was getting rid of some midrise styles she doesn’t wear anymore, and realized that this pair got lost in the mix. They are the cheeky style from Gap. We’ve both really started to embrace more of the looser leg options, beyond the typical skinny jeans that we know and love.

So this outfit can basically be your new weekend uniform. It’s effortless and comfortable, just how we like our weekends. Don’t forget, you can snag it for 15% off, using THEREALTALL15 code. It makes it a no brainer. Hope your week is off to a great start!

Outfit Details

Click here for the direct link to the Cardigan

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