There was a time not so long ago when being female and tall would have included you among giraffe and daddy long leg jokes that may or may not have included other “tall tales” or “long stories” about the weather in higher places, bean poles, and two by fours. These jokes still exist, but are much less in existence as women everywhere are easily hitting the charts at 5’8″ to well over 6’0″. These graceful beauties are not only tall, but slim as well, and are often sought after for modeling prospects as clothing takes on a new perspective when fitted to a woman that has been blessed with grace and stature.
Unfortunately these women also face the dilemma of finding jeans that accommodate their long legs, and will typically pay extra money at specialty clothing stores just to get the length that they desperately need to avoid the issues of jokes about floods and flooding. Many of the more popular retail stores offer longer legged jeans at bargain prices, but the sizes are larger as well. In the world of fashion there are some serious misconceptions about the relationship of size and length, and how women are proportioned.
No two pair of jeans has been created equally due to individual manufacturer’s independent ideas of what a longer jean actually consists of. Their own unique and sometimes random decisions about a sizing system that has been based on inaccurate body data or no body data at all has been the downfall for many tall women for decades. Finding a 34″ inseam and up can become overwhelming, and women have not overlooked the men’s department or specialty catalogs in an effort to find their desired length of jeans.
Fortunately clothing manufacturers have come to the realization that women and their legs were not created equal, and that there is a real need for longer style jeans for average women, not just the classic icons that are employed fashion trend setters that dominate the catwalks. Retail giants from JC Penney, Wal-mart, Baby Phat, and Victoria’s Secret have jumped on the bandwagon of stocking lengthier jeans at affordable prices in an effort to fill a need that has been ignored for far too long, and women everywhere with longer than average inseams are beginning to gain confidence back as they can shop for taller sizes without breaking the bank.
JC Penney not only offers a wide variety of jeans, they have designed a clothing line centered on women over 5’9″ that are based on a woman’s build with features that include longer inseams, torsos, and they even considered longer arm lengths which typically go with taller women. JC Penney offers over 30 styles of jeans for longer legged women from St. John’s Bay to Lee, and they are not only stylish, they come in boot cut, classic, straight leg, and are priced reasonably from $19.99 to $48.00.
Wal-Mart once only stocked jeans designed for shorter legged women, but they now offer a line from Lee Riders that accommodates longer inseams. They carry sizes from 10L to 18L for women that have a 34″ to 36″ inseam. This line of jeans come in faded, dark denim and black and is reasonably priced at $16.92. They offer boot-cut or straight legged and come in mid-rise styles with the added benefit of a stretch waist.
Victoria’s Secret has always gone above and beyond the style guidelines in an effort to offer women’s clothing that is stylish, feminine, and beautiful. This remains true with their pants and jeans line as well. Their long lengths include BlueLondon, the Kate & Christie fit plush corduroy low rise boot cut pants in sizes from 2 through 16 with inseams up to 36″. They also offer stretch cotton, yoga, and flare pants for longer legs, and surprisingly their jeans and pant line starts at sale prices of $29.50.
Former runway model Kimora Lee Simmons, designer of the clothing label Baby Phat stands 6″0″, which is why she probably designed jeans with a longer inseam. The Ink Wash Signature jean is part of the Rock & Rose collection and offers a 36″ inseam for longer legs. The Gold Digger collection offers a Blue Dream Wash signature jean that is also available with a 36″ inseam. Baby Phat jeans from these collections run $64.00.
Gap offers a tall collection that is based on height not weight with a choice of an extra long 36″ inseam that is available in styles from boot cut and classic to the curvy and long & lean jeans. The easy size chart with guided measuring tips allows you to choose your size by giving you hip and waist proportion options with the added benefit of a 34″ to 36″ inseam link for each style. Gap jeans are available in many styles and colors with a price range starting at $34.99 on up.
