The Best Dress Length for Tall Women

What we love the most about dresses is that they’re absolutely effortless, yet elevated. When you slip into a dress that fits you right, you’ll instantly feel put together without having to mix and match a bunch of pieces or attempt to pair colors. This saved time allows for that glorious bit of additional sleep in the morning or extra time for an at-home dance party before you head out. 

So, what does every woman need in their closet? The perfect fitting dress, of course.

When shopping for a new dress, one of the most important elements is picking the right hemline for you. You need to pick a dress that is the appropriate length for the occasion while being flattering for your tall stature. Understanding the correct terms for dress lengths makes dress shopping online much easier! Women’s dresses are broken into three broad categories: mini, midi and maxi. We have dedicated this entire blog to understanding the best dress length for tall women! 

Hemline’s History 

Throughout early fashion, women’s skirts and dresses were one length: long and cascading to the floor. This was down to modesty rules and a lack of women’s rights. It wasn’t until post WW1 that women began to gain more independence and importance; the world entered the decadent roaring ‘20s, and we began to see hemlines rising. They rose quite substantially in fact, with the famous flapper dressers, which landed at the knee—considered quite scandalous at the time. 

Yet, it wasn’t until the 1960s when hemlines became more and more diversified with the loud arrival of the spicy mini skirt that pushed new boundaries—but were here to stay, as proven by the 1990’s “Girl Power” era, and the arrival of the feminist movement becoming more and more mainstream. Dress and skirt lengths were varied and a choice—interwoven with choice and power. 

Fast forward to the present day. Canadian gals can be loud and proud about what they want to wear between maxis, midi and minis that are all in style and here to stay! Which is your favorite? 

Maxi Dresses 

Maxi dresses hemlines normally finish at the ankle, but do not tend to fully sweep the floor. The great thing about maxi dresses is their impressive versatility, including that tall girls can totally rock them—without becoming an accidental midi. Maxi dresses tend to have a straight cut shape, which is extremely flattering, looking chic and timeless. As this length offers an elongated visual proportion, it can accentuate your height beautifully and allows you to wear flat shoes, if you wish. 

You can wear a maxi dress anywhere. If you are heading out for a casual day but want to look very put together, we suggest this Long Tall Fitted Maxi; you can choose your favorite color too: black, yellow, or purple. If you’re looking for something with a little more pattern and pop, there is this tank floral dress in two lovely shades. Perfect for a tall figure, this black dress with a raised waistline is simple and sweet. For a daytime look that is a bit more elevated, we recommend this floral pattern maxi dress that comes in orange, white and blue. 

As we said, maxi dresses offer serious versatility, making them an exceptional choice for an evening event. The event can be anything: work party, wedding, date, anything! Check out this jaw-dropping wrap dress in both fuchsia and bright green featuring a sexy slit highlighting your showstopping legs. Stop hiding them! 

Want a little more sex appeal? This sassy number features plenty of cutouts to keep the party going available in classic black or unique gray. Keep the fun going when you opt for this strappy dress which is offered in white and black floral. Want to stand out? Of course, you do. Check out Seychelle's dress, a two-piece dress set, with flowy ruffles and available in memorable colors! 

Midi Dresses  

Midi dresses, also called tea-length dresses or cocktail dresses, are those dresses that land anywhere between two inches below the knees to just above the ankles. We like that midi dresses are flattering, helping to lengthen your torso and your lovely legs!  

What is most special about this hemline and type of dress is that they can be worn all year long, for all sorts of events. When you’re elevating the midi, it pairs well with a nice high heel—that's right, heels are not exempt for tall girls! We suggest heels such as the following:

• These teal strappy heels sexily slither up your calf to finish off your dress
• These timeless slingback high heels in white
• These unbelievable jaw-dropping gold carat heels
• These braided, simple block heels 
• These sexy, 4-inch high-heeled heels feature gold chain straps 

Let's start with casual midi looks. We suggest this sleeved tiered mini dress which has a relaxed silhouette that is perfect for a casual feeling. Lover of denim dresses? Same! This denim dress is classy, collared and offers tailored seams. We also like this silhouette that features hidden pockets (who can resist a dress with pockets?!) 

Moving swiftly on to a midi dress with a bit of sophistication, we suggest the following. First, the Multi Printed Button Down Dress is extra long with perfectly placed slide slits offering a real polished look. This bright blue turtle-neck dress is great for the colder months that will catch everyone's eye. We must also shout out this fitted midi which is reversible, tailored and sleek and this sophisticated midi dress. 

Mini Dresses 

We can't help but feel like we're back in the raving 1990s when we slip on a mini dress! The mini dress hem sits right above the knee, hitting mid-thigh. Mini hemlines showcase your legs so may not be the go-to choice for a more formal party. Mini dresses are cute, playful and flirtatious—and we can't get enough of them. We love this style for tall girls and want to encourage all you ladies with long long legs to rock them. 

Let's hear it for the Snowflake dress, a sexy essential that is form-fitting and strapless, which can easily be dressed up or down with the right accessories. There is also this sexy Kylie Dress in green and in blue. 

How to Pick the Right Length for Tall Women 

Hemlines and dress style should ultimately be what fits your rights and your preferences. 

Here are a few tips for picking the right hemline for a tall lady:

• When trying on a dress, be sure to sit down to see how high (or not!) it rides up. 
• If you are traveling and plan to visit places of worship, opt for hemlines that land no more than 1 inch above the knee. 
• Hemlines should end at the narrowest width of the leg. 
• For maxi dresses, the hemline should end just above the ankles.
• For midi dresses, the hemline should end at the narrowest part of your shin. For knee-length dresses, they should end at the bottom of your knee.
• For mini-length dresses, they should end above your knee. 

It's good to be mindful of where you’re stepping out when you're deciding on the right hemline and dress length. You’ll want to adhere to the dress code guidelines for your event and hopefully, these above tips can help you pick the right dress! 

Add to Cart! 

Nothing beats the simple pleasure of finding the perfect fitting dress. Now that you’ve read this blog, you are hopefully more aware of the many different hemlines and styles of dress that you can rock as a stunning tall lady that you can wear to impress for a wide range of occasions. 

Start—and end—your journey with our curated dresses and fashion, specifically for tall women at Tall Size. We are confident you will find something that will suit your style and individual preferences. Whatever the occasion, there's a dress out there waiting for you.  What is your go-to dress style?