Ok stop it. I cannot believe my baby sister is 30… like completely in denial. Today’s post is all about Caitlin in honor of her entering her fourth decade. It is always nice to hear what people like about you and/or remember you best by, so I asked some key people in her life to share their thoughts! I’m going to share a mix of people’s favorite memories and things that are quintessentially Caitlin! 

  1. Caitlin is an enneagram 6 – the loyalist
  2. We shared a room until I (Jenilee) was in high school. Our neighbors had a pool that lined up to our window and we would (in hindsight) creepily call out the window to our neighbor (who was like a grandpa to us) while he swam at night.
  3. She is super organized
  4. There are many things I love about Caitlin, but one of my favorite things is her spontaneity. If you know her, you know she is a planner, so it’s really fun when she pulls a wild card! Some of my favorite spontaneous moments include; many swerves into Kopps Custard for our favorite flavor, Goodwill and dive bar stops on road trips, last minute concert tickets, accidental late nights, garbage bowl meals and so many more. I am lucky to call her one of my closest friends! – Sarah
  5. I love that my little girl picked up one of my ‘naughty’ things. Growing up I loved to moon people especially while swimming in the lake. My Caitlin has picked up mooning for the next generation! – Our Mom
  6. Caitlin is the runt of our family at 5’11
  7. As a toddler, Caitlin loved to say “mine” to everything (Nick’s favorite memory)
  8. Pasta has been her absolute favorite forever
  9. Not many people know that Caitlin is almost a man. She has been taking advanced Man lessons from the manliest man she knows, her Dad. Many man lessons were held at the manland institute for advanced man studies. She can do a lot of Man stuff and tings. – Our Dad (whose hunting land is called Man Land).
  10. One of my favorite memories is playing Barbies in our unfinished basement. We would spend 90% of our time setting up our houses and dressing the dolls (foreshadowing our love for clothing!?). We would have to turn the lights off and we would sprint up the stairs so the monsters couldn’t get us in the dark.
  11. Caitlin has ALWAYS known what she likes/doesn’t like even as a small child. Whether it was how she wanted her hair worn, or what she would or would not wear she had strong opinions.
  12. Also from our Dad – Caitlin’s hero is Top Gigio, her happy place is Happy Place (beer), she likes her pancakes a little heavy on the sap, and she is her Dad’s beer sous chef
  13. We worked together for the first three years after she graduated college, which was the highlight of working there and probably prolonged us staying in an industry we’re not passionate about.
  14. Red Raspberry is her favorite frozen custard at Kopps, followed by Key Lime Pie!
  15. That leads me to another favorite memory, which is her putting up with me and my bff stealing her clothing when we were in high school. She would leave and then discover we wore her clothing after we posted pictures online. 
  16. Caitlin is a total dog lover. We grew up with Labradors in our house and she used to lay cuddled on top of our yellow lab.
  17. We went to college together for 1 year and got to be roommates. Highlights included making some killer pot roasts, having a bowl devoted solely to consuming popcorn, fostering a stubborn pit bull named Kennedy, and the consumption of too much cherry Burnetts vodka. 
  18. Caitlin is a beer brewer, a hobby she picked up with her Dad!
  19. Favorite Caitlin moments include floating on the river and playing beer pong! We later found out the poles could have tipped and electrocuted us all (yikes!). When her parents were MIA at the S-No-W Fun Run and Joel and I got to step in and be her parents! Finally, when Joen went and partied with Caitlin and friends in LaCrosse. He told me he was sleeping in his car at 9 p.m. and I got to ask him why Caitlin had sent me a Snapchat with him still partying at 10:30 p.m. (and who knows how much longer!). – Sandee Lammers
  20. Another complete Caitlinism is the strange positions she can sleep in. It would be completely normal to walk into the living room to find her half off the couch or flung over the arm napping. It is a wonder she didn’t have any serious back/neck problems.
  21. Sara (one of her best friends) favorite memory is finishing a long day of college classes together with 2for1’s and Dyno fries at Howies.
  22. Our entire adult lives, we have been workout partners. We went through a phase of lifting on our own and then worked with a personal trainer together, but we are much happier now being at Burn Boot Camp and having someone tell us what to do every day!
  23. My baby girl was a joy to watch grow up. She loved just being with me and doing all the things I did, like helping me in the kitchen, I taught her how to sew, she even tried to like running with me. She was the cutest little gushy girl who ran everywhere when she was little but was also extremely stubborn when nap time rolled around! The most important thing about her is the beautiful young woman she has become. Her character is full of loyalty, true actions of LOVE, generosity of her time, a hard worker, creative beyond words, and most importantly her relationship with GOD! I couldn’t ask for a sweeter daughter who is also a dear friend to me. I love you Caitlin!! – Mom
  24. We went through a phase of being devoted to winning radio contests. We both won designer purses, she won a Kindle Fire and also won several concert tickets, including a meet and greet with Luke Bryan (see our Aunts back story below). Many people were angry that she took me with her (knowing that I’m not a country fan). 
  25. Holly loves that they used to order Jimmy John’s to the pool every day in the summer, driving the little red car in our court, taking shots of tequila together, and always answering her plant questions!
  26. Caitlin is happiest with her people up north living lake life in the summertime.
  27. She is extremely loyal, loving and a sentimental person who loves her family, her God and her country. She also makes the most adorable birthday cards. – Aunt Sandy
  28. Tim (my husband’s) favorite things/memories about Caitlin are Lil’ Boy (her original car), passion for homebrewing, her surprise guest bartending at BB, and her bursting into song with her favorite lyrics “late nights in the middle of June,” and having Bloody Mary’s late morning at the lake.
  29. One of my favorite memories of Cailtin was when she was just a few years old (3 at the most). She to this day has an independent streak that is as wide as it is high as it is deep.. She knows her mind. Her Aunt Sally had given her Mom a beautiful expensive tube of a rich orangish red lipstick in a gold case. Caitlin had seen her Mom put on lipstick hundreds of times, what could go wrong, especially with her twins in tow… Needless to say Caitlin’s application made Bozo look like a novice. Her face from the nose down and ear to ear was covered along with her hands. She was a sight to see that still makes me laugh. Her Mom took a picture which eventually got her concert tickets and backstage passes to see Luke Bryan! – Aunt Susan
  30. My granddaughter is a kindred spirit. She used to write me letters when she was younger which I will always cherish. She learned how to sew, which is dear to my heart. Caitlin also wanted to learn how I made my egg salad and other favorite dishes including cracker noodles. She also makes time to chat with me on the phone and visits me when she comes up north as well as takes me to the Burnt Bridge for a Big Ass Pretzel! – Our Grandma Picky
  31. Megan says, Caitlin is one of the most thoughtful, genuine, and beautiful humans out there. Her love language is sharing her plants
  32. BB Wesley says, I love my auntie, she counts my rolls and gives me kisses and makes me laugh.
  33. Another friend says, Caitlin’s hilarious, fun, and kind personality instantly brightens every room she walks into. I’m so lucky to call Caitlin my friend. Throw on a Goodwill flannel in her honor, HBD Caitlin.
  34. We both agree she’s a blast! Always have fun with her and love her fun ideas. And also that she’s just always her authentic self no matter what! Mike & Megan

Hopefully you learned some new special things about Caitlin on her thirtieth birthday. We all hope she feels the love on her birthday and every day. She is one special lady, and we’re all blessed to have her in our lives. Wish her a Happy Birthday in the comments below!

2021 has been a year full of.. A year. LOL. I think we can all agree that we didn’t envision this extending on as long as it has. However, 2021 brought me my biggest joy. The birth of Wesley, so it wasn’t all bad! We’re hopeful you had bright spots and moments throughout the year as well and encourage you to try to reflect on those as the year ends. 2021 definitely brought me less consistency to the blog. I know there are people still out there reading it and we hope that it helps you in some small way. That was and is our intent!

Another exciting thing 2021 brought us was becoming Amalli Talli ambassadors. As longtime fans of their quality clothing, it was all too easy to say yes to an official partnership. We especially loved being able to share items AND a discount code to you. Our partnership is coming to a close for now, and we wanted to highlight some of our favorite pieces in case you’re after Christmas shopping and can use the code one last time before it goes away.

Moto Jacket – Black and Wine

One of our most reached for pieces. You aren’t going to find a better fitting, more comfortable jacket than this. It is ideal for everything! Most of all because it is sweatshirt material, but makes you look tailored and chic. Some sort of sorcery involved in the making of this jacket, I swear! We both wear a size large in this jacket. Amalli also released a deep red version that would be a perfect addition to your closet as well!

Shacket – Multi Plaid, Solid Grey, and Red Plaid

Another layering piece that we have integrated seamlessly into our wardrobes is Amalli’s shacket. They have two (almost sold out!!) plaid options and also just released a solid gray that we are just on the cusp of purchasing. With the Midwest weather, it’s something you can easily grab for cold mornings and again know that you’ll have that tailored look instead of a bulkier men’s version! Also wear size large in these shackets, which seems to be our go-to for their outerwear.

Plaid Blazer

If you’re anything like us, you’re constantly on the hunt for tall blazers. Look no further for the perfect plaid addition! We’re typically hesitant about blazers because we constantly have to compromise sizing with our broader shoulders. Not the case thankfully with this blazer. Caitlin has it in large and it feels perfectly comfortable. Plus it’s another piece you can wear casually or professionally!

Sunchaser Cardigan

Are you sensing a theme yet? It’s layering season in the Midwest. We’re just trying our best to stay warm, y’all! Caitlin bought this cardigan, and it is the perfect piece to match both the mustard turtleneck sweater AND the mustard ribbed long sleeve (which already are in her closet). Caitlin got this cardigan in a size medium and it has a nice fitted look.And of course comes with their signature long sleeves.

Ribbed Long Sleeves, Dusty Rose, Mustard, Hunter Green, Burnt Orange

That brings us to the under layering pieces, and these definitely top our list. They are made of a nice thick material, which also has some nice spandex stretch to it to keep it fitted well. There are a plethora of great color options, so something for everyone’s preference. Our pro tip is find the colors you love and buy them instead of picking different colors for variety’s sake. You will end up always reaching for your preferred colors, plus it makes your closet much more cohesive for putting together outfits! We both wear medium in the ribbed long sleeves. We have dusty rose, mustard, hunter green, and burnt orange.

Ribbed Mockneck Long Sleeve – Black and Dark Mauve

If you’re like us, the more body parts covered in the Winter, the better. This ribbed version just adds the mockneck. We would say, it fits a bit tighter than the regular long sleeve and feels less stretchy. Still stick with your regular size, unless you’re looking for a looser fit and then you *could* size up. We both wear size medium in the mockneck.

Smocked Sleeve Top

We also both have this in several colors and luckily Amalli Talli decided to restock the black so more ladies could get their hands on this perfect top. It has the perfect fit in size medium for us and the sleeve detail is everything we look for! I only linked black above but there are a few left in the wine and white!

V Neck, Crew Neck, and Turtleneck Sweaters

Depending on your neckline preference, Amalli Talli has you covered with all! We like a good crew neck but are drawn to the v neck in this soft sweater style. My sensitive skin loves that this sweater has no wool content in it and that it is lightweight and therefore can be easily layered! We both wear a medium in this sweater and it is an easy looser fit. I have the berry color and it is an amazing vibrant sweater for those dreary winter days. The mustard turtleneck is also one of our favorite colors!

SALE SECTION

If you haven’t been paying attention, you might have missed some great Amalli Talli items that are marked down to either sale or final sale!

Camo leggings

We both have these tall leggings, because CAMO and they are a great crossover, meaning you could wear to workout but also as athleisure (which is our preference).

Tall Tweed Jacket

Another great tall jacket from Amalli Talli and this one is also perfect for your workwear needs! I have this in size large and also love that there are plenty of colors to mix and match. 

Brighton Sweater Dress

A truly beautiful vibrant sweater dress, you won’t find a better fitting option than this sweater dress! Caitlin has it in size large and it lays really nicely.

Linen Shorts in Natural or Sage

Honorable mention to these shorts because we don’t technically have this iteration, but we have the linen shorts from the year prior and they are great. A good length on our legs to feel comfortable and confident and a nice lightweight fabric!

We could go on and on about everything you need in your closet, but we have plenty of other Amalli Talli posts waxing on about it for you to reference as well. Legitimately we could recommend most of the products with ease, which again made this ambassadorship very easy to say yes to! All you really need to know is use the code THEREALTALL10 for 10% off your purchase and rest assured you’ll be happy with whatever you buy. Lastly, always happy to answer any questions discussing fit if you’re concerned! 

Happiest of New Years to you all!

Oxymoron to say women’s tall shorts? Kind of. It’s 2021 and we’re still out here struggling to find the right shorts fit. Too short, too long, Bermuda, too tight, not the right proportions. You name it and we have struggled with it. We did a small bit of crowdsourcing to see where y’all shop and the number one answer was Old Navy. We went ahead and ordered a pair to find out for ourselves but they haven’t arrived quite yet. The two of us have agreed that approximately a 4″ -5″ inseam is our sweet spot. Check out some of our favorite women’s tall shorts below.

Old Navy

Darker // Lighter

Paperbag waist // Utility Shorts (both come in multiple colors!)// RWB (only 3″ but we love them!)

Striped// Print (more available)

AE

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Gap

Coral ( 6 colors available) // Striped (Jenilee has last years version and they are her favorite shorts she owns)

1 / 2

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

American Tall

American Tall

A & F

1 / 2

Amalli Talli

We also shared some Amalli Talli shorts we like, here. Check out their website for available options.

It was super exciting to hear after sharing my pregnancy news how many of you are also expecting! Makes me feel like I’m not alone, stumbling through. Being 6’4 and pregnant is a little different than the average woman as many of you already have experienced. The bump is finally starting to show at just over halfway through. While this can be totally welcome for still fitting into your regular clothing for a longer time, it’s also disconcerting to be looking for your body to change and barely seeing much of anything for months! As I start showing, I’m on the hunt for tall maternity friendly leggings.

I made the joke on Instagram that it looked like I was visiting the buffet regularly for (I felt like) the longest time instead of having an “ideal” baby bump. I know, I know that ideal is not a thing but I think when you envision it in your mind it can be a bit of a let down of expectation vs reality. Just sharing a bit of the behind the scenes mindset shift that pregnancy has been for me. A lot of women look forward to this time, and I include myself in that but until your body is changing you don’t really know how you’ll react! 

The biggest thing I’ve been grateful for as the changes have started is that I could continue to work out! It has kept me feeling like myself as I continue to sweat but also give myself grace as it gets a bit more difficult to move as easily as before. Secondarily and a nice part (if there was a nice part) of COVID is being home much more than usual. That just means I don’t have to fill my closet with a bunch of pieces for events that I might not get a ton of use out of. 

Belly Belts

A favorite purchase so far has been my Belly Belts. I’ve been able to continue to wear my regular jeans with a longer sweater to cover that my pants are unzipped. Also a big shout out to being pregnant in the Winter months, very underrated so far haha. Click here for the link. If you’re just squeaking past being able to button up your jeans then these should prolong the life of them. They come in two lengths. So far I’ve been using the smaller belly band. I should be able to get away with another at least month or so before switching.

I think one of the more elusive pieces tall women search for through pregnancy are pants. Myself included in that. I bought a two pack of tall maternity leggings from ASOS. kept them because they were $13 but realistically they are a bit sheer. As I don’t have a ton of butt covering tops or sweaters I don’t know how much use I’ll get out of them. Plus they aren’t THAT stretchy either. Quite the glowing review, huh. 

Tall Long and Curvy Leggings

As for leggings that have been my best friends, nothing changes for Tall Long and Curvy being champions in my closet! Chelsey’s leggings are like butter and have STILL been my go-to leggings during pregnancy. When we first tried TLC leggings out we went with size large. Since we’ve gone on and bought like every single color and multiples of colors as well, we’ve realized we could definitely wear size medium. 

Tall Maternity Friendly Leggings

Having plenty of pairs of larges at this point is perfect for pregnancy. I highly recommend these tall maternity friendly leggings if you haven’t tried them already. PLUS, she’s been getting some samples of yoga type leggings to launch. You already know they are guaranteed to be just as incredible. The pairs we have (and are on the site) are all more workout style leggings. But no one will look at you twice if you have zero plans to workout either LOL. 

Oh yea, and a little birdy let us try on some jean samples that will be launching in the future. Someone who makes good leggings knows how to pick some bomb jeans for our tall curvy bodies. Get those wallets prepped, that’s all we’re saying. Oh yea, and there will be a restock of the OG black leggings as well with two different lengths. You can thank us later when you’re living in them (like us).

Click here to shop all things Tall Long Curvy

Wow, what a year. Yea I know I’m just saying what we’re all thinking. It truly changed everyone’s lives and for that reason I’ve got to address it. When we all started hearing whispers about COVID19 I don’t think realistically most anticipated the effect it would have. From going through a quarantine lockdown with everyone stuck at home, to adjusting to mask wearing when out in public, to people who were able to keep their jobs realizing how easily (or not) they could work from home. Celebrate your resilience this year. It’s been a weird one. 

Most years people look ahead and see possibilities of what it can hold/bring and this year feels a little different. Yes we have a vaccine and a tentative date on the horizon. There are still a lot of unknowns in the meantime. We want to encourage you to focus on the small things you can control about your life. If you’re stuck at home more than you’d like, figure out a new routine that brings you happiness. 

Some Fun News/Updates

For me, one thing was us getting a puppy. We’ve long talked about getting a dog and held off because the way our lives were set up. Working at least a 9 hour day followed by hitting the gym for an hour or two isn’t the ideal scenario to have a dog pining away for you at home. With the changes this year forcing us to slow down, everything aligned and we brought our puppy, Francis “Frankie” home. Plus she has the best aunt in Caitlin!

Having a dog or something to take care of is a way to focus outside of yourself. It’s easiest for me to get stuck inside my head and the cycle of thoughts all about me, me, me. I’m not saying you need a pet/dog to find a purpose, but they sure do provide a lot of distraction whether it be training, accidents, chewing, or laughing while they play. 

In other news to just drop in the middle of the post, I’m excited to announce that I’m expecting a baby boy, due in May 2021! Why not pack all the excitement in at once, am I right?!

Looking Ahead to 2021

Maybe this is the year you try out being a plant mom. You’ve been enjoying all the greenery people are injecting their homes with. It is a smaller but still fun way to bring something new. It won’t cost a ton but could potentially bring you joy!

A lot of people went through their homes already. But if your clutter is suffocating you, take some time off buying new things. Only until you can go through and organize what you do have. Especially after Christmas, we tend to come home and realize how much stuff we have and don’t use. In the meantime you can start a note or an excel spreadsheet on updates/things you might actually need instead of want. Then when you’re ready you might have enough in your budget to replace items you’ve been overlooking or getting by with. 

Lastly, since this blog is all things tall, you could take an inventory of your closet. What did you buy that you shouldn’t have because it doesn’t actually fit you. What tall small business can you check out this year to support instead. Maybe it means spending a few more dollars. In the long run, we can guarantee from personal experience that you will have those pieces left in your closet after a purge more than some clearance mainline sweater you thought you had to have and shrunk after one wash.

2020 Post Highlights

Some of our favorite pieces from this year are linked posts below. Check them out for a trip down memory lane of 2020 (the year you’re not sure you want to relive).

January: This Boilersuit and this mini skirt were two favorites for the year

February: This perfect sweat jumpsuit from Prissy Duck and these jumpsuits from Alloy Apparel!

March: Loving the coordinating black and white looks and twinning in some red power suits.

April: Trying out some Tall & Isi pieces and some Mustard coordinating lewks!

May: Glorious tall maxi dresses, the best tall leggings EVER, & witty tall graphic tshirts you need to add to your closet.

June: Saying temporarily goodbye to LTS in linen, then carrying it over into some great tall linen shorts, and your directory of tall black owned businesses to support!

July: Some incredible tall one piece swimsuits, and the ideal faux leather leggings you need ASAP, as well as some reversible workwear for when you’re back in office!

August: An opinion piece on what NOT to say to tall women (or at least us), a new tall boutique with great basics, and some larger sized comfortable slip on sneakers.

September: A new company that gives you the inseam you need. Plus a company that will custom make your clothing

October: Statement pants with the length and quality you need!

November: Tall Tracksuits/Sweatsuits you won’t regret upgrading to and a high quality large sized shoe business you need to check out!

December: Another new large sized shoe company and some updated tall denim options from one of our favorite tall small businesses.