Tag Archives: tall style blog

Rockin’ Barefoot Tess’ Ella-Ella-Ella-Eh-Eh-Eh…

11 Mar

If it’s not clear yet—I adore ankle booties. With denim; with dresses; even with fierce pencil skirts and prim lacy tees—and year-round, too! I’ve tried the hidden wedge 80%/20 western-inspired Clyde ankle boot from Barefoot Tess (and loved it) for casual/weekend wear, but hadn’t come across a more elegant, elevated ankle bootie until….the Barefoot Tess Ella. Hey, Barefoot Tess may as well be my Footwear Fairy Godmother!

The TESS by Barefoot Tess ankle boot, c/o BFT

The TESS by Barefoot Tess ankle boot, c/o BFT

Barefoot Tess is my go-to resource for stylish, on-trend shoes in sizes 11-15. With the most comprehensive selection of designer-exclusive shoes from  favorites including Jeffrey Campbell, 80%/20, All Black, and Corso Como AND the fabulous in-house brand TESS, the BFT site is full of shoe-candy that ensures that we tall, larger-footed ladies don’t have to sacrifice style to get comfortable, versatile, made-for-us fits. Particularly, the Barefoot Tess brand offers classic, elegant, European-quality designs—each style in the house line has been meticulously crafted and fit-tested for that that Cinder’ella’ fit. The Ella bootie is certainly worthy of any modern girl in search of her own fairytale!

In sumptuous black and tan suede colorways with a curved vamp and 3″  stacked wood heel, the Ella is as classy and leg-flattering as an ankle boot can possibly get. I have the Ella in the sand suede—ensuring that I will get wear well into the spring and summer months—but I can only imagine that the black is equally magical. I should add that despite the not-insignificant heel, the Ella is incredibly, remarkably comfy. We’re talking wear-it-for-a-day-on-your-feet comfy or hoof-it-into-work-on-unforgiving-city-streets comfy. And at the current sale price of $89.99, this boot is a versatile, affordable, high-quality  ’must-have’ for any tall girl’s closet. I’m pairing my Ella bootie with vibrant sheaths, tailored work trousers, and of course–jeans and nubby sweaters. And I recently donned this posh little shoe with a boyfriend blazer, silk minidress, and black tights for a photoshoot to promote Stilista, the Boston styling-agency I work for on weekends.

Check out those TESS by BFT Ella booties! Photo courtesy of Rita Rose Photography

Check out those c/o TESS by BFT Ella booties! Photo courtesy of Rita Rose Photography

And would you believe that the wonderful shoot photographer, Rita Rose, advised me to “change up my leg poses, to show off those AMAZINGLY cute shoes”?! She totally did. Try them, and you’ll be looking for ways to show off their amazing cuteness too, I’m sure!

Are you trying out ankle boots for the first time? Flummoxed as to more styling options for Barefoot Tess boots and ankle booties? Be sure to comment or email me, and I’d be happy to advise as to any shoe-centric styling conundrums. And thanks for all the bibbity-bobbity-boo on my shoedrobe, Barefoot Tess!

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Love That (Tall) Body You’re In!

20 Feb

*This blog will be appearing exclusively in Statuesque Magazine. Though it was intended to run on Valentine’s Day, it is just as true a week later…

“To  love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”-Oscar Wilde

Whether you adore or despise Valentine’s Day (I fall somewhere in the middle), February 14th is a great occasion to think about loving…yourself.  Tall women are revered worldwide as being some of the world’s most stunning specimens…and yet, I meet far too many gorgeous vertically-inclined ladies who are unrelentingly harsh with themselves and prone to critique the undeniable physical qualities that make them so unique. At the risk of sounding hypocritical—I am guilty of the same type of body criticism. I not-infrequently misconstrue my height as being a detriment to my femininity instead an asset, and thus wage a war on my self-esteem that can never be won…

So this Valentine’s Day, I encourage you to focus on what you love about your stunning physical presence. Whether it’s your mile-long legs, your elegant arms, or your athletic shoulders (or all of the above), try to focus on at least one aspect that makes you feel positive about your height; makes you feel beautiful; makes you love yourself.  And if you still are having trouble recognizing your own beauty—it doesn’t hurt to consider that men and women alike already perceive you as being more intelligent, capable, and successful just because of your physical gift!

A sweet boy-meets-girl tall ensemble for a night out!

A sweet boy-meets-girl tall ensemble for a night out!

And as a little gift to you, I’ve put together two stunning ensembles practically guaranteed to make you love that tall body you’ve got—especially as all the contained separates are available in tall sizes and extra long lengths. Much love to all you lovely, inspiring tall ladies, and be sure to check The HEIGHT of Style at www.heightofstyleblog.com for more tips, style advice, and product reviews for vertically-inclined fashionistas.

An edgy-chic tall outfit for drinks, bites, and beyond!

An edgy-chic tall outfit for drinks, bites, and beyond!

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Barefoot Tess Review: Adore Those Ankles!

4 Feb

My sole-centric philosophy is that shoes make the outfit, and ankle boots make the outfit better. As a New England city girl, I place a high value on shoes that can tally many pavement miles, offer coverage and warmth in unreliable weather, and look intentional with everything they’re paired with. Ankle boots fit all these specs AND can be worn year-round…with everything from my favorite Rock and Republic skinnies and a sweater to a flirty sundress and little else (one of my favorite pairings, to boot, haha)! 80% of the time, you can find ankle booties on these very long tootsies of mine. But in reality, I only have 3 existing pairs of ‘em, 2 of which are sadly worse for all that wear they get…

Since I browse Barefoot Tess almost every other day, I had the 80/20% ‘Clyde’ ankle boots in the grey colorway on my radar since the moment they popped up on Barefoot Tess’ website. Barefoot Tess is my chosen destination for on-trend designer exclusives in my otherwise-rare size 12/13s—and since falling in love with BFT-exclusive 80/20% hidden wedge desert boots last winter (and wearing them into the cement), I was waiting for an update. The ‘Clyde’ is a Western-inspired bootie with a flattering lower-cut AND signature hidden wedge that adds a nice 2” boost in height—all in all, the most leg-flattering COMFORTABLE ankle boot you will find. And the grey and navy colorways are much more spring-friendly than black or dark brown booties…

Barefoot Tess' 80%/20% 'Clyde' Ankle Boot

Barefoot Tess’ 80%/20% ‘Clyde’ Ankle Boot

…in short…I had multiple justifications as to why I needed Clyde in my life. Now that I’ve received my boots from BFT, I simply couldn’t be happier with the style, the true-to-size fit, and the experience. I’ve been a customer of Barefoot Tess since 2006 and have kept coming back for their second-to-none attention to customer service and great editorial feel (check out TesSpeaks!). Plus, for any tall girl, it feels right to support the namesake business of Karen Williamson—she initially started the site to help provide her uber-fashionable, vertically-inclined daughter Tess with options in larger-size shoes…

The Clydes, styled for winter. Dress: French Connection, Tights: Legale, Necklace: Eddie Bauer, Shoes: Barefoot Tess

The Clydes, styled for winter. Dress: French Connection, Tights: Legale, Necklace: Eddie Bauer, Shoes: c/o Barefoot Tess

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I styled the Clydes with my fleece-lined tights and a dress from French Connection, but am dreaming of warm spring days when I can wear them bare-legged, hop-skipping my way down the streets of Cambridge. After all, when your larger-sized feet are treated to comfortable, stylish shoes like these, why not hop, skip, and jump for joy?

These booties are incredible on!

These booties are incredible on! (c/o Barefoot Tess)

Stay tuned for more BFT reviews of spring styles, and be sure to check out their newest arrivals and Photo Contest, going on now!

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This One’s For the (Tall) Guys…

1 Feb

Okay, so I get that you guys will all tell me that you HATE shopping. My (6’8”) fiancé has even resorted to nonverbal assertions of this every time I pop into a Banana Republic for more than 90 seconds—mostly by pacing furiously outside the entrance—stopping only to intently stare at my movements as though scouting for an adult kickball league. And while I always chalked this up to him really just hating shopping (and potentially a nudist proclivity), I started smelling a fish when I spent FOUR HOURS trailing him through an L.L. Bean a couple of weeks ago—weighed down by armfuls of his try-ons.

Spurred by a sneaking hunch that I wasn’t getting the full story, I asked him why he hated clothing shopping post-‘The Bean Affair’. And this time, my answer was markedly different:

“Actually, I don’t hate shopping or clothes. I just hate going into stores when there will only be one ugly shirt that fits me. It’s not only frustrating—it’s embarrassing.”

Have you (unintentionally) been here? Read on, guys...

Have you (unintentionally) been here? Read on, guys…

And suddenly, I got it. While we tall ladies may complain that shopping off-the-rack is painful (it often is), we can usually squeeze in to size-ends; “put a boot on it” to camouflage short pants; choose fabrics with two-way stretch; or just wear tights for extra coverage when donning that knee-length (ahem, mid-thigh!) dress. But exceptionally tall dudes don’t have it so easy—they inherently have fewer options to choose from, and that one shirt or trouser they can pull off the rack in their size? Ugly. Dowdy. And usually wide enough to accommodate a sumo wrestler, but barely long enough to tuck or cover their ankles.

With that in mind, I’ve compiled my favorite online and in-store options beyond Gap’s ‘Big and Tall’ selection for you tall fellows looking for clothing to make you feel as good as you look. Shopping may never be a process you love—but I’d love to get you towering handsomes to a place of less frustration and more freedom…to express yourselves through clothing and accessories that actually fit and look cool too.

Some casual options for you tall guys...

Some casual options for you tall guys…

 In-store:

 1)   L.L. Bean Signature: The Signature line is the hip offshoot of Bean’s, helmed by Rogues Gallery’s Alex Carleton. Think modern, urban-rugged takes on Bean’s classic chinos, Chamois shirts and boots. In up to an XXL Tall, and 42” (waist) x 36” (inseam) pant—great for casual/weekend basics.

2)   Lands End: Chock full of high quality work staples and a great selection of tall outerwear at reasonable price points, LE offers the bang for your tall buck—and one of the most flattering dress pants I’ve seen for tall men—the Plain Front Tailored Fit trouser. The guy particularly loves the three-season Sportsman Field Coat—now on sale for $54.99.  In up to a 4X Tall; 54” (waist) x 38” (inseam) pants.

3)   Nordstrom: For the best selection of stylish shoes in up to a size 16 extra wide, hit Nordstrom—or better yet, Nordstrom Rack for racks and racks (literally) of cool, big-guy shoes at clearance prices.

Some business-casual options for you tall guys...

And some business-casual options for you tall guys…

 Online:

 1)   Longshot Apparel: Simply the best option for USA-made, high-quality shirting engineered specifically to fit the proportions of tall men. Purveyors of the ‘Tailored Taller Fit’, these Egyptian cotton oxfords are perfect for looking good at work or at play. In 8 brand-specific sizes and length iterations—1-4L.

2)   Paul Fredrick: This retailer has been offering house-designed business and business casual separates in quality fabrications for going on 30 years. What it means for you? Snazzy designer looks without the designer-tag markup. Be sure to check out the tall 3-piece seersucker suits for summer! Up to a 54” (waist) x 38” (inseam) pant; up to a 4X/Extra Long jacket or vest; shirts can be custom-sized.

3)   Hats in the Belfry: This punny e-tailer offers a wide selection of  larger-size hats ranging from newsboys to fedoras to pork-pies. Great option for picking up some signature toppers to polish off your look.

Have a question? Need some help? Drop me a line or comment below!

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Merry Christmas to T(all)! And to Tall a Great Wishlist!

14 Dec

I love the holiday season. The lights, the parties, the music, the cookies…and, of course, the giving of gifts to those loved. As anyone will tell you, I adore giving gifts and can spend days planning the perfect gift. I consider every year an opportunity to do better—an opportunity to show those close to me even a fraction of how much they mean to me (if you hadn’t guessed, I’m a show-er, not a teller). But—honestly—I also delight in receiving. This is the time (thank goodness it only comes once a year!) that I feel less guilty for wanting completely whimsical, pretty, and often utterly impractical things under a cute little tree. In truth, I have never *really* let go of the greedy excitable child within…and there’s always a bit of magic in waking up on Christmas morning to find nattily-wrapped presents under a glittering tree. I love you, Santa (I mean…Mike, my incredibly generous fiancé)!

So without further ado—here’s my wishlist of all things pretty that I’d like to find under the tree. Hint to all ‘Santas’ out there: All of these clothing items are GREAT if you have a tall lady in your life…but be sure to send me an email if you need a little extra help in shopping for that leggy elflette in your life. I am happy to help out with more ideas!

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1. The Land’s End Tall Luxe Scoopneck Coat: I love coats of all shapes, sizes, and fabrications. But even with a veritable wardrobe of coats for all seasons (hey, it’s New England!), I have NARY a black wool coat! This year, Santa wanted to get me a classic black coat that would stand the test of time—and I picked out the Land’s End Tall Luxe Scoopneck Coat. In a cashmere blend with on-trend, military-inspired epaulets, leather buttons, and a sweet scoopneck, this coat ticks off the boxes for stylish, high-quality, budget friendly (with the current 30% off, it’s now under $100 down from $289!), AND tall-of-all-sizes-friendly (from 4-16T). It also comes in red, yellow, green, and camel colorways. THE best tall, classic winter coat for all elflettes.

2. Madewell’s Belted Silk Dress in Dashdot: Getting dressed up for holiday occasions is a fine art—don’t we all want to look festive yet comfortable (allowing for lots of noshing)? Enter this Madewell dress. Although it is unlined, the silk fabrication and pattern is thoroughly gorgeous, and the tie-waist means a flattering, customized, yet unrestricted fit. While it hits mid-thigh on us tall ladies, it is flatteringly-short and a great companion to black tights and heels. I plan on wearing it year-round, too!

3. Long Tall Sally’s Pindot PJ Set: I’ll be honest—I spend 90% of the time when I am not in work clothes in pajamas. Red plaid flannel pajamas. Completely unsexy, unpolished, and absolutely slovenly heavenly! I love flannels (am always cold), so I would love to find this pajama set under the tree. Bonus: these PJs are far cuter and more feminine than my red plaid flannels, and would also offer necessary winter limb coverage. In teal and purple.

4. Love Knot Earrings in Rose Gold Vermeil: I wear lots of post earrings, and prefer them for professional occasions. I also prefer rose gold. These classic love knots are slightly oversized, completely chic, and would go with any single outfit I’d wear (including red flannel pajamas)…and I simply cannot get over their price. It’s $24.50! An unreal stocking stuffer from Ross-Simons!

5. J. Crew’s Copley Saddlebag: This little bag (and it is little) packs a lot of punch for its size. With multiple pockets, a removable crossbody strap, and unexpected colorways (wisteria! neon persimmon!), this petite number would be perfect for work, play, a party, a snowball fight, or any other hands-free occasion. (This is why I love crossbody bags…) With an extra 30% off and free shipping, this bag is ALSO under $100, so another bargain Christmas buy!

6. Any Fossil Women’s Rose Gold Watch…: As you know, I like rose gold. But what you may not know is that I am desperately in need of a new watch as my Rotary is banged up beyond belief. Fossil offers the best selection of fashion-forward, mid-range watches in rose gold plate—and I particularly love the chronograph, chunky ‘boyfriend’ styles (it’s all about juxtaposition)…

7. Tamarac’s Molly Slipper: Who doesn’t love/need a warm cozy slipper? With this suede, fur-lined cutie, your toesies will stay warm all through the winter. And with sizes up to 13 M, these babies are great for those of us outsized by typical ‘S-L’ slipper sizing.

Merry wishlisting to all you t(all) lovelies! Leave a comment and let me know what you’re coveting this holiday season!

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