Style Secrets: Tall Drink of Water

“Being tall is an advantage, especially in business. People will always remember you. And if you’re in a crowd, you’ll always have some clean air to breathe.”
Julia Child
Dolls I am convinced that the taller mademoiselle’s teetering about this good green earth in L.A.M.B.’s Valisa Lace Up Pumps on Hidden Platform have been bestowed with an unfair rap. We shorter girls have misconstrued their covetable height as a blessing; a characteristic which makes them more enticing to cute boys given their mile-long legs, and seductive strut. The plain and simple truth, however, is that, while we petite pretties are gazing up in adoration at our taller counterparts, those very same individuals are often in complete envy of our tiny statures.

But I digress; it is a known fact that, in any given situation, the grass is often greener on the other side. Even so, as the fashion-forward femme fatales we are, it is our duty to embrace our height – no matter how many inches or lack thereof are present – and stun with our style; taunt with our tempting good looks; and wow with our wardrobes. Yet we must do so in a way that is proper for our given elevation point. While limitations enshroud the closets of the petite, such restrictions are rarely encountered by the lofty ladies amongst us.

When it comes to height and the world of fashion, anything goes! Tall allows you to don almost any piece of frippery that catches your eye; the key is to be aware of your body shape, embrace the length of your form, and do everything in your power to accentuate your sensational stature. A task, kitty cats, which is far easier to accomplish than it actually sounds!

♥Solid Sophisticate Whether you’re on the brink of breaking through that pesky half-inch line marked upon a ruler from your elementary school days to prove to the world that you are, in fact, a proud member of the “five feet and over crowd,” or you’re simply a willowy vision eager to highlight your desirable sylphlike silhouette, there is no more powerful way to bring attention to your long, lean, lithesome frame than by perusing solid colors, and creating ensembles which stick to a monochromatic palette.

Solid colors retain the ability to create the illusion that one is more svelte than they truly are; they provide a false appearance of added length which serves to make one’s form more fluid and flowing – a trick of the eye which works to make the tall girl look even more runway ready than patterns or bold prints would. Such a streamlining of style makes you effuse confidence and aplomb in any situation; whilst subtly bragging to the world that you couldn’t be more proud of your prominent height.

“It was only when I moved to New York that I realized tall is good.”
Kristen Johnston
♥To the Max The maxi dress, like over the knee boots, is one of those fundamentals in life that can be downright intimidating in the beginning stages. There is something quite domineering and frightening about the extreme length which it proffers so eloquently that leads one to take a step back and mull over the winsomeness and capabilities of such a style. Do me a favor, darlings and halt contemplation of all kinds; as a skyscraping siren, owning a maxi dress is not an option for you, it is an absolute matter of necessity.

There is no more dazzling way to spotlight one’s height than via a sweeping, floor-length frock that pools around your feet in a fashion which makes your presence and appearance seem everlasting; quite a bit like the immortal Grecian goddesses you will be mistaken for when donning such a look. While shorter girls must search high and low for form-fitting maxis, as someone harboring unstoppable tallness, you do not have to worry about being swallowed whole by such a design; therefore seek out cuts that ebb and flow with the movements of your body like A.L.C.’s Strapless Maxi Dress with Belt or Karina Grimaldi’s Antonella Maxi Dress. Such a skimming construction partnered with your height works to ensconce you in effortless elegance which makes you come off as ethereal, enchanting, and empyreal – almost like a glamorous mythical being. Weave your hair into an Alexander Wang side braid, slip a pair of Elizabeth and James’ Blair Jewel Thong Sandals upon your feet, slide a bulbous vintage cocktail ring like mark’s For Keeps Ring upon your finger, and clasp tuleste market’s Half Circle Chain Necklace around your throat to complete the look. From here on out, we’ll just call you Aphrodite.

♥Waisting Away Regardless of what anyone may or may not tell you, a high waist will forever be in style. There is truly no more classy and sophisticated way to make yourself look slimmer and taller than with the assistance of a pair of high waisted anything accoutering your lower half – be it Alice + Olivia’s Pinstripe Pleated Shorts with High Waist or So Low’s High Waist Leggings.

“Love thy neighbor – and if he happens to be tall, debonair and devastating, it will be that much easier.”
Mae West
A high waist is the universal way for all women to add inches to their stature. Given the fact that you are already a tall drink of water, of course, this may sound completely unappealing; but such a look truly has its benefits – even for a lady of length, like yourself. Tagging inches onto your already boisterous height via a high waistline elongates your figure in its entirety making one appear more genteel and opulent; whilst slimming the body all at once – an array of elements which serve to make you more effectual in your appearance, and contribute a splash of authoritative audaciousness to your entire demeanor.

♥Long and Luxurious Darlings you are towering, you are tantalizing, and as a proud member of the statuesque and sassy club, I cannot stress enough that you, as the gorgeous glamazons that you are, should use your grace, poise, and chic caliber in the height department to enhance your true beauty; one of the best ways to do so is with the assistance of long, luxurious tops gracing your upper half.

We pint-sized firecrackers often find ourselves the victim of looking short, stumpy, and stocky when styled in sweaters, t-shirts, cardigans, tunics, or typical t-shirts that fall anywhere below the hip; but you have the height for such a design. You possess the tallness required to do justice to these particular pieces; therefore, embrace them!

“Censorship is the height of vanity.”
Martha Graham
Pieces like Splendid’s Distressed Fleece V Neck Tunic, mark’s Cold Shoulder Top, and Rachel Pally’s Oversized Swing Tank harbor the ability to lengthen your torso and shorten your legs ever so slightly; a look that would be fairly unflattering on someone shorter, but which only serves to make you more glamorous. Do keep in mind that long tops have the potential to stunt the growth even of the tallest temptress; so use them wisely. But please, do use them – you will not be sorry my loves!

♥Mod Squad A constant worry for tall girls, I kid you not, is that of showing too much skin. One wants to be ravishing, regal, and resplendent in their look du jour, not risqué; yet for those with legs that go on for miles, sticking to this tabulation can be quite a challenge. The Diane von Furstenberg Kawa Sequin Skirt that fell to the knees of your petite flaxen-haired pal hovers just below the derriere when worn by you; the Young Fabulous & Broke Caroline Skirt that ruffled romantically about the thighs of your little sis hardly graces your upper legs. Let’s face it, there’s nothing you can do about these things; yet given the fact that “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” you want to ensure that you are putting your best frock forward!

“You can’t reason yourself into happiness any more than you can reason yourself into an extra six inches in height.”
Stephen Fry
Dolls don’t you dare lock those mini dresses or bandage skirts away! Yes, you are tall, but that is no reason to stifle your style and steer clear of particular designs simply to please others; the secret is to guilelessly be mindful of the length of your more flirty, feminine bottom half bliss. Skirts and dresses will undoubtedly look shorter on you than they will on someone not as blessed in the height department; therefore, retain modesty in your wardrobe by using your fingertips as a guide for length, or merely incorporate longer looks, like pencil skirts, into your everyday style. They may effuse professionalism, but with the right accessories, their playful side comes out making them even more cheeky than their shorter sidekicks!

♥Ruler of the Empire The way I see it loves, the fashion world is like a fairy godmother of sorts; whereas the empire waist acts in the place of the magic wand, casting a bit of alluring enchantment upon anyone with the good sense to accouter themselves in such a design.

“To achieve harmony in bad taste is the height of elegance.”
Jean Genet
While empire waist dresses and tops retain the ability to be universally flattering on women of all shapes and sizes; when worn by the taller ladies there is a tad more elegance proffered which is imposing and monarchical, making the wearer radiate the same sort of stately presence as that synonymous with the members of the British Royal Family. Empire waists, like that seen upon Juicy Couture’s Shirred Empire Paisley Dress or Wilt’s Empire Tunic, bring a hoity-toity hint of haute couture to the high-reaching beauty’s wardrobe, making one appear more willowy and elongated than a fitted piece would allow; whilst permitting the pretty in question to retain complete comfort from day to night!

♥Flat Foot Don’t worry darlings, no one will hold it against you, or consider you a traitor in any way, shape, or form for wanting to forgo the extra boost of height created by the addition of heels in place of fancy flats that will keep you closer to the ground. Girls short in stature may feel the desire to peruse heels whenever given the chance; but as someone brimming with tallness, flats are the most fabulous way to downplay your height, without forsaking sassy style!

I know better than many that heels oftentimes make one feel more grown-up in their style; but flats have the ability to be just as sophisticated, feminine, and polished as a pump, as long as one knows well enough to search for perfection. Many times typical ballerinas grow boring in their aesthetic, and begin to lose their identity, making the wearer feel as if they have fallen into a footwear rut, and leading them to pursue something a little more fabulous, which often arises in the form of a stiletto. The key to sublimity is to think outside the box. Seek out pieces with personality that veers away from the ordinary silhouette of the ballerina. Show your spirit fingers with Steven’s Jezebel Jazz Shoes; wrap your mind, and wardrobe, around the model of menswear via Elizabeth and James’ Wicked Suede Oxford Flats; pay tribute to retro architecture’s like that seen on Alexander Wang’s Ines Suede Oxfords. Adorning your tootsies in savvy, slightly offbeat styles is the number one way to feel both mature and magnificent!

“Happiness makes up in height what it lacks in length.”
Robert Frost
Of course, should you feel plagued with the desire to pump it up, do not at all allow your height to stand in the way. Wear your Tory Burch Julianne Open Toe Logo Wedges with wild abandonment; don your Dolce Vita Trinity Leopard Platform Pumps to make your silhouette more daring; and flaunt your Paul & Joe Sister Perine Zip Front Pumps with your finest frippery. Just make sure to pop a pair of CitySlips in your purse should you encounter a wardrobe malfunction of the footwear variety, or simply want to soothe your pained, yet perkily pedicured paws after trotting around town styled in stilettos!

♥Maximum Measures Capris are cute and pants that hit right at the ankle can be ambrosial, yet both lack the ability to do anything spectacular for one’s body – even the flowing form of the tall girl. Lengths that fall within the “in-between” category, hovering in the midst of long and short styles, quite often ruin the look that one is going for, and stumps one’s silhouette; making you appear shorter than you actually are. Whether you’re ten feet or two feet tall, one looks their absolute best when going to the maximum in either direction of measurement. Slip on a pair of tailored shorts like Forever 21’s Nautical Twill Short, which give you the ability to serve up a splash of sophistication at the very same time that you are baring your legs in the most flattering and blissful of ways; or style your bottom half in Grid Woven Trousers which flit flirtily around your feet in the most cosmopolitan of fashions. The ideal way for one to show off their glorious gams is to fully embrace the sentiment that going to the max will forever keep you looking like a superstar!

“The height of cleverness is being able to conceal it.”
Francois de la Rochefoucauld
♥Looks for the Leggy Lady Darlings, I truly hope that you’re not overwhelmed at the thought of trying to accentuate your covetable height; but just in case you’re feeling slightly numb by everything that you have learned, here are a few complete ensembles created with you and only you in mind to get you started!

♥A plain white tee tucked into Alice + Olivia’s Pinstripe Pleated Shorts with High Waist, paired with Boutique 9’s Ronnie Jazz Oxford Flats, and topped off with House of Harlow 1960’s Chain & Leather Corset Necklace.
♥Plush Faux Leather Liquid Leggings topped with Mike & Chris’ Hunter Tunic in Heather Red, and worn with Jeffrey Campbell’s Lubbock Suede Over the Knee Boots in Black.
♥Juicy Couture’s Shirred Empire Paisley Dress coupled with Frye’s Rider Pull On Boots, and tuleste market’s Croc Bangle Set.

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.”
Jean Houston


Fashionably yours!


Thanks to We ♥ It and Shopbop for the pictures.


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