Tall Girls Guide to Rompers and Minis

Shopping for rompers, jumpsuits, and short dresses can be scary for taller girls lately. Sizing seems to be shrinking, in terms of length in particular. I'm 5'8", which I wouldn't actually consider all that tall here in the Midwest, but compared to other parts of the world it definitely would be. In the stores, clearly you can try on the dress or item and immediately determine if it is long enough. But this can be a challenge on-line when going off of the images provided by the retailer. Some models have long legs and shorter torsos or they size up and pin the back in. It may create an illusion that the item is longer than it really is.

The first time I experienced this problem on an extreme level is when I ordered a fox costume from overseas. The item fit fine - outside of the fact that it didn't even remotely cover my derriere! I ended up purchasing a white mini skirt from American Apparel and I'm hoping I can still pull it off next year.

Since the fox costume incident, I've started to pay attention to websites listed lengths. Some measure from the bust and some list a full length. I chose a dress that seemed longer that I liked and purchased it. Once I received it I was able to create a baseline for lengths I felt comfortable with wearing. The dress I chose was listed on-line as 33 inches and it was almost just right in terms of length. Based off of this I started to always check the length and additionally lean towards options with adjustable straps. Here are my general guidelines I use in terms of length.

Dresses: 34" or longer (may allow 33" if the straps are adjustable)

Rompers: 30" or longer (almost always look for adjustable straps as well)

To help illustrate this, here are two examples from Sheinside and Forever 21 that work, and then two that would not work for my height.

Sheinside Black Spaghetti Strap V Neck Lace Playsuit:

http://us.sheinside.com/Black-Spaghetti-Strap-Floral-Lace-Jumpsuit-p-205394-cat-1860.html

This item on Sheinside is listed for a size medium as being 31.5 and has adjustable straps! This romper would work well on me and I think would look great with a kimono, some booties, and layered jewelry.

Forever 21 Abstract Print Cami Dress:
 
http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?Br=F21&Category=DRESS&ProductID=2000054179&VariantID=&recid=product_rr-_-2000055834-_-2000054179-_-613-_-3

This simple little day dress is listed on Forever 21 as 28.5 from bust to hem, which is 5.5 inches away from my standard of 34" for full length, and a reasonable length for the added shoulder to bust line needed. It also has adjustable straps to allow additional length.
 
Additionally, I wanted to share some items that I think look great, but would be better for a petite or shorter girl.

Sheinside Black Spaghetti Strap Floral Lace Jumpsuit

http://us.sheinside.com/Black-Spaghetti-Strap-Floral-Lace-Jumpsuit-p-205394-cat-1860.html

While this Sheinside romper is very cute, it does not have adjustable straps and is listed for a size medium to be only 27.6 inches long. This would be great for my petite friends, but a definite no for my body type and height.

 

Here is a second example involving a dress:

http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=dress&ProductID=2000079173&VariantID=

I think this is a great summer dress for a great price from Forever 21, but the length would be terrible on me. It's listed as 24.5 inches from bust to hem, which is a full 10 inches short for my full length requirement. The distance from the bust to my shoulder isn't anywhere near 10 inches and even with adjustable straps I'm going to choose not to go for this simple little day dress. Again though, this would be great on one of my petite friends!

There are some sites that still don't list lengths or even measurements, but hopefully they will all begin to do this to help shoppers better identify products they will really want and can wear. Good luck shopping everyone and hope you find the right length and style!

Dining Room Makeover

Dining Room

Prior to having a new roommate I also had a different table set in my living room. It was a high top table, which I'm not a fan of for dining rooms or breakfast nooks. I do like them though for small floor plans and space. Initially when I purchased the high top table I was living in a tiny one bedroom apartment in the Westport area of Kansas City, MO. I loved my apartment, but everything had to be downsized when I moved there. Once I purchased my townhouse, I was ready to add larger pieces back to my homes interior. Below are two photo of my original high-top table and chairs from the first week I moved into my freshly painted place. We celebrated with margaritas and pizza!

Enjoying some food and drink when I moved into my place.

Old Dining Counter Top Height Chairs

One of the first things I purchased for my dining area was the chairs. I had wanted these chairs from Baxton Studio off of Amazon for years and finally had a place for them. A lot of the reviews reported having trouble assembling them, but I found it very easy. What people may have been challenged with is knowing how to line the right leg with the right hole in the base. It has to be aligned in a specific way. If you have trouble visualizing, all you would have to do is keep rotating the base until the holes all align correctly and problem solved!

Baxton Studio Chair

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HX36LY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Once I purchased the chairs, I moved on to selecting a table.  I wanted the Silverado round dining table from CB2, but at $299.00 that is a bit pricey for my simple single lifestyle. Instead I went with the IKEA  Salmi table at $129.00, which is very similar, but a little smaller in diameter and has slightly different leg design. 

CB2 Silverado

http://www.cb2.com/silverado-round-dining-table/f3425

IKEA Samli

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70102298/

The Salmi table was also very simple to assemble and is sturdier than I expected. The glass top is very heavy and the frame seems to be supporting that weight sufficiently.

First meal at my table.

Finished product.

Once I had my table and chairs, my next step was to select a rug. I felt like the floor underneath just needed a little something. I wanted to stick with the theme of green that goes throughout almost my entire home. Additionally I wanted something easy to clean. In the past I had a shag rug under my dining table and it was a pain to keep looking clean and fresh. To help with this I went with an indoor/outdoor rug. 

I went with another Amazon purchase of a 6'7" round rug for a total of $122.12. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00871F9AA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Similar Item here:

http://www.buyarearugs.com/rugs-cy6918-244-xgx.html?fkjkckcy6918-244-7r&source=amazon-product-ads&utm_source=amazon-product-ads&utm_medium=shopping

Dining room table, chairs, and rug complete.

By simply adding the rug and an old fake plant with silver container that I got from Target years ago it adds a nice touch to the room. My next step will be to create four canvases to the wall that I'm working on personally! I'm still debating between birds or abstract. Additionally, I'm hoping to add more color and dynamic to the room with the art. That is one of my favorite aspects of art. When you have a basic room with similar colors (neutral), you can change out simple things like the art on the wall or the flowers on the table for a completely different effect. Stay tuned for more updates and seasonal changes.