Archives for February 2012

Resort Must Haves for Tall Women & Men

Written by Tiffany:

With each week that passes, we get closer and closer to the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring. It seems that just after Christmas, retailers are breaking out the Spring lines. I have mixed feelings about this time of year. On one hand I’m excited to see the new styles, bright colors, and warm weather essentials. On the other hand it’s a bit depressing to see those styles hit stores in February knowing I won’t be able to wear them for several months (or maybe even June- I do live in New Hampshire after all!). That said, my love of fashion and shopping overwhelms all other emotions. 🙂

For these reasons and others (February school vacation and/or Spring break), now is a prime time to take a vacation. Many families choose this time of year to get away to a warmer climate. It’s the perfect time because it can serve as a bridge to get over the hump of winter and carry us toward Spring and Summer. To that end, I’d love to highlight some resort wear for us tall guys and gals.

Resort Wear Must Haves For Her:

women's tall resortwear

1. A beachy dress is essential. You’ll want something casual that you can throw on over a swimsuit but nice enough that you can go from the beach to a dining area in a jiffy.

2. Lightweight jacket. A denim jacket is perfect and classic. Although your destination may be warm, getting there may not be. And you might have to deal with frigid AC temps when indoors.
I love that this one comes in classic denim and white.

3. Cute hat. This one isn’t big enough to protect your shoulders from sunburn, but it will protect your scalp and nose. And it’s SO cute that it’s worth slathering on the extra SPF.

4. Scarf. I always wear or carry a scarf with me when I travel. They are so useful. It helps keep you warm on the plane, can double as a little blankie or shawl, and just makes any outfit look more chic. The Caribbean blue color of this particular scarf makes it a winning choice for a winter getaway.

5. Sandals. Duh right? I included this because it’s so tempting to bring tons of shoes but if you choose carefully you can get away with 3 pairs of shoes. In this case, I chose a gladiator style in a neutral shade and print (Yes, animal print is a neutral!). These go with white, black, tan, or bright colors and they are perfect for dressing up or down.

6. Tote . I was tempted to go for the obvious choice here: a straw beach tote. That would be a safe choice. But why not choose a bolder, canvas option that will pop with any outfit?!

7. Swimsuit–But not any ‘ol swimsuit. This one is a gorgeous shade of red (sexy), one piece (functional), and of course comes in long torso.

I had to stop myself here…but I could have easily added another 5 or 6 items. I feel a “Resort Wear Must Haves Part II” coming on! Stay tuned… 🙂

Resort Wear Must Haves For Him:

men's tall resortwear tall outfit

1. Dressy shorts. This is kind of the equivalent to the beachy dress. You could wear these to dinner but they’d be appropriate for strolling along the beach as well.

2. Swim trunks. It’s not easy to find “tall” swim trunks. These are a classic pair. They are a little more grown up then the oodles of hibiscus pairs we’re seeing, but a little more fun than plain board shorts.

3. Golf Shirt. If you’re anything like my husband, vacation isn’t vacation until you’ve squeezed in some golf time. This one is only $33, and comes in tall sizes and 8 colors.

4. Backpack. I’m a big fan of the murse (man purse, although I guess it could easily be mistaken for male nurse. I’ll have to work on my made up words). But most men aren’t hearing it. In your everyday life you can get away with shoving tons of stuff into your wallet and pockets but on vacation you have to have something more substantial. This one is perfect for sightseeing and excursions….assuming you can tear yourself away from lazy days on the beach!

5. Sandals. Real leather is comfortable but also more stylish than your typical rubber flip flops. You could totally wear these with chinos or khakis to dress them up.

6. Sunglasses. I’ll admit it’s hard to pick male clothing because it tends to be so basic. I had to add a fun accessory and this one is also clearly a necessity! I love the aviator shape; they look cool without looking like you’re trying too hard.

View Resort Must Have for Tall Women – Part II

 

How to Measure Your Inseam

As we all know, tall pants and jeans vary in inseam lengths from 33″-42″ long. So if you are not paying attention and just order tall, you will most likely order the wrong length of pants. I found this helpful video on how to measure your inseam.

 

At Tall Clothing Mall, all of the pants and jeans we have are listed by inseam length. We’ve done the work for you, to save you lots of time.

Here’s the direct links to our tall pants and jeans:

Men: What to Wear with Straight Leg Jeans

In this post, I recently encouraged tall men to take the plunge and wear skinny or straight jeans. I might have mentioned that I bought my husband a pair for Christmas and much to my delight he liked them (he is not a risk taker when it comes to fashion). Well my delight quickly turned to dismay as I realized he has this image of what to wear with straight jeans and the image doesn’t fit his body type or his style. As a result, he’s only worn them once [insert single tear rolling down my cheek for dramatic effect]. I can’t say I blame him though. I myself have purchased an item a little out of my comfort zone and even though I love it, it sits in my closet because I have no idea how to style it. Isn’t this why we usually stick to the basics in the first place?! Well I love when I’m in that space and come across some guidelines or advice on how to get out of my slump and pull that [insert recent risky purchase here—for me it’s a pair of bright red jeans] out of my closet and go for it!
So here are a few ideas/guidelines. First, you don’t have to dress like a member of a rock band or a 20 year old college kid to rock straight jeans. Now if you love skinnies and you embrace them, you may ignore the following piece of advice. But this will apply to most men:
  • Skip the high top sneaker and/or the skin tight t-shirts. Yes, some men rock this look and look good and confident doing it. But these are usually young, very fit, and very metro men who can pull it off. For most of us (or I guess since I’m not a man I should say “you”), it’s not going to feel natural or comfortable.
  • *Stick to the basics. Wear a well fitting button up or a V neck sweater. It doesn’t have to be tight but it shouldn’t be very loose or baggy. Try “athletic fit” if you’re average or bigger build, or “slim” or “vintage” fit if you’re thin.
  • *If you’re not as thin as you think you need to be to wear this style, try layering. Wear a track jacket, a cardigan sweater, or a blazer over a t-shirt or button up.
  • *Nearly any shoe goes- just make sure it’s not too chunky. Since you’re tall, you probably have larger size feet. So you don’t want to wear a super chunky shoe with a skinny leg. Wear a slim shoe.
  • *A T-shirt goes with everything. Again, skip the over-sized baggy T. You’re trying to look proportioned. Wear a T-shirt that fits well and if you’re self conscious or have some weight around the middle, go for a casual look with a sweater or sweatshirt over the T. You’ll want to choose a “cool” sweat shirt that looks like you’re trying though–perhaps, a vintage wash, well made, nicely fitting one. Pair that with a nice T (meaning one that you didn’t score for free somewhere ;), cool sneakers and you look casual but still stylish.
  • *A polo shirt is a perfect choice. The guidelines are basically the same as for a t-shirt…but a polo is a bit more forgiving than a plain T.
men's big and tall shirts to wear over tall straight leg jeans
  1. Claiborne Button-Down Big & Tall Shirt
  2. Classic Fit Button-Front Tall Sweater
  3. Classic Fit Cotton Crewneck Tall Sweater
  4. Raw Edge Tall Mock Zip
  5. Slim Fit Pique Tall Polos
  6. Solid Crewneck Tall T
I hope this helps get you in gear to wear skinny (or straight) jeans with confidence! Have questions? Post below!
View more advice here.

Men’s Long Cargo Shorts 14" Inseam

Not a tall size, but I think you still might enjoy this pair of X-Ray jeans long cargo shorts. They have a 14″ inseam length and have a slightly faded, rugged look. Choose from 4 colors in waist sizes 30″-38″.

men's long cargo shorts 14 inseam
View more men’s long shorts.