All tall girls will have experienced the chilly-ankle problem. You know the one, when supposedly full-length trousers fall a few inches too short, leaving skin exposed to the elements. When mom jeans came along, hallelujah, the style we’d become accustomed to by default was now an actual thing. For any of you blessed with a taller frame – 5ft 9″ and over for these purposes – you’ll know the struggle for clothes to live up to their promises (‘floor-length’ dresses, I’m looking at you).
But there are tall ranges that really can help us out, with some brands stocking up to a 38-inch leg, which even for me at 6ft 1″, leaves some gathering at the ankle. As well as the dedicated ranges, there are brands whose regular jeans still fit us taller gals. To save you many frustrating (and frankly, disappointing) hours in changing rooms, these are the six denim brands for tall women you need to know about.
Topshop
It’s not until you wear a 36-inch leg pair of jeans when you’re over 6ft that you realise what your jeans should look like. Topshop’s iconic tall section saved many of us height-blessed teens and 20-somethings from only sporting ankle swingers.
The tall range has nostalgically hung onto its skin-tight Jamie jeans, which were everyone’s go-to back in Topshop’s heyday. But I love its tall mom jeans – although I’d say they’re more like a classic straight style – they’re super high-waisted and the non-stretch denim is heavy making them feel far more expensive than the price tag.
ASOS Design
ASOS Design has taken a leaf out of Topshop’s tall-women’s manual, but it’s also taken things one step further – well, one leg length – and offers an impressive 38-inch iteration. They’re also the most affordable with full price pairs starting at £20, and sale prices often even less.
The tall dad jeans are near perfect in my eyes. They let me live out my skater-girl fantasy and sit perfectly on top of my checkerboard slip-on Vans. I loved them so much when trying them on, I didn’t take them off again all day.
Whistles
Loved for its cool-girl aesthetic, Whistles is one of the newest high street brands to include a tall range, which goes up to a respectable 34-inch leg-length. But even before this revelation, I’ve found its jeans to be more generous in length (and waist) than other similar brands and have long worn its regular-length jeans.
Its signature jean style is the barrel leg, which is available in 12 colours, and two tall styles: the tall authentic barrel leg and the tall stretch barrel leg. They have a curved ‘barrel-like’ design, are high-waisted and fall just above the ankle. Most importantly, they’re super comfy, making them a great pair for off-duty days.
Levi’s
It’s the most expensive brand on this list but many of Levi’s styles are iconic and it has a generous range that work for tall girls. My favourite? The ankle-length Ribcage style that’s adored by fashion girls everywhere. It comes in a 31-inch version, which is particularly good for those of us partial to an actual ankle length. Go for a black pair and they’ll be the most hardworking trousers in your wardrobe, easily taking you from day to night and giving great cost-per-wear.
Weekday
Known for its affordable denim, most of Weekday’s pairs are between £40 and £55, but all look much more expensive. Its range is extensive and has eight different fits, from straight to low, and curve to flared. Although tall isn’t listed, many of its styles do go up to a 34-inch leg. The denim is weighty too, which gives it a premium feel. If you’re done with high-waisted styles and want to dip your toe into this year’s low-rise and baggy silhouettes, there are plenty to choose from.
M&S
M&S was way ahead of the game and has offered regular, petite and tall lengths across dresses, trousers and skirts for decades – it just doesn’t shout about it.
Its jeans sizing sticks to traditional dress sizes – ranging from 6 to 24 – instead of the usual waist and leg length. For this reason, it’s not quite as easy to nail your size, so I’d suggest sizing up in some styles (especially the skinnier jeans). For this season, I particularly like there are so many wide-leg designs to choose from, such as this high-waisted pair from Autograph.
;
