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We’re Bionic in Vionic

It is so sad that we’re already in the month of August! This Summer has been a blink and you miss it. So basically we haven’t blinked. Instead, we’re out and about enjoying it to the fullest! This weekend Caitlin is renting a pontoon boat in town and being out on the lake without the four-hour drive attached to do it up north. I might find somewhere I can play some volleyball and be by some water so I can cool off intermittently. Otherwise, a pool day is always a great backup plan. 

Although the days are still plenty warm, everyone is on that “back to school” schedule, whether or not they’re actually heading back to school. Which means that Fall fashion is out in full force! Everywhere you look, we’re getting a good idea of what kind of trends will be big for the cooler temperatures. We’ve talked about it repeatedly, but you’re not going to catch us transitioning to our Fall clothing until the temperatures are more amenable to it. 

We’re still definitely shopping, probably a little too much recently with all these incredible sales luring us in. With the sales, most of it is Summer items marked down to rock bottom prices, but certain items can definitely be a crossover into the Fall as well! One of the things we’re always on the hunt for is shoes. Recently we shared some incredible sale prices for boots from Long Tall Sally. Hopefully, you took advantage of the prices as we did. 

It’s always difficult trying to shop for shoes online, I think we can all agree. If you haven’t bought the brand before, it’s kind of a crap shoot even if there are reviews available. Brands all have their little quirks you learn as you’re in store slipping them on. For instance, Steve Madden definitely runs a size small. So whenever I see their shoes in the size 13’s at Nordstrom Rack, I just straight up ignore them. Ok, I also get disgruntled because they have some really cute styles. But basically, you get the point, we learn as we experience the brands repeatedly. 

As mentioned above, we all have our favorite brands. They’re an easy choice every time because the sizing is right and the styling is on point. Most of the time we hit up Nordstrom Rack because they have the styles we’re looking for and reasonable prices. Plus they’re one of the only places in town that have sizing up to 13 for women’s shoes. I know a lot of us feel limited by our large feet sizes that can come along with our above average height. Luckily we’ve found a new brand that at least goes up to size 12!

Let us introduce Vionic shoes to you! They reached out to us and asked if we were interested in trying any of their new season shoes. We had seen they recently opened a store in our area, but we hadn’t checked it out yet. So we took the opportunity to look into what they were all about. The first thing that caught my attention is that they were founded by a podiatrist! This was off to a great start, as who could be better to design shoes than a foot doctor?! As with any passion, it inevitably leads to improvement. He wanted to help his patient’s food pain and figured out an easier, more inexpensive option to do so by designing the Orthaheel orthotic inserts for shoes.

So not only do they allow you to be pain-free, especially if you suffer any foot-related issues, but they are super stylish! When they walk hand in hand, you know you found a winner! They have shoes specific to Plantars Fascitis, which our Mom suffered from for a couple of years. She needed a pair of these shoes back then. You’re getting a high-quality pair of shoes with Vionic’s options. They may be a higher price than typical, but checking out all of their options they are classic and timeless. So you’re investing in your comfort, while not having to sacrifice style. I can think of no better choice. 

Caitlin chose the Savannah Flat in Grey. Loafers will never go out of style, as far as I’m concerned. We live in our loafers in the cooler months because they provide a bit more coverage from the elements. They are suede, so she will definitely be spraying them with weather protectant. Grey is a step up from choosing basic black, and will still be able to be styled with so many different things in Caitlin’s closet. The other part worth noting is that the insole pushes your foot a little higher. If you’re worried about the space inside the shoe, they do come in two widths, medium and wide!

Basically, Vionic has a new fan in us. Quality shoes that are thoughtfully made with comfort in mind? It’s like they get us. Whenever those two things get together, magic happens. Hopefully, we piqued your interest to go check out Vionic’s options. Stayed tuned for late in the month to see the second pair on Jenilee!

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Feelin’ Feminine in Floral

Blog going up on a Tuesday!? Not our norm, we know. We try not to bombard you all too much throughout the week with loads of blogs. However, when you’re just feeling passionate about your dress you sometimes get the feeling to write a little more than an Instagram caption. I have been spying on this dress since it originally hit the website, but knew there was no way I was going to spend $45 on it. In reality that doesn’t sound that outlandish for a dress but thankfully, it went on sale and I was able to snap it right up. 

First things first, I don’t think I would consider this a true “tall maxi.” You can see where it hits me on my 5 ’11 frame and it’s more of a midi-maxi. I am happy with that length, but keep that in mind if you are looking for a true maxi. The print of this dress is what originally drew me in. It’s so feminine and whimsical and makes me want to channel my inner Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine for those who aren’t familiar). She always wears romantic, flowy, items while she contagiously dances across the stage and channels her incredible energy into the audience. Okay, that probably took a weird turn for some of you but it’s awesome to me that clothing can evoke that kind of emotion in someone. 

Anyways this fabric drapes softly over your body, the buttons are real all the way down if you wish to show a bit more leg, and has adjustable straps which are always one of my most appreciated things about a dress these days. It allows for people who are a bit more busty to control how modest they would like to be. I could never wear it as low as the model wears it and feel comfortable. 

And a little extra advice. In my opinion, this dress would also be a great maternity option for those tall or mainline mamas to be, because it fit my food baby perfectly inside the drop waist. However, if you aren’t planning on having a baby anytime soon you can see that this still drapes perfectly for a relaxed, comfortable, yet incredibly cute summer look! Happy Tuesday friends!

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Make My Tall Size

It feels weird to even be titling a post that. We’re past the middle of 2019, and it doesn’t make much sense to me that we should be championing clothing options for tall women. Tall women have been around the same length (pun intended) as petite women. Tall women have also been around far before the plus size movement began. I’m not here to alienate any other size/shape groups. It just doesn’t make much sense that something we can’t control (height) is so vastly overlooked by SO MANY retailers.

Rompers have been notoriously hard to find! Thankful for this Amalli Talli option

The irony of course, being that models are “tall.” Even more ironic than that, is that 6 ‘0 ft is too tall to be a model for most agencies. I wonder why that would be, beyond the glaringly obvious that clothes aren’t made for the truly tall women. 

Work pants are another, where there needs to be a lot of improvement!
  • Rhonda Lynette makes amazing custom clothing, like these pants and Caitlin’s pink top!
Madewell has several inseams, but they are limited stock and styles.

The argument can certainly be made that we as tall women have more clothing options than ever. That same argument is applicable to any non “mainline” size group, yet the battle still rages on for more options for them. When you’re not included in the options regularly, you miss out on more than “regular sized” people. You don’t get to grab clearance items for a couple of dollars because they made too many of your size. Instead we’re left saving up for smaller retailers just to buy a sweater or shoes for double the price and half the style. 

Maxi dresses and skirts – while this works on Caitlin, not quite long enough for Jenilee

Never is this more glaringly obvious, until a new hot trend comes to town. All of the mainlines are sure to have options galore for people to grab, while tall women, plus sized women, petite women are left wondering why they can’t find one option they like in their own size.

A maxi dress that is well fitting and long enough? *Gasp* it must be a small retailer (From Height of Fashion)
  • Asos has a great jumpsuit selection
  • Even better that they work on us both!
  • Amalli Talli cuts their jumpsuits and dresses in two lengths!
  • This dress and this jumpsuit are both from Amalli Talli!

While I wholeheartedly agree massive strides are being made to have more inclusive fashion, I’m also left wondering why the fashion industry thinks that if you’re tall, you only have long legs. Stop ignoring our long arms, longer torsos, and broader shoulders. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been excited to see a retailer carrying long jeans. Only then do I discover that they have zero tall blouse options, or severely limited options in only the basics and definitely only in black or white color options. 

Blazers have always been difficult, but Height of Fashion to the rescue once more!

We as tall women need to continue to stick up for ourselves. We deserve to have just as many options as the rest of the population. None of us woke up this morning and made the decision to grow an extra 5+ inches beyond the fit size that retailers use. God gave us these extra inches. We should not be left rolling up our too short sleeves or trying to pull off an ill fitting pair of pants where the knee hits in the wrong spot and cold ankles in the winter.

There’s been some great options available at ASOS as well!

Tall women shouldn’t have to deal with a “tall tax.” No other clothing is subjected to extra cost or less cost based on the size, why would we be the exception? For example, when you order a bridesmaid dress that isn’t long enough, your dress is suddenly more expensive than anyone else’s. Then to add insult to injury, not only do we pay extra for the additional length; they only offer a standard block of extra length. Meaning that if you need less than that you then get to pay even more to have it tailored.

When you can’t get over your excitement that Amalli Talli makes incredibly well-fitting garments!
  • The best jeans for your peach at Height of Fashion
  • Plus the right length and stretch!

That’s why we’re committed to taking a stand for our tall population. We want all of our voices to be heard, and we’re all about leading the charge to inclusive sizing. If you want to join the conversation, sound off below. We’ll be using a new hashtag and want everyone else to use it as well! We were inspired by Katie Sturino of The 12ish Style who is leading the conversation more from a designer standpoint by using hashtag #makemysize. 

  • Finding well fitting dresses courtesy of Let Height Arise

Our fight specifically is about affordable fashion, at least initially. We want options within our budgets. That’s why we’ll continue to show you our fashion fails in our stories. Going forward we’ll be using #makemytallsize and #tallsizeinclusivity in our Instagram posts. We will also be showing ourselves more in fashion fails try-ons in the future. This will hopefully help highlight and understand the difference in sizing. Hopefully, this is something others feel passionate about as well and will join us in using! Please feel free to tag us if you decide to show a tall fashion fail.

  • All the sleeve length feels in this Height of Fashion Blouse
  • Plus the right shoulder fit and body length!
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Suit Looks Like a Lady

Yup, we’re back making obscure pop culture references. Today’s is clearly a play on the Aerosmith song, “Dude Looks Like a Lady.” Anyone else have that stuck in their head now? Sorry! We got the chance to see them in concert at Summerfest a couple of years ago and it was fun to see them still rocking out. A lot of times you don’t see power bands like that anymore, and they can’t really stick together until the end. It’s like if you’ve seen Bohemian Rhapsody, how they ended up separating but were still able to reunite for a final incredible concert. 

It’s like with rocking a power suit. You have to go full all in and own it because it’s a LEWK! A buttermilk colored suit?! Say no more. How much more of a statement can you make? The shorts were one of the items Caitlin was gifted from our Asos showroom visit. The Bermuda length is back and a lot of people are feeling it. Not typically our vibe, because it doesn’t feel flattering when it’s tight on our thighs and that length. But with this cut, it works really nicely. It skims over like our favorite tall culottes also from Asos.

Women’s power suits are very much on-trend right now and Caitlin was all about testing it out. From the first moment it dropped on the site, she was loving it. Think of the power suits your Mom used to wear (or at least ours did!) back in the 80’s/90’s. Then update it by dressing it down by exchanging pants for shorts and throwing a crop top underneath. It’s definitely not your Mom’s suit anymore.

Plus you can get more wear out of it by mixing and matching the pieces as separates. She’s already worn the blazer with a tiger print midi skirt from Asos and a mock neck turtleneck to work. We posted a shot of that on Instagram if you missed it! There’s always the option to wear a blazer with jeans, which instantly pulls together the look. The best part about these blazers is they don’t have shoulder-padding like your Mom’s old suits either. Why would that be the best part? As tall women, we bring the broader shoulders already! We don’t need shoulder pads when they’re genetically built-in!

We’ve both definitely embraced our broader than average shoulders, mainly because they fit our above-average frames. The only time we bemoan it is when the cut of jackets or shirts is pulling across our shoulders. The difference between our rib cage/torso size and our shoulders is a nuisance at times for finding well-fitting items. But these shoulders are powerful, and they help us stand up straight and create more of a presence. That is worth valuing and celebrating! Anytime someone can make peace with themselves or a specific body part they’ve struggled with in the past, we’re thrilled. It’s the only body you’ve got, so love it right!

I hope your week is off to a promising start. We’re super excited because we finally get our hair done tonight. We always go together, and we’re trying a new spot. We will definitely be showing it off tomorrow on Instagram, so stay tuned. Let us know below, have you ever bought a suit? If you have, are you into the updated options like with shorts that might be less “corporate-friendly?”

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Spotted, Being Tall

Has anyone else heard the fabulous news?! Gossip Girl is being rebooted! I remember reading the books in middle/high school and then I never really watched the show while it aired in real-time. Instead, I decided to buy one of the seasons and binge watch it. It was the first summer Caitlin and I lived together, but she hadn’t moved down there yet. Ok, I can’t exactly remember because I was watching The OC around the same time. But suffice to say, I fell hard for that show. I was completely enthralled with their luxurious, dramatic, silly lives. So when I found out this piece of good news, I was initially disappointed knowing that they were placing it 8 years after the original. Therefore I knew the original characters wouldn’t be participating in the new show or at least not in the same capacity. Buttt, I still think it’s a good idea to reboot. With social media being an ever prevalent player in our society, I’m VERY interested in seeing them show the effects of it in today’s youth. HAHA, WOW I sound old. 

Anyway, I hope you caught my little Gossip Girl reference in the title of today’s post! We love a good pun or play on words if nothing else we’re entertained by it. I think that should be a core tenet of why we do what we do with The Real Tall. It’s absolutely to bring value to other tall women, but if we’re not having a good time with it anymore then it shines through to you. The idea has been circulating recently because a lot of people have noticed a shift or lack in their engagement. This specifically refers to Instagram. You might have noticed people bemoaning the fact that no one is seeing their pictures or that Instagram changed their algorithm yet again. 

Our response to that is to stay in our lane. Our Milwaukee blogger friend, What Riva Wore, was just mentioning this on Instagram the other day and it completely resonated with us. There is a reason we started this as a blog, with Instagram as a wonderful addition. We have found plenty of value with using Instagram, but at the end of the day, we can’t control their changes. All we can continue to do is show up for you (whoever/wherever you are). We’re happy to do that, and we’re enjoying the creative time we spend together more and more. It has certainly been a journey and we can’t thank you enough if you’ve been around and reading these posts!

For a long time, I didn’t realize I was squelching my creative self. I’ve mentioned before, I used to hate to go shopping. This was for a number of reasons, foremost being that most places didn’t have clothing that truly fit me. Our Mom was just mentioning to me the other day, that I really “love” my clothing. This might sound materialistic, but really she was complimenting me that I have finally found joy in the items I buy. As a tall woman, this is a big deal! So we just want to say thank you again, for those that are following along on our journey with fashion. We’re no one special, just fashion lovers who are trying to share valuable tall items with you!

Along that vein is this black polka dot top. It is everything to me! This is one of the items we were gifted by Asos, and I have already worn it so many times. I’ve worn it with regular blue jeans, black jeans, and white jeans. Obviously, any of those in shorts length is fair game as well. The romantic puff sleeve puts this to the “top” of my top list. Plus being a tall size, the cropped length is very appropriate with high waisted jeans/shorts. 

I paired it here with my favorite dressier pair of shorts from Gap. I had these from last year because not everything can or needs to be new. They are the 4-inch inseam length, and I think they’re magical because of the A-line cut to give my thighs some breathing room. Plus they have the perfect type of stretch, where they won’t stretch out but they feel like nothing! They zip up the side so they lay nice and flat in the front. This pair is perfect for any Summer event you might have where you need to dress a little better than denim but still want to stay cool.

Overall, this outfit is a winner for me. I feel put together, and it’s because of the small details in each item. Sometimes it feels weird to want to buy all these romantic blouses and items, but then I’m always drawn to wear them first in my closet. So really I just need to be who I am and I’ll be a smarter consumer in the future! I hope y’all have a wonderful weekend! Tell us below, do you ever feel like you hold yourself back from purchasing certain items you’re drawn to? If so, why?

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