The dust is settling on the sad news we received about Long Tall Sally closing its doors after 45 years of serving us with long inseams, generous shoulder widths, and a large variety of stylish shoes for bigger feet. We have seen the heartbreak spread like wildfire through all of the buy, sell trade Facebook groups as well as our through blog audience. We are living in this sadness with you and understand the fears many women have going forward with so many gaps still remaining in tall fashion.
Which brings us to today’s blog post. We have spent hours and we mean HOURS researching, shopping, trying on, and exploring tall brands across the web and we have done our very best to compile a comprehensive list of some of our favorite places to buy necessities you may need. The lists below are in no particular order.
We hope that this not only helps settle some of your fears of Long Tall Sally closing but also introduces you to some new brands you may not have otherwise known about. If we missed anywhere that you have shopped and had luck please let us know with a comment below, an email, DM or comment so we can add to this list and make it as accurate and big as possible for our tall fam! If you have any questions after perusing the list, please drop them in the comments below.
“Larger size winter boots for women. Big boots for women. Okay, be honest. How many times have you had to search for some variation of that in Google? Or something similar: Large size flats, large size rain boots, large size whatever you’re looking for? My guess is usually you come up with a very short list of results or have to defer to men’s shoes/boots in certain instances.
So in an effort not to waste too much of your time, all of these boots are only available up to size 12. So if you are beyond that sadly I would defer you to some mens options. The good news is that a lot of men sorels could be equally as cute and just as wonderful in quality. For each section, I am going to include the men’s alternative if I can!
My collection of Sorels has grown quite a bit this year due to some unforeseen sales, ha! I hate when that happens…said no me ever. They all play a different role in my Wisconsin lifestyle though.
These are by far my most worn boot. They are the perfect boot for romping around through the muck, mud, and heavy rainfalls. They aren’t going to be the warmest option but my feet still tend to stay nice and toasty. I throw these on every morning for my work commute in an effort to save my work shoes from getting destroyed by the salt on my car mat and on the roads. They are easy to slip in and out of for errands, running out to your car, walking the dog and pretty much anything else. And the added perk is that they are adorable! My mens alternative for this one isn’t from Sorel but they are a men’s shoe from another reputable company and they offer narrow widths which are probably a big win for women! You can shop them here: Duck Boots
These are also great for heavy rain or light snow. I wore them on a carriage ride in Northern Wisconsin and it rained on us the entire time and these barely showed a few drops of water by the time we were finished. My feet were toasty and I think they are my cutest option to complete an adorable outdoorsy look. The mens alternative would be the Madson Caribou Boot.
these are going to be your go-to for heavy rain. These are going to be your most fashion-forward and mellow if you ask me. They just look like any other leather boot that you could pair with jeans and a sweater. If you’re into a more subdued look these would be your best bet. These ones don’t have much insulation so pack some heavy socks and maybe if you’re in a slightly warmer climate they will be perfect for you! The Men’s alternative would be the Madson Chelsea Boot.
I also have the Joan of Arctic Boot as my true winter boot. I have had these since college and they are the boots I wear to shovel the driveway, build a snowman, go into work when we are in a polar vortex, you get the picture. When the going gets cold, the cold get Joan of Arctic. The fur trim on mine has held up really well for years and they always keep my feet warm. These are awesome because you can actually change the felt liner on all of the boots if it does ever get too worn. The Men’s alternative would be the Men’s Caribou Boot or the 1964 CVS Boot.
I want to bring it full circle in saying I am not happy to be providing most of you with men’s options because it’s not fair. And it’s a bandaid on a real problem that one day we will have real fixes for. But for now, hopefully, your feet can stay toasty and comfortable in any of the options above. All boots are linked above!
If you recall, we have shared Flowers for Dreams with you once before. Read here if you’d like. However, now we’re back to share a completely different seasonal bouquet that features a pretty amazing treat. First, we want to give you a little bit of backstory on this amazing company!
Flowers for Dreams started as a college project they set up to sell roses outside of a high school graduation. The goal was to sell out and donate half back to purchasing backpacks for low-income students. The high school loved the idea and invited them back again and not too long later 600 backpacks were donated. Little did they know a company was taking shape. Following a lot of trials and tribulations, they set out to change the game and provide an alternative to overpriced flower delivery. No hidden fees or upsells on beautiful bouquets. They offer bouquets for just $35 to Chicago and Milwaukee area. And every single bouquet sold benefits an amazing local charity (each charity changes on a monthly rotation).
Not only do they donate to a different charity each month; they work extremely hard to help raise up and promote small local businesses. Cue them starting local bundles of gifts you can add to any bouquet. We received the gorgeous winter bouquet in addition to the Milwaukee bundle which featured a delicious candle from Milwaukee Candle Co. It smells like a winter miracle! It also includes 12 Oz of Kickapoo Coffee whole beans, 8 Oz of Indian Summer Farm Honey and Indian summer honey farm lip balm.
You know we are a sucker for our local economy and promoting small businesses so when we heard that Flowers for Dreams, a company we already love, added this to their menu we were over the moon thrilled. Seriously can you imagine a better treat to send someone you care about? These beautiful blooms and local goodies are guaranteed to make anyone’s day. It is an especially good gift for those people you just aren’t sure what to get! Or perhaps you are going to a friend or family members’ house and would love to show up with a host gift. There are three winter bouquets to pick from, one of them is sure to catch your attention. They also sell some gorgeous wreaths as well and if you want to check them out in person they are popping up at the Christkindl Market!
Well, what are you waiting for? Make someone’s floral dreams come true and feel good about what you’re promoting behind the scenes of your purchase. They also even have a winter wreath if you’re looking for a door decoration – even better! Just click right here to get your order started!
P.S. If you’re into dressing for the season, these skirts fit the bill. I am all for filling December with as much Green, Red, and sparkle as I can. Jenilee and I both own this red skirt and this green skirt came back fully stocked for another season (lucky you!). This skirt is part of the club in my closet of items that always get complimented. Anyone else know what I mean? But seriously I should wear it on days I am feeling down, because it brightens my day all day: in the locker room, at work, at Qdoba, walking down the street, people just love it! If you’re in need of a holiday party look these skirts are a solid option for you! Check the widget below for where to shop them!
Happy Thanksgiving week friends! Jenilee and I are so ready for a few days off of work and I am looking forward to some one on one time with my parents! I am so excited to be channeling my Half Baked Harvest obsession into this year’s Thanksgiving meal. I figured what better time to try making my very first Thanksgiving Turkey than with a small audience. If you haven’t checked out her cookbook; breeze by her Instagram account and you will definitely drool down your chin.
Anyway, we hope you are all settling in for some solid family time and celebrating over your favorite shared traditions. We are actively promoting skipping the Black Friday hullabaloo. Stay inside, opt-outside, do whatever you want. The bottom line, truly try to focus on staying away from overconsumption during this Holiday season. Spend some time thinking about items that truly spark joy and make you happy. Not loading up on items that you only feel drawn to because they are deeply discounted. With that being said, we know it is a great time to get a lot of your shopping done and maybe even snag a few items you have been watching for months. We’ll provide you some of our favorites today so you can get ready.
The real reason we are here today is to talk about all things Small Business Saturday. We wrote a post on this last year and to date, it may be one of my favorite posts. Connecting with local business owners has been one of the most rewarding part of our blog. We want to provide you a resource to shop for some of our favorites this season! In an effort to not play favorites please find them listed alphabetically below!
In other exciting news to share our true love for Small Business Saturday, we are doing a HUGE local giveaway on our Instagram with another local blogger, What Riva Wore! Below catch some details on what is included and then check out their Black Friday/Small Business Saturday Posts!
This company is dangerous. Not like take caution dangerous but like freeze your credit card in an ice block dangerous. The shirts are catchy, local, fun and so unique. Once you start buying them you won’t be able to stop. And they are pumping them out at record speed now. We feel lucky to be giving away our FAVORITE shirt to date that they have made, it has all of the Wisconsin state symbols on the front and it is designed so well. Every single time we wear it we get so many compliments; which are par the course for all of their designs. The unique features make Packer shirts, Milwaukee and Wisconsin shirts look fresh and like nothing else on the market. If you’re local you can stop by the public market or the airport for in-person shopping. Otherwise, their Black Friday Sale is always live so don’t wait to get some local gifting done or maybe swing by the Public Market for the trunk sale Saturday for some truly unbelievable prices. We also get to giveaway a Milwaukee icon mug, various pins and magnets!
Colleen is a local Milwaukee Photography. She specializes in portrait photography, marketing and so much more! She will make you feel like her closest friend as she takes your photographs. Come ready for an adventure and expect to get a little dirty and to have a lot of fun! She offers mini holiday shoots for any season of life. You will be lucky enough to win a mini session if you enter and win our giveaway!
I was actually introduced to The Earth and All Stars by winning a giveaway so it only feels right to be coming full circle by now doing our very own giveaway of two beautiful sets. All of the jewelry is handmade and designed in Milwaukee. It is a mix of leather and eclectic accessories of any sort. She uses recycled goods and we love that! You can see The Earth and All Stars at local makers markets or shop her goodies on Etsy. We told her we were doing some Milwaukee Flag themed goods and she matched it to a T with one of the amazing leather jewelry sets. You can just feel the Milwaukee pride within the heart of this small business.
Owned by a husband and wife team, Giltee was born out of a side project. Adam and Lisa Gilson began screen printing in their basement as a creative outlet. Lisa connected with us on Instagram and introduced us to their designs which feature Wauwatosa (our own backyard), Milwaukee, and so many other Wisconsin cities. They make unique shirts, baseball hats, winter hats, sweatshirts, sunglasses and so much more!! We are lucky enough to be giving away a long sleeve Wisconsin Milwaukee Flag long sleeve. The quality is impeccable and the shirts they print on are top of the line!
Jet Set local is a local coupon passport that makes exploring Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, and the North Shore with the Foodie Flight. You will get $10 off $25 purchases at a wide variety of restaurants. This is the perfect way to solve your “Where should we eat tonight debates” there will be no more going back and forth with you pick, no you pick, no you pick! We have a tendency to fall into a routine and stick to our favorite spots so this is going to be wonderful in pushing us to try new hot spots! To add to it, it’s the perfect gift for the person who has everything!
This company feels so close to my heart. You may have read one of our many posts in the past but to give you the lowdown Katherine is the first Internet friend we made through our blog BECAUSE of Small Business Saturday. We reached out on a whim to get the skinny on her SBS sale and she pretty much became our friend at that moment. We have been blessed to collaborate and support her in any way possible which has been so natural and easy for us due to our love for the lake.
In true form, she is essentially promoting the same thing we are; which is why her sale runs for more than one day because she wants you to enjoy your family! If you are local to Milwaukee we highly suggest checking out Lake Effect’s brick and mortar store in Pewaukee. It is the most darling store that oozes positive energy and good vibes. If you need any suggestions on your favorite items check out the slider below. Everything is ethically sourced, made to fit true to size and can not only be worn at the lake but in every day style as well. You won’t want to miss her Black Friday/Small Business sale. And if you’re looking to make a purchase any other time you can use our code THEREALTALL15 for 15% off!
Not to get dramatic but we have been hearing so many things about toxins in Candles from stores like Bath & Body Works and TJ Maxx lately:
“A study by scientists at Copenhagen University conducted on mice found exposure to particles from burning candles to cause greater damage than the same dose of diesel exhaust fumes. The harmful effects of candle smoke included lung inflammation and toxicity, arteriosclerosis, and ageing effects on chromosomes in the lungs and spleen.”
So we have chosen to make the change to candles that follow this mission: “To stay true to my mission of contributing to an environmentally conscious lifestyle, LIT MKE candles uses a premium blend of soy and coconut waxes with 100% cotton wicks. I am always looking to improve the qualities of the candles and experiment with Each candle is carefully crafted by hand, locally in Milwaukee by myself and with help from my apprentice Karl..”
Not only are these candles better for your health (!!!!) they are the most unique, thoughtful gifts. You can choose a bottle of wine that is meaningful, a bottle of vodka you and your friends drank together in college, or maybe a favorite local craft beer. Mike accepts any custom orders and you can provide your own bottle/can and pick the scent. Christmas aside you can get a bottle of champagne turned into a housewarming gift, or gift a citronella candle to a friend who invites you to their cabin, or treat your groomsmen, bridesmaids to candles too! Honestly, the opportunities to give these unique candles are endless.
We feel so lucky to now offer our coupon codes: Realtall4 if you buy a four pack you get a free candle and Realtall6 if you buy a six pack of candles you get two candles free. (If you need unscented candles write in the special instructions box).
A local designer and calligrapher who combines modern design and old fashioned techniques to create one of a kind stationery, products and so much more! From wedding centerpiece designs to champagne flutes she has you covered with pristine calligraphy. (Insert me being jealous because this is a skill I have always wanted). One of my favorite items for this time of the year to point out is custom ornaments. You can get them for your freshly married friends, a new baby in your life, or just pop an inside joke on one! Today we get to share a custom Pantone glass mug and champagne flute for you!
We connected with Jamie via the Easttown Associations Saturday Farmers Market. If you’ve seen our post on the Farmers Market the you’d recognize her store, as we mentioned our meeting there! Her shop is filled with all natural products! She started off by making lip balms with her daughter and gifting them to friends and family. The demand grew, and she realized there was a market for natural products at various farmers markets. She added other products she had long been making for her family, including hand and face wash, essential oil roller blends, and room sprays. From there Nourish has only grown, and we were blessed to meet Jamie as she is as authentic as they come. She genuinely cares and believes in what she creates and was able to help recommend different products for us to try easily.
Twisted Sister Toffee
HOT NEWS here. This Small Business as new as new can get. This one happens to be very near and dear to our heart because the owner happens to be a part of our family. We have been treated to this toffee each Christmas and it’s something we both look forward to each year. We can’t share too many details yet, but lucky for you if you win this giveaway you get a sneak peek at the deliciousness that this toffee is!
Make sure you head to our Instagram to read the rules and enter our giveaway!
https://www.therealtall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/IMG_6378.jpg939704Jenilee & Caitlinhttps://www.therealtall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2.jpgJenilee & Caitlin2019-11-27 09:16:032019-12-05 16:00:15Family Time and Small Business Saturday
Thanksgiving is only a week away as you read this, which makes Christmas just over a month out. Did anyone else’s mind just get blown by reading that? Hopefully, you’ve started to get a jump on planning the menu for Thanksgiving dinner, and maybe even your outfit has been picked out. I can’t say the same, but we’re getting there. What we do have in order, are our smiles for spreading holiday cheer thanks to Smile Brilliant! We were super excited when the team at Smile Brilliant reached out for us to test out their custom teeth-whitening method. The last time we used a whitening tray method was through our dentist, so we had high standards to match.
At Home Whitening Misconceptions
Once she started dropping some information on us, we were ready to get started. I think the most appealing part of Smile Brilliant is simultaneously the thing you wonder if it’s too good to be true; which are the custom whitening trays. I had heard of Smile Brilliant many times before but never realized that you received custom trays. In between my dentist made trays, Caitlin and I had dabbled with Crest White-Strips many times. While they’ve always worked and are pretty inexpensive, the outcome doesn’t have the staying power a professional service would. So if you’re just looking for a temporary fix, they’d suffice. Custom trays were highly appealing because although we’ve both had braces, there is no such thing as one size fits all for trays. We’d never want to risk having uneven whitening, which is definitely the case using the strips that don’t reach the back teeth.
The Whitening Process
Onto the next hurdle: how the heck do you get a custom-fitted tray?! The first package showed up at our door packed with a make at home mold set. While I was initially intimidated by not screwing up this process, I took my time and read and re-read the instructions until I felt like I had a good understanding. I laid out all of the components and got my phone ready to time myself. A quick overview is mixing two containers together to make the mold for your teeth. Once it turns blue, you lay it in the tray and push it evenly onto your teeth. Smile Brilliant has great visuals on how the appropriate mold should look. They even send an extra mold set in case you mess up the first. Ok, I’ll admit Caitlin and I both used the extra set, but we were so relieved they thought of everything to make it as easy as possible.
From there, you let it set until it hardens. I did mine at night, so in the morning I slipped the hardened trays into the prepaid envelope and sent it back in the mail. I anxiously awaited my email that they had received my trays, which came efficiently. From there, they examine the mold and make sure it’s usable. If it is, they make your whitening trays. We got an email confirmation that our trays were created and shipped. This was a three-day turnaround on them receiving the trays and shipping them back out – super quick! Once they arrived, we both slipped on the trays and were completely impressed by how perfectly they matched up. It made us feel confident in starting the whitening process.
The whitening gel and the desensitizing gels were shipped in the original package, so we had them ready to use! It’s recommended to use ⅓ of each syringe per use, so after brushing our teeth just with water, we spread the gel on the trays and popped them on. Then you can keep them on from anywhere from 45 minutes – 3 hours depending on how sensitive your teeth get. We both get pretty sensitive with whitening, so we started off slow and worked our way up in time.
However, using their desensitizing gel immediately after whitening was simply INCREDIBLE. I couldn’t believe how much it helped. Fast forward a couple of weeks and our whitening journey is complete. One of the best parts? We got incredible results and we didn’t even have to use all of the whitening gel. They last over a year to two years if you refrigerate, so when we need to revisit, no more money needs to be sent. How great is that?!
You might be wondering about our teeth-staining habits. Caitlin and I are both coffee drinkers. I wouldn’t say heavy – because we typically do one cup a day and maybe a second if we’re on a road trip. We don’t drink more than the occasional soda, and our wine consumption is maybe a 2-5 times a month at most. With the holiday season upon us, obviously, some of these numbers are skewed. But luckily we planned ahead and took care of the whitening to not have to worry about a stained smile during the festivities.
Giveaway Details
So while you may be wondering, great for you having your smile ready for the holidays, but what about me?! We’re super excited to share that Smile Brilliant is offering a giveaway to our readers for a free teeth whitening kit of your own! If you’re thinking, “I can’t wait I need to whiten now,” we also have a code for 15% off using realtall15. To enter the giveaway, use the URL below. Details are below!
The giveaway is for a $149 Smile Brilliant credit. It is open for at least 1-2 weeks (after blog post date) and open to USA, UK, Australia and Canadian residents.
Smile Brilliant hosts the giveaway on our own website. It’s done through an internal platform so we don’t have to worry about third-party websites selling your readers’ email addresses.
All entrants must enter their email address to be entered!
https://www.therealtall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DSC02437.jpg9201379Jenilee & Caitlinhttps://www.therealtall.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2.jpgJenilee & Caitlin2019-11-20 07:54:272019-11-20 07:54:32At Home Teeth Whitening: Does it Work?
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