This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission if products are purchased through them. All opinions are honest and remain my own.
When you’re taller than average and it comes time to buy new leggings, of course the inevitable question of where to actually find the best leggings for tall women comes up.
The search can be stressful, and I’ve never been able to locate these in-store locally, but when you look online there are quite a few options of there in a wide range of extended inseams – from 28”-37″.
Just remember that when you’re tall and trying to shop for clothing, the internet is your best friend.
You may be able to get away with regular length leggings
Leggings are one of those clothing items that many taller women could secretly get away with wearing the regular length sizes, even if they need longer inseam pants normally.
For me at nearly 6′ tall (with a 34” inseam for non legging style pants), regular length leggings will sometimes work if they run longer than average – around 28” or so. These will hit around the ankle, and because ankle leggings are an actual style, I’ll just roll with it.
However this is probably debatable and a matter of personal preference. And of course, it also absolutely depends on how long your inseam is!
If you actually want FULL length leggings, especially if you want to pull them under your feet, there’s tons of places you find find longer inseams online no matter your budget.
Workout leggings vs. yoga pants vs. fashion leggings – what’s the difference?!
This is really worth discussing because I believe it can be a major source of confusion when shopping for leggings or yoga pants.
Yoga pants
This is a very broad category of women’s bottoms. The term spans to define any type of pants made for women’s athletics and it can even spill over into certain loungewear that’s “yoga pant” style.
These can be made in different styles – there are bootcut, straight, wide-leg, skinny, etc. Typically they’re made from polyester or nylon and spandex, or all three combined. That is basically the common “workout clothes” material that’s stretchy, thick, and durable, along with being moisture, odor, and stain resistant.
However softer cotton/spandex varieties that are the more typical “lounge” type clothes exist if you dislike the feeling of workout attire. Just keep in mind that cotton isn’t the best material for workout pants if that is the purpose you want them for.
Fashion or basic leggings
These are very thin and stretchy, and in many cases see-through. Typically made from cotton/spandex, although they can be a cotton/polyester/spandex blend or similar. They’re not necessarily designed to be worn to replace pants, unlike yoga pants and active leggings. However some brands make thicker leggings that are sturdier and not see through. These can be full length, ankle, or even cropped.
Active leggings (or yoga leggings)
These are a specific type of yoga pant that’s styled like a legging (super tight fitting everywhere). Sometimes these are referred to as yoga leggings. They’re made for athletic purposes and will be made of a thicker, sturdy material blend like polyester/spandex (or nylon).
These can be nice for gym days but some people may not find them very comfy for lounging around the house.
Read Also: 5 Places You Can Still Find Bootcut Yoga Pants for Tall Women
So pay attention to the style and material!
This is especially important when you’re buying online, since you can’t really see or touch the fabric. I didn’t really pay attention to this when I bought clothing online when I was younger, and would sometimes end up disappointed the item wasn’t quite what I was expecting.
It might seem petty, but the fabric really can make a huge difference in terms of functionality and feel. And what can make it difficult when online shopping for leggings is the products aren’t always clearly labeled “workout leggings” or “fashion leggings” and some shops will have them all thrown together.
Sometimes you’ll find bottoms labelled as “basic leggings” but are actually more workout type leggings, or vice-versa. This is why you really need to look into the materials.
If you’re in need of leggings for the gym or any type of higher intensity activity, look for some combination of polyester/spandex/nylon, or similar.
This is because the materials make the clothing fast drying and odor resistant, and also more durable – all these factors make them great for when you sweat a lot.
However they’re not super soft like cotton and tend to fit very tight and sometimes will have a compression fit, which means they’re not necessarily comfy for just lounging on your couch.
If you’re in need of leggings for more lounging or more casual wear, look for cotton or rayon and spandex.
This is because cotton and rayon are looser fitting to your skin, and feel a lot softer.
Of course this is totally my opinion, everyone has their own idea of what is and isn’t comfortable. The most important takeaway is that you are aware of the type of material and fit of the leggings you are buying online.
Tall and plus size leggings…
If you’re tall and a plus size over 20 (which is the cut off point of most regular clothing shops) the best places I’ve found to get actual long inseam leggings are Long Tall Sally, SplashDyeStudio, and these Woman Within leggings from Walmart (up to size 6x).
In addition, Torrid’s full length leggings run longer than average (28”) and they also carry up to a women’s size 30. These work well too, especially if you are around 5’8 – 5’11 or so.
Best places to buy tall women’s leggings online (extended inseams 30” – 37”)
SplashDyeStudio @ Etsy – 30” – 33” inseam leggings and plus sizes up to 6X
The first place I would like to give a shout out to is SplashDyeStudio, found on Etsy. They sell hand dyed yoga clothing out of Elk Grove, California. They have a variety of longer inseam leggings in unique, hand made styles.
I just love their fun variety of colors and wide selection of sizes. If you want to support small business, definitely check them out!
Leggings come in 30” and 33” inseams, available in sizes XS – 6XL, and are made with a cotton/spandex blend.
Check out their shop here at Etsy
Alloy Apparel – exclusively 37” inseam leggings sizes up to XXL
Alloy’s leggings are exclusively tall length with a 37” inseam. They don’t have a huge variety but the ones I’ve seen are a polyester and spandex blend. If you need a very long inseam, this is the place to go. Sizes S – XXL.
Check Alloy’s current variety of leggings here
Old Navy – 31” inseam leggings and sizes up to XXL
If you’re in need of super inexpensive tall length leggings, Old Navy should is a good go-to. They have a decent variety of fashion, casual, and workout leggings available in tall lengths, which are 31” inseam.
What’s cool about Old Navy’s leggings is they come in a variety of colors and patterns, something that is more difficult to find in leggings with longer inseams – in particular, at such low prices.
It’s also easier to discern the difference between their activewear leggings and fashion leggings, as they have them in separate categories on their website.
Just keep in mind the age old saying “you get what you pay for”. Old Navy is super affordable (and I love them) but it’s not the best quality in the world.
Check the current selection of leggings at Old Navy
American Eagle – 28.5” and 30.5” long inseam leggings and sizes up to XXL
American Eagle’s long leggings have between a 28.5 – 30.5” inseam depending on style (28.5 being a more ankle fit), which is the shortest on the list but would work well for ladies on the shorter end of the tall spectrum.
They have a very large variety of workout/active leggings in all sorts of different styles and patterns, but they have a few cotton blend casual styles as well.
The pricing is mid-range but they have good sales which makes them another great place to check. American Eagle’s sizing runs smaller than typical women’s because their market is more for juniors/younger women.
Check AE’s current legging styles and sales
Long Tall Sally – 34” and 36” inseam leggings with plus sizes up to 24 (28 UK)
Regular and Long inseams – 34” and 36”. Because they’re an exclusive tall shop, “regular” is regular tall, and “long” is extra tall. Most of their leggings are made with either cotton or viscose (which is rayon) and a bit of elastane (which is spandex).
They don’t have actual activewear leggings on their site, at least not currently. Sizing runs slightly on the larger side.
Check their current selection of leggings here.
Amazon – 31”, 34”, and 36” inseam leggings up to size XXL
Yogipace is a company that sells through Amazon and makes a variety of women’s activewear pants, including leggings. They have the largest range of inseam options – 31”, 34” and 36”.
These are exclusively made as workout pants, with polyester/spandex or nylon/spandex.
Check out Yogipace 31” 34” 36” leggings here
The Elevated Closet – 36” inseam up to size XL
This is a small company run by a 6’4 mother of 2. They carry up to a women’s XL – but the standard sizing runs larger than normal.
Their leggings stretch to fit up to a 36” inseam and are a supplex (nylon)/spandex blend. Their selection is small but it’s another option to help support small business.
Remember to always cross check size charts and double check the materials to get a more accurate idea of fit and feel.
Do you have any other go-to legging shops that aren’t on the list? I’d love to hear about them!
Leave a Reply