Now that we have simplyaboveaverage, we don't need as many tips and tricks because we have access to clothes that actually fit.
Nonetheless, I learned them, and as a soon-to-be elder, I'd like to impart some wisdom upon you. Consider this your ancestral knowledge for navigating a world built for the average.
The Art of the Ankle-Gap Camouflage
If a store doesn't have your inseam, your mission is not to panic—it's to distract. What you're going to do is buy high-waisted jeans, and aim to pick flare or wide-leg styles. The wider bottom hem will visually hide the fact that your ankles are almost exposed. You might feel the wind, but you'll look good.
Another insider trick: if you find jeans online or in person that are marketed as "cuffed", buy them! And then uncuff the jeans. That simple action often buys you a couple of extra inches of fabric.
The Maxi Dress Movement
Say it with me: Maxi dress, maxi dress, maxi dress! Tall women lets elongate our frames; it looks phenomenal every time. Plus, if we're honest, they're super comfortable and don't require hemming or ankle-gap checks. Invest in them.
The Legging Lifecycle (A Cautionary Tale)
For pre-college women, enjoy the leggings. I wore them 24/7 growing up. I was in 6th grade when I started, inspired by all my friends. I went to Old Navy because I lived a few blocks away and they always had long inseams, so I bought my first pair!
I graduated to Lululemon leggings a few weeks later when my family realized... the Old Navy pair was incredibly see-through. Embarrassing? No. Because of that Old Navy moment, I got the upgrade of a lifetime and have since had 20+ pairs of Lulus.
Once I hit junior year of college, Lululemon stopped restocking the 31" inseam in a timely manner (and by timely, I mean they started taking a year-plus). Which, sadly, forced me to graduate to jeans.
Where We Found the Fit (Before simplyaboveaverage)
The struggle was real, but here are the brands that saved us back in the day (and still hold up!):
- Women's Denim: Amalli Talli: I cried when I tried them on for the first time. I highly recommend the Esme—they go up to a 38" inseam!
- Women's Denim/Pants: Spanx: I love the SPANXshape™ Authentic 360 Wide Leg Jeans and the SPANXsupersmooth™ Stretch Twill Wide Leg Pant in White. Great quality and stretch.
- Unisex/Tall: American Tall: I've seen so many wonderful reviews and plan on buying a pair soon.
- Men's Denim: Good Counsel, DXL, Paige: Reliable destinations when the standard rack fails.
The Future is Now: Your simplyaboveaverage Toolkit
This whole post is a love letter to the lengths we used to go to find just a hint of comfort. But here at simplyaboveaverage, those days of trickery are over.
If you're tired of uncuffing, camouflaging, and crying in the fitting room, try the simplyaboveaverage Discovery Tool! Select your size and inseam and instantly find the brands that fit. You can save them to your favorites and always see the latest products stocked in your specific size.
Growing to 6ft is hard. Finding clothes that fit shouldn't be.
