At Tall Plus Life, we actively encourage women to show off their curves, not shy away from them. I’ve come across a few articles on this online and honestly most places class “curvy” women as women below the national average dress size; plus size women are barely represented.
So, with that in mind, here’s some style tips for tall and plus size women, that I’ve picked up in my many years of being lucky enough to stand 5 foot 11 and wear a size 22/24.
high-waisted jeans
High-waisted jeans are not only great for showing off your legs and hips, but they allow you to not worry (too much) about finding a longer top to cover your torso as they naturally rise to the high point of your waist.
If we take a look at how Susan Curry (5’11”) does it here, she’s pulled off the high-waisted jeans look beautifully with a striped cardigan over the top.
Here are my top picks:
american eagle high-waisted jeggings
Sizes up to: 20 (long) or 14 (x-long)
Inseam: 31” (long) or 33” (x-long)
Shop at AE
lane bryant high rise straight jean
Sizes up to: 28
Inseam up to: 34”
Shop at Lane Bryant
These are best if you have particularly big legs and want a more relaxed fit through the knee and calf. They also have exceptional give in the waist. Lane Bryant’s long length inseam is 34 inches, which is ideally suitable for women up to 6 feet tall to wear to the ankle. They design jeans with curvy women in mind, think: room for your tummy and hips.
simply tall brooke high rise skinny shaper jean
Sizes up to: 22
Inseam up to: 36”
Shop it: Here
Those with extra long legs should consult Simply Tall’s collection of jeans. This pick is for that smart, figure-hugging look.
With a myriad of brands offering plus size jeans in long lengths, there are plenty of denim options to style for summer or winter looks. I usually go with skinny or straight leg high-waisted jeans that have a bit of give as I can tuck my tummy into the jeans while accentuating my ass and long legs.
I complete the look with a simple one-tone top or halter top. You can pair denim with just about any footwear too, be it sandals on a summer’s day or boots or booties for fall and winter.
It has been disappointing to see American Eagle reduce their offering for tall curvy women. I wrote at length about American Eagle sizing down their jeans which was a point of contention for me as they were previously my nailed on number one choice. For my full roundup, consult my list of best tall plus size jeans.
embrace patterns
I was always told growing up not to “wear stripes” because it made me look larger. Firstly, so what? Also, you should not stray away from patterns such as horizontal stripes or floral designs because these patterns actually create visual interest, and draw attention away from any one body part. You can also incorporate stripes with just one element of the fit as opposed to going all-out pattern. Just take a look at Susan Curry, for cryin’ out loud!
midi, or maxi dresses?
I get it, a lot of tall girls feel uncomfortable going for maxi dresses because the lengths can vary so much from brand to brand. A well-fitted long maxi can really conceal a lot though, and we took the liberty of scouting the longest, plus size maxi dresses around and put an article together detailing our best finds. Here are few of my favorites:
torrid ombre tiered maxi dress
Sizes up to: 6X
Lengths up to: 56”+
Shop it: Here
Those of you who know me will know that I trust in Torrid, and not only do I trust their fit, but this ombre maxi is one of the most elegant dresses going. A patterned maxi is ideal for taking attention away from your tummy.
auselily short sleeve long maxi dress
Sizes up to: 3X
Lengths up to: 58”
Shop it: Here
So often with a dress that falls above or on the knees, we can feel extra tall and like we’re standing out. With long maxi dresses like this Amazon option above, you’ll get that drape to your lower calf or even right to your ankle to avoid this. I’m a big fan of one-tone maxi dresses this season: think bright greens and purples.
If you don’t mind flaunting your figure and legs, then midi dresses should be on your radar too. They hug the waist and skim the booty to give a sexy silhouette look.
tops and skirts for a flowy boho feel
I’m throwing it over to 5’10”, size 4X beauty Mikayla Wain for the inspo here. The loose skirts work great on body types like mine where we have a bit more around our tummy and they feel so comfy. The skirt/top combo is one of Mikayla’s go-tos and I love the boho look on her.
turning it up: wrap around dresses to accentuate all curves
I recently wrote about the 5’11” Charlotte Coyle being something of a style icon for us tall curvy women, and you can see why in this vibrant shot of her in a Monif. C wraparound dress. If you want to turn it up a little in the bedroom, literally every body looks great in one of these. The wraparound will accentuate your curves through the waist and hips, and remember what I said about patterns being your friend!
angular glasses, please!
I didn’t want eyewear to be overlooked! If you have a more rounded face and carry a bit of extra weight on your face, angular glasses will cut a wonderful contrast and work to elongate your face. While rounded glasses are super in fashion, I tend to find these only accentuate the roundness of your facial features.
temper the turtleneck
Turtlenecks, or really any top that covers your neck, are not a go-to for me as they make me feel like a wrapped up pork pie. But seriously, they draw a lot of attention to your bust and you end up kind of impersonating a large kite, so in my experience I tend to stay away from them but I also encourage everyone to “do what makes you happy!”
FYI: I want this article to be continuously updated. I’m constantly discovering inspiration on how to embrace my body through tall, plus size clothing so I’ll regularly update this with new suggestions. Of course, if you have any tips just let me know in the comments, or email me: tallpluslife AT gmail dot com!
