Tall Women’s Sweatpants and Joggers

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Looking for the best tall women’s sweatpants and joggers? I’m going to discuss a few tips to keep in mind before you buy to make your search a little easier!

This COVID-19 pandemic has really given me a new appreciation for loungewear – especially pants like sweatpants and joggers! And don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I was a stranger to comfy clothing before, but now I feel as though I basically live in them. I mean, jeans? What are those again!?

But when you’re tall, it can be so frustrating trying to find sizes to properly fit. I’ll give my best quick guide and tips for locating the best places to find and the best kinds for us tall gals! Whether you’re size 00 or 30 – you can find them!

Loungewear is especially tricky to find with tall or extra tall inseams IN-STORE. Shopping online is better, but even then they’re still not as widely available as other types of pants like jeans or slacks.

This isn’t only true for sweatpants and joggers, but also other comfy stuff like yoga pants and leggings. With a few exceptions, I just have not seen these items in any store. And when I do spot them, they’re long inseams, not tall – which can make a difference.

Sweatpants vs joggers

Ok first thing first – what is the difference between sweatpants and joggers? They may seem very similar, but there is a technical difference. Usually, joggers are made of a more lightweight material, and are slightly fitted and tailored to your body. They are better at keeping you comfortable if you need to stay cool.

Sweatpants are more heavyweight (often 100% cotton) and fit baggy, so they’re great for keeping cozy and warm but not exactly as stylish.

However they can sort of all be lumped together these days as it’s super common for companies to produce sweatpant/jogger hybrids. This can make the difference a bit more difficult to tell when shopping online if you see “jogger sweatpants” in the title. Typically these will be more fitted to your body with a tapered ankle.

The most important thing you can do in those cases is pay attention to the materials – 100% cotton pants are more your basic sweatpants, while any type of blend with polyester will create pants that are more lightweight and breathable. This is discussed in more detail down below.

Long vs tall inseams

It’s important to note that there is no universal standard for what makes a “long” and “tall” inseam, or what makes them different. As a general rule of thumb, long inseams are shorter than tall inseams.

For example, Old Navy’s “long” pants are generally cut with a 34” inseam, while their “tall” pants have a 36” inseam. But those labels of “long” and “tall” can be ambiguous, especially between brands.

Another factor that makes knowing which length or inseam to buy even more confusing is that inseams also vary across styles. Any type of cut that is tighter at the ankle, as is true with many styles of sweats and joggers, will be made with an inseam that’s shorter. This is because it’s designed to fit a little higher on your leg than a style that may be wider on the bottom (like bootcut and straight styles).

So if you’re examining inseams for these styles of bottoms, you may notice that long/tall inseams may be more like 32”-33” – and that is just how they’re designed. They’re not designed to be high-water/cropped ankle pants, but the fit is just different.

Sometimes, you’ll notice “extra tall” inseams and those could be more like 36”’ or 37”+, depending on style.

Know where to shop

For long/tall sweatpants and joggers

Usually, a long inseam in jogger-style pants is somewhere between 31” – 32”. This is just because of the way they’re cut.

Old Navy is a really great place to check for these if you’re on a budget – they’re one of the most affordable places to buy clothing if you’re a taller woman. It’s definitely one of my go-to shops, specifically the tall section of their website.

They have a pretty decent selection of sweatpants and jogger styles too, so you can check their full stock here. Below are just a few of my recommendations based on what I’ve tried.

These jogger/sweatpants are one of my favorites – they’re a cotton/poly blend so lightweight but still comfy and great for hanging around the house. The tall inseam is 31 1/2 inches – but it still works. I’m almost 6′ and they are a perfect length. They also come in a few other basic colors – black, navy, and maroon.

If you are taller than that or have an exceptionally long inseam for your height, they may be a bit too short though.

These jogger sweatpants are another of my favorites from Old Navy! I have them in black, but they come in a lot of really fun colors. They’re a cotton/fleece combo so they’re a bit cozier than the first pair, so they function great as pajamas.

Gap is another good place to check as well, and their inseams tend to run a bit longer than Old Navy’s. If you need a bit of extra length it’s perfect.

You can check Gap’s full selection here.

For extra tall sweatpants and joggers

If you’re in need of an extra tall length, you’ll definitely want to check Alloy and Long Tall Sally. They’re exclusive sites for tall ladies and their bottoms are extra tall by default. I find their length TOO long for me! (At 6′)

But if you need the extra length, check out Alloy’s selection of sweatpants and joggers, and Long Tall Sally’s selection here.

For plus size tall sweatpants and joggers

Old Navy, Gap, Alloy, and Long Tall Sally all stock up to a women’s size 18/20 in tall lengths. If you need to size up from that, the selection is more limited.

Women Within is the only place I’ve discovered that carries the higher plus sizes (20 – 30+) and also tall lengths. You can check their tall plus-sized sweatpants here.

Wear plus size cropped styles

Cropped joggers and sweatpants are in style, and they have a bunch of them over at Torrid up to women’s size 30 that are a lot cuter than Women Within. Even if you just purchased a regular length, you could pull them off as crops!

In addition to length, consider the material of the sweatpants, joggers, or any other type of casual/comfy wear pants like leggings and yogas

Something important to take into consideration before buying a clothing item is the type of material it’s made out of. This is something many people don’t think twice about especially if they’re shopping online.

But the material really can make a huge difference in terms of function, longevity, static cling, and just the way it feels. I personally would never buy anything online without first checking the materials!

These materials or combinations of materials are the most commonly produced with these types of pants. What fabric blend you like is a matter of personal preference!

Cotton

Cotton is a natural fiber that’s super soft, loose-fitting, and comfortable, so it’s great for sleeping and lounging. It also doesn’t produce static cling either, so hair and lint are less likely to stick.

But cotton is a heavier material that’s more prone to staining, wrinkling, and rips. It also absorbs moisture easily and is slow drying, which means it may not be best for clothing you intend to work out in.

Cotton and polyester blend

Polyester is a synthetic material that’s very durable, lightweight, fast drying, and wrinkle-resistant.

Cotton and polyester are a pretty good blend because you still get the soft cotton feel, but the mix is more durable than cotton alone. It can withstand damage and wrinkling and dries faster.

The worst part about this material blend is it’s more prone to static cling, so lint and hair can stick easily. The fabric also tends to cling to your body more so than cotton.

Cotton and spandex

Softness and advantages of cotton but gives it stretch – this is a commonly used blend for bottoms such as leggings and yoga pants.

Polyester and spandex

This combination doesn’t have that classic soft feel of cotton, it’s more smooth and clingy. Think of “workout pants” and this is what they’re typically made out of. These are great for workouts, but not as comfortable to wear around as loungewear.

The advantage of this blend is it’s super durable, light, odor-resistant, and great for wicking away moisture. This makes it perfect for hardcore activities where you’re moving and sweating a lot.

Polyester, spandex, and cotton blend

This is sort of a workout/comfy pant hybrid – it combines the advantages of workout clothes with the softness of cotton.

Polyester, rayon, and spandex

Another popular tri-blend, the rayon gives the material a softer and more comfortable feel than polyester and spandex alone. The overall material is cooler and more moisture-resistant than blends that contain cotton.

These certainly are not all possible fabric combinations, but it’s good to know the basics. There are so many different synthetic materials so different clothing manufacturers can use different ones. If you see a material you don’t recognize, Google it!

The Bottom Line

Hopefully this helps you out on your search for longer inseam loungewear! If you have any other questions, drop a comment down below. Happy shopping!

Check out the full list of places to shop when tall here, and my ultimate guide on shopping shoes for sizes 12+!

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