After a bit of a break, Clothing Tall Men is back with a couple of options for tall men's jeans from some less obvious places.
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After a bit of a break, Clothing Tall Men is back with a couple of options for tall men's jeans from some less obvious places.
Lee has been making denim work clothes since 1889 and with sixty or so years of producing jeans for casual wear, you can rely on them to know how to make a decent pair of jeans. Although their range doesn't extend to a 38 inch inseam, tall men are well catered for with a wide range of 36 inch inseam jeans. Don't be fooled by the Big & Tall section on their web site - this only offers extra wide waist and does not include the long inseam jeans at all (why do designers even bother calling this Big & Tall?)
Happy Earth Day! Clothing choice may not be the first thing people think of when trying to reduce their impact on the environment but every little counts, so after careful research here are Clothing Tall Men's top tips:
It might not sound obvious, but it makes perfect sense - and you will end up with a better wardrobe. It makes life easier because clothing choices are limited enough already for tall men and buying one set of high quality clothes is always going to be better for the environment than buying two, however 'eco-friendly' they are. So avoid super-cheap basics, choose natural fabrics over artificial and focus on good clothes that will last (it probably means they won't be the latest fashion, but finding the very latest fashion in tall sizes is almost impossible anyway).
For me, that's often meant waiting for sales to buy tall stuff that I wouldn't have bought at full price and some of those items I'm happily wearing years later - although this could be because I'm environmentally aware, tight-fisted or just lazy! If you want to go further than this with your tall clothing purchases, read on!
Since my working week starts on Tuesday this week thanks to Presidents' Day, I thought I'd check why. My first discovery was that, rather than celebrating every US president (luckily, since there have clearly been a few duds in recent decades), the day actually celebrates Abraham Lincoln and George Washington who both had birthdays in February.
I couldn't help wondering whether tall US Presidents, like us lesser (but taller!) folk, had to contend with the problems of finding clothes tall enough. After all, their average height has been 5'11" (180cm) and the present incumbent is 6'1". So for those wanting to feel presidential, here's some tall clothing tips from two of the tallest.
Barack Obama, at 6'1" tall, has been widely described as a 'style icon' and has maintained a sharp style right into the White House, resisting the temptation to dress down to seem more like just a regular guy (cowboy boots, anyone?). Still, while he is reported to have started his presidential campaign wearing expensive Italian suits from Ermenegildo Zegna, he has since opted for classic American style from a less exclusive source. He is reported to favor Hart Schaffner Marx, a Chicago based store under the same ownership as upmarket Hickey Freeman. At Hart Schaffner Marx you can get a nice extra long wool suit for around $600 - not cheap, but very reasonable compared to the $1500 that Zegna would charge.
Coupled with the suit, a crisp white shirt and a smart tie complete the look - perhaps with rolled up sleeves as a slight concession to "smart casual". Those are not hard to find - extra long ties for tall men are available at many sites including ties.com but always go for silk. Shirts with extra long sleeves are also not hard to find - I am biased towards traditional British style such as Savile Row Co, Charles Tyrwhitt or TM Lewin. For a truly crisp look, buy pure cotton in a two-ply fabric with a high thread count (100's or higher).
Selecting a Valentine's gift for a boyfriend or husband is a delicate operation at the best of times. If you have left it late and you are buying for a tall man, it can be even trickier.
If you are looking for the romantic idea of a lifetime that will clinch that engagement ring or set the clock on your marriage back to the honeymoon days, please don't rely on my advice alone! However, if you are looking for some inspiration related to clothing, read on! It's not too late to order some great gifts, but don't delay.
Firstly, think quality not quantity. This is a chance to show someone is special and that you've thought about them, so don't just buy something they need anyway. Secondly, love should be in the air, so think more personal, elegant items rather than, say, a new pair of steel capped work boots. Thirdly, most tall men I've met may be sensitive but they are mainly practical; think carefully before buying knick-knacks or overly sentimental items (ok, so maybe I'm just hoping my own beloved will read this!).
Soft, luxurious underwear is an obvious idea (and will undoubtedly get your partner in a Valentine's mood). But this is no time for three-pack nylon briefs bought off Amazon. You need to show that some thought has gone into this. Think about boxers or boxer briefs in crisp cotton or even silk. Bath robes and lounge pants in patterned cotton can also bring a touch of class to a well-used bedroom item.
After a long period of hesitation, I finally ordered myself a pair of pants with custom measurements just before Christmas. The only thing that held me back from what is such a sensible idea is the fact that I like to see things I buy (even if that means looking in a shop and then buying online). BUt after yet another frustrating and unsuccessful shopping trip looking for any 'tall' clothes, I thought I'd give it a try.
I am glad to say that the trial worked perfectly. I am now the proud owner of a comfortable and well-fitting pair of chinos and a firm convert to custom-made clothing. For 2012, I plan to extend my trial to shirts and maybe some other items. I shall share my experiences with you as I go along. Please do comment if you have your own stories about custom ordered tall clothing.
The site I used was Tailor Store, which offers two styles of chinos in different colors and two fabric types (Derby is quite a heavy, thick fabric and the lighter Nottingham) as well as shorts, shirts, polo shirts and even custom-made underwear. You can specify all of your measurements and various other options such as pockets and stitching. This means you are no longer limited to a '36 waist' or '36 inseam' - if you need a 35.5 inch waist and a 36.6 inch inseam that's exactly what you get! I also chose a slightly higher waist since I hate my shirt coming untucked from 'low rise' pants.
I liked this site partly because they are also very open about where the clothes are made (Sri Lanka) but also the use of organic textiles and information about working conditions and where the fabrics come from. Despite coming from the other side of the world, my order reached me within 2 weeks and was cheaper than I would pay for a pair of (too short) pants in my own home town.